Using Our Music: P.R.O. & Cue Sheets Explained

If you’re licensing our music for your project, here’s what you need to know about P.R.O. (Performance Rights Organization) and your responsibilities regarding Cue Sheets and royalties.

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What is a P.R.O. (Performance Rights Organization)?

A Performance Rights Organization (P.R.O.) is typically a non-profit organization that collects royalties from sources like TV and radio stations and distributes them to artists, composers, and publishers. The P.R.O. ensures that all payments between these parties are properly handled and distributed according to agreements.

Each country has its own P.R.O. For example:

• The U.S. has three: BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC
• Germany has GEMA
• The UK has PRS
• France has SACEM, and so on.

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What is ASCAP?

ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) is a Performance Rights Organization (P.R.O.) that collects royalties whenever music is played publicly—on TV, radio, live events, and more—and ensures that songwriters, composers, and publishers get paid.

Since we are ASCAP-registered composers, any public broadcast or performance of our music must be reported to ASCAP so royalties can be properly distributed.

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Do You Need to Pay Royalties?

That depends on how you use our music:

• If your project is online-only (e.g., YouTube, social media, website, streaming, etc.) → No royalties are required.
• If your project is broadcast on TV or radio → The TV or radio network is responsible for reporting and paying royalties to ASCAP.
• If your project is used in a live event → The event organizer or venue owner is typically responsible for handling royalties.

If you’re unsure whether royalties apply to your project, check with the broadcaster, venue, or ASCAP directly.

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What Information Do You Need to Include?

When filling out a Cue Sheet for our music, be sure to include:

• Your production’s details (title, type of media, production company)
• Track title(s) used
• Duration of each track used
• Composer: [Our Name]
• Publisher: [Our Publisher Name] (if applicable)

If you have any questions about using our music in your project, feel free to contact us for guidance.

Thank you for licensing our music and helping ensure proper credit and compensation! 🎶

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What is a Cue Sheet and Why Does It Matter?

A Cue Sheet is a document that helps ASCAP track when and where our music is used so we can receive the proper royalties. It includes:

• Production details (title, production company, type of use, etc.)
• Music details (track title, composer, duration, publisher info, etc.)
  

​Cue Sheets are required for TV, film, and some live events—so if you’re using our music in these formats, it’s your responsibility (or the network’s/venue’s) to submit one.

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How to Submit a Cue Sheet

Cue Sheets can be downloaded and submitted directly to ASCAP. To make things easier, you can:

• Download a Cue Sheet from ASCAP

​Once your Cue Sheet is completed, you can submit it to ASCAP using one of the following methods:

1. Email Submission

Email the Cue Sheet to: [email protected]

• If the Cue Sheet is not submitted by the production company, be sure to include a copy of the Cue Sheet or a contact email for verification.

2. Rapid Cue (Electronic Submission)

Submit electronically through Rapid Cue:

• Use the Rapid Cue template to complete your Cue Sheet.
• Submit it directly via ASCAP’s Rapid Cue system.

3. Mail Submission

If email submission is not possible, mail a physical copy to:
ASCAP – Cue Sheet Department
250 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10107

If you have any questions about the submission process, feel free to reach out to us or ASCAP for further assistance.

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