ASCAP in music meaning | TheMusicDictionary

Acronym for American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. This is a membership association of composers, songwriters, lyricists, and music publishers of all genres of music. The organization works to protect the rights of its members by licensing and distributing royalties for the non-dramatic public performances of their copyrighted works. ASCAP has represented many of the best known composers and performers since its creation in 1914 by many of the composers of Tin Pan Alley.

Popular questions related to ASCAP

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is the only performing rights organization (PRO) owned and run by its songwriter, composer and publisher members. Operating on a not-for-profit basis, ASCAP is the most effective, efficient and innovative PRO in the world.

An ASCAP license allows music users to pub- licly perform copyrighted music legally, efficiently and at a reasonable price – while compensating music creators so that they can earn a living from their work.

The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) (/ˈæskæp/) is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadcasters, and digital streaming services (music stores).

ASCAP operates on a not-for-profit basis About 90 cents of every dollar we collect is distributed back to our members as royalties, giving us the lowest operating expense ratio in the US. We seek out new tools to maximize our efficiency so we can deliver more money to our members, where it belongs.

On February 13, 1914, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) was founded in New York City. The purpose of this organization was–and remains–to protect the copyright and performance rights of the works of its members: composers, songwriters, lyricists, and music publishers.

ASCAP MEMBERS ON THE BILLBOARD 2022 YEAR-END SONGWRITER & PRODUCER CHARTS

LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA | #1 Hot 100 Songwriter.
GREG KURSTIN #1 Hot 100 Producer.
ASHLEY GORLEY | #1 Hot Country Songwriter.
LIL BABY | #1 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter, #1 Hot Rap Songwriter.

Instead, businesses like bars and the Spotify corporation buy blanket licenses from PROs to “perform” music. These licensing agreements then fund the royalties paid out to ASCAP artists.

ASCAP pays its members for U.S. performances approximately six to seven months after the end of each three-month performance quarter. If you choose to receive your royalties via Direct Deposit, ASCAP will distribute a royalty of $1 or more into your bank account on the day it's ready.

ASCAP MEMBERS ON THE BILLBOARD 2022 YEAR-END SONGWRITER & PRODUCER CHARTS

LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA | #1 Hot 100 Songwriter.
GREG KURSTIN #1 Hot 100 Producer.
ASHLEY GORLEY | #1 Hot Country Songwriter.
LIL BABY | #1 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter, #1 Hot Rap Songwriter.

How are ASCAP royalties for streaming of my music calculated? Royalties are based on quarterly play counts that we receive from the digital service providers (DSPs) that ASCAP licenses – e.g. Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, YouTube Music and Soundcloud.