Guide
ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR: what a dental office should know
Four established organizations license the right to play songs in public in the US, each for its own writers and publishers. Here is how each describes itself, how their business licenses work, and what to ask before you sign anything.
Last reviewed October 11, 2026.
ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR are US performing rights organizations (PROs). Each one licenses businesses to play in public the songs of the songwriters, composers and publishers it represents, and each says on its own website that a license from another PRO does not cover its music. Each also says its business fees depend on the type of business. Which license, if any, fits your office is a question to put to each PRO and to your own attorney. (The four PROs' own pages as read on October 10 and 11, 2026.)
This guide is general information about US law and business music services. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your practice, talk to a lawyer.
What is a performing rights organization?
A performing rights organization collects permission from songwriters and music publishers to license public performances of their songs, sells that permission to businesses and broadcasters, and pays the fees out as royalties. The US Copyright Office summed it up in a February 2025 notice:
"Broadly, a PRO contracts with songwriters and publishers for the authority to license the public performance rights in their musical works, and then provides collective licenses of those rights to users, allowing them to publicly perform the works in the PRO's repertoire."
US Copyright Office, Notice of Inquiry, Issues Related to Performing Rights Organizations, 90 Fed. Reg. 9253, 9254, February 10, 2025, read October 11, 2026
A PRO licenses the song itself, meaning the words and music as written, not a particular recording of it. ASCAP's licensing FAQ says "ASCAP only licenses the public performances of the underlying song or composition."
US copyright law names three of the four. Its definition of a "performing rights society" is "an association, corporation, or other entity that licenses the public performance of nondramatic musical works on behalf of copyright owners of such works, such as the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), and SESAC, Inc." (17 U.S.C. 101). GMR came later, in 2013. The Copyright Office's notice also lists two newer organizations, PRO Music Rights (2018) and AllTrack (2019), and adds that its list "is not necessarily an exhaustive list." This guide covers the four that BMI, in its April 2025 comments to the Copyright Office, called the "Four established PROs" licensing the public performance right in the United States.
Who are ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR?
Each organization counts differently (members, copyright owners, affiliates, songs, works), so the figures below are not a ranking. They are each organization's own words.
| Organization | Founded | Size, in its own words | Who it represents |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) | 1914, "the first PRO in the US" | "more than 1.1 million music creator members"; it licenses "over 20 million ASCAP songs and scores" | Songwriters, composers and publishers who join as members. ASCAP calls itself "the only performing rights organization (PRO) in the US that operates as a not for profit." |
| BMI (Broadcast Music) | 1939 | "more than 1.5 million copyright owners and their over 25 million works" | Songwriters, composers and music publishers, which its April 2025 comments to the Copyright Office call affiliates. Its 2026 license forms name the licensor as Broadcast Music, LLC. |
| SESAC | 1931, "originally as the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers" | "more than 1.5 million songs on behalf of its 15,000+ affiliated songwriters, composers, and music publishers" | Affiliates by invitation: "SESAC is an invitation-only company." |
| GMR (Global Music Rights) | 2013, "the first US PRO in nearly 75 years" | "134,000+ Songs Licensed" | "a select, invitation-only client base" of writers, composers and publishers |
Does a license from one PRO cover another PRO's music?
No, according to all four. Each PRO licenses only the songs, or shares of songs, that it represents.
"SESAC, ASCAP, and BMI are three separate and distinct Performing Rights Organizations (PRO). Each organization represents different copyright holders (songwriters, composers, and publishers) and licenses only the copyrighted works of its own respective copyright holders."
SESAC, Frequently Asked Questions, answer to "If I have licenses with ASCAP and/or BMI, why do I need a license with SESAC?", read October 11, 2026
ASCAP's FAQ says a BMI or SESAC license "gives you permission to publicly perform music represented by that particular performing rights organization (PRO)." GMR's FAQ says licenses with the other three "do not grant you authorization to publicly perform the copyrighted music of Global Music Rights' songwriters, composers, and publishers and vice versa." BMI's FAQ says a license with another PRO "does not cover public performances of the award-winning music licensed by BMI", and its 2026 retail license grants rights in "all musical works of which BMI controls the right to grant public performance licenses during the Term of this Agreement." Whether a practice needs any of these licenses at all is a wider question, covered in our guide Do dental offices need a music license?
