What is a PRO and do I need one?

Learn about what a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) does and how it can benefit musicians and songrwiters worldwide.

from the team @ Horus Music

What is a PRO?

A PRO stands for Performing Rights Organization. A PRO collects public performance royalties on behalf of songwriters and publishers. This means when a song is played publicly on the radio, live, TV shows and commercials it is essential that these companies pay for a license to use the song. Once the PRO has collected the payments, they will distribute the performance royalties amongst the registered rights holders.

Why should you sign up with a PRO?

As a distributor, we only collect streaming and download royalties so it’s important to cover other income avenues to maximise your earnings. This is particularly essential for independent artists. By signing up with a PRO, this ensures you are receiving royalties anytime your music is played live on the radio, TV or in any other public space. Joining a collection society such as PRS here in the UK is the only way writers can ensure they’re receiving publishing revenue. It’s also worth noting that in the UK, for certain TV channels it is required for the artist to be registered with a PRO if a song was to be licensed for a sync deal.

What should I do if I’m being asked to enter a PRO on Horus Music but don’t currently have one?

If you are not signed up with a PRO you can select ‘none’ from the drop-down menu, this should automatically apply to all releases you upload. If at a later date you sign up with a PRO, you can contact our team to let us know and we can update this information for you and apply to all future releases. 

How to enter information on My Music Distribution Zone:

You can enter PRO information at the second stage of the upload where you add your track information. We will ask for your PRO affiliation and your member ID, along with providing an option to add multiple PRO’s if you have more than one for a particular track. If it’s your first time releasing with us, you will be asked for your PRO information first before uploading your metadata.

There are different PROs across the globe depending on your location. These include:

• PRS for the UK
• ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, SoundExchange for the US
• IPRS, PPO, IRRO for India
• SAMRO, KAMP, GHAMRO across Africa
• ECAD, SCD, AADI across South America

Top Tips:

• If you’re in a band, all members who contributed to the composition should join a PRO to ensure they are getting paid fairly.
• PRO’s accept submissions from around the world, so you don’t have to only sign up to the PROs in your country.
• Some PROs have requirements/ costs so be sure to research different societies and see which works best for you.