ASCAP - Entertainment Industry

               In a day and age where music is being digitally shared and played faster than ever, there has to be someone in the industry who protects artists, songwriters, music publishers and more. This is what ASCAP is for.

               ASCAP stands for The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and they see to it that anytime an artists’ work is publicly performed, their revenue will shortly follow. One thing I like about ASCAP is that, it is the only performing rights society in America who is ran by its members.

               The ASCAP website is very key in getting new members to sign up for membership. In the “About” tab, the society gives you a brief history and it expresses its main purpose in the industry.  ASCAP licenses cover a wide surface of 10 main genres, which helps contribute to its 435,000 plus songwriters, music publishers, and composers. Under each genres tab are press releases and recent articles that show how the various artists are making strives in the industry.

This brings me to my next point of networking. According to the ASCAP website, obtaining an ASCAP license gives you “the ability to use any of the 8.5 million songs and musical works created by ASCAP members and members of foreign organizations who are represented by ASCAP in the United States”. In terms of networking this is great because it makes you apart of a community of composers, publishers and songwriters like yourself who are trying to make sure they are getting paid for their works being used.                                

Also, they have the ASCAP “I create music” exposition, which is a great networking opportunity as well. It gives members and others the opportunity to hear from industry leaders such as Quincy Jones, John Mayer, and Ludacris gaining knowledge on the music industry. This is also a great outlet for up and coming songwriters, publishers, and composers to get their work out there.

Overall, ASCAP is a great society, and it plays a major role in the U.S music industry. Without ASCAP many composers, songwriters and publishers will be cheated out of their craft, not being able to gain revenue from their pieces being publicly performed.

For my future business endeavors, it will be wise for me to become an ASCAP member; in order to make sure I have permission to play the music my customers will hear in my venue.