Why can one song involve more than one PRO?
Many songs have several writers, and each writer's share can sit with a different PRO. The Copyright Office calls this fractional licensing:
"For example, if a musical work has multiple songwriters and publishers who have authorized different PROs to license their separate fractional interests, then any PRO's ability to offer a license is limited to the fractional interests that the PRO has obtained."
US Copyright Office, Notice of Inquiry, 90 Fed. Reg. 9253, 9255, February 10, 2025, read October 11, 2026
The PROs say the same in their own words. GMR's licensing page says its blanket license covers "shares of the music we represent", and ASCAP's FAQ notes that "more often than not, your favorite songs were co-written by multiple people, some of whom may be ASCAP members."
You can look up the split for a particular song. Songview, on which, in ASCAP's words, "ASCAP, BMI, GMR and SESAC are working together", shows "a breakdown of shares by PRO, for over 40 million musical works in the combined repertories of the four Songview PROs", through the public search tools on ASCAP's and BMI's websites (ASCAP, Songview page, read October 11, 2026). Start at ASCAP Repertory Search. SESAC has its own repertory search, and GMR has an online catalog.
How do PRO licenses for businesses work?
In general terms, from the PROs' own published material and the Copyright Office's notice:
- One fee for the whole catalog. Most licensees take a blanket license: one fee for the right to play everything the PRO represents during the term, instead of licensing song by song. The Copyright Office notes that "Most licensees that contract with PROs obtain a blanket license to all works, or shares of works, in the PRO's repertoire."
- Not the only route. PROs generally license on a non-exclusive basis. The Copyright Office says this means "businesses have the option of obtaining performance licenses directly from publisher or songwriter copyright owners, although it appears that instances of such direct licensing has been infrequent."
- A fee that depends on the type of business. ASCAP says "The annual rate depends on the type of business" and that it has "over a hundred different licenses and rate schedules." BMI says "The annual rate depends on the type of business and how music is used." SESAC says "music licensing fees vary by industry." GMR says its rate factors "depend upon your type of business and how the music is presented to the public."
- Different things drive the fee. ASCAP's FAQ gives examples: its "Music In Business" rates "are based upon the number of employees", while "retail store rates depend on the number of speakers and square footage."
- Fees can change every year. Some filed agreements build in yearly changes. BMI's retail license, for example, says its fee schedules "shall be adjusted for calendar year 2026 of the Agreement and for each subsequent calendar year" based on the Consumer Price Index.
We do not print any PRO's fees on this site. Schedules can change from year to year, and which one a PRO would offer depends on facts about your office, so ask the PRO in writing and ask your attorney whether it fits. Each PRO's licensing page is the place to start: ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR.
Where can we read the license agreements and rate schedules?
Three public places, all free to read:
- ASCAP's own forms page. Music License Agreements and Reporting Forms lists ASCAP's license classes, most with a license agreement and rate schedule to download and some with report forms. On October 11, 2026 the classes ran from adult entertainment businesses to wineries, and none was named for dental, medical or other professional offices. ASCAP asks businesses that did not see their type on its Music Users homepage, or are not sure which license is right, to use the contact form on its general business page.
- BMI's own forms page. Music License Agreements and Reporting Forms lists BMI's licenses by business type, most with a license agreement to download (the retail license quoted on this page is one of them). On October 11, 2026 the list included hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and none was named for dental or other professional offices. The healthcare download is the Health Care Multiple Use License quoted in the table below.
- The Colorado Secretary of State. Under a Colorado law (HB17-1092), PROs must file each year "an electronic copy of each form contract licensing the public performance of musical works to proprietors", along with other information. The Performing Rights Societies page links the 2026 filings for ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. These are standard forms, not a quote for your office.
Is there a PRO license written for dental offices?
