BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is another cornerstone of the American music industry, operating as a major Performing Rights Organization. Founded by broadcasters in 1939 to foster competition in the performance rights landscape, BMI operates as a non-profit, representing over a million songwriters, composers, and publishers. It manages a vast and diverse catalog of musical compositions, issuing licenses to businesses that perform music publicly. BMI then tracks these performances and distributes the collected licensing fees as performance royalties to its affiliated creators, supporting the livelihoods of music professionals across the globe.