One filing names dentists in its title: SESAC's license for professional offices. ASCAP's and BMI's health care licenses, as filed for 2026, each contain an exclusion that mentions dentist offices. We quote the exact words so you know what to ask about. They do not tell you which license, if any, applies to your practice.
| PRO | What its filing says |
|---|---|
| SESAC | Includes a "SESAC Music Performance License for Professional Offices (Dentists, Physicians, Lawyers and Other Professional Offices)." The fee comes from a schedule by number of employees, and the schedule also authorizes "music on hold systems operated by LICENSEE." |
| ASCAP | Its Health Care Facilities License covers spaces such as "patient rooms, operating rooms, recovery rooms" but "shall specifically exclude (1) doctor, dentist, physical/occupational therapist or other professional offices that (y) are not located within a health care facility location described in the first sentence of this subparagraph ... and (z) require special appointments for health care." |
| BMI | Its Health Care Multiple Use License says the licensed premises "shall specifically exclude (1) doctors, dentists or other professional offices not located within a health care facility." |
| GMR | The Colorado page lists no GMR filing. GMR's FAQ describes what its rates depend on, and neither its FAQ nor its licensing page shows a schedule. |
ASCAP and BMI publish other schedules too, such as ASCAP's "Business - Music in the Workplace" class and BMI's "Business Multiple Use" license for an "executive or general office." Whether any of them is the license a PRO would apply to a dental office is not something we can tell you. Ask the PRO in writing, and ask your attorney whether you need it.
What should we ask each PRO?
Ask in writing, and reach each PRO only through the contact details on its own website. GMR, for one, warns that "third parties may attempt to impersonate Global Music Rights through fake websites, emails, or messages."
Which license would you apply to our office, and why?
Ask for the name of the license, a copy of the agreement and the current rate schedule, and which facts about your office put you in that class.
What does the fee depend on?
Employees, square footage, speakers or something else, and what figure they would use for your office.
How are our locations counted?
Forms differ. SESAC's professional office license covers the office "and all of its locations, which are owned, operated or leased by LICENSEE and used as professional offices under LICENSEE's sole control", while BMI's retail license applies to each location listed on its Licensed Retail Premises List.
Which uses does it cover?
Background music in treatment rooms and the waiting area, music on hold, a TV in the waiting room, video on your website. Schedules differ on which of these they include. Our guide TV, video and hold music in a dental office covers the permissions beyond music.
How do you treat music from a business music service?
SESAC's FAQ says "Most background music service providers are licensed with SESAC. However, their SESAC license only extends to the music they supply to establishments with no admission, membership or similar charge." GMR's FAQ says most providers "will have their own license with Global Music Rights" and that it "extends only to the music they supply to establishments with no admission, membership or similar charge." Our own Terms (Section 11.1) say eleMusic "does not license the Content through any PRO." Ask how that applies to what your office plays.
Is a particular song in your repertory?
BMI's retail license says BMI will, on reasonable written request, "advise you whether specific musical works are available for performance" if you give it the title and the writer. Songview and each PRO's search answer the same question online.
How long is the term, and how does it end?
Ask about renewal, how the fee changes each year, any right to examine your records, and how to cancel if the office stops playing their music.
If you contacted us first, what are you relying on?
Ask what the PRO believes your office plays and where that information came from. Our guide Got a letter from ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or GMR? lists what to gather before you answer.
What should we ask our attorney?
- Does the music we play, in each room and on the phone line, need a license, and from which organizations?
- Could any exemption apply to anything we play? Our guide Can you play the radio in a dental office? quotes the federal radio and TV exemption.
- If a PRO offers us a license, is it the right class for our office, and are its terms (renewal, record checks, yearly increases) acceptable?
- How do the licenses held by any music service we use fit with what the PROs ask of us?
- How should we answer a PRO letter, and what should we not sign?
Where does eleMusic fit?
eleMusic wrote this guide, and we sell background music to US dental practices, so we are not a neutral party on licensing. eleMusic is not a performing rights organization. Original instrumental music, generated and mastered by eleMusic. Section 11.1 of our Terms of Service also says eleMusic "does not license the Content through any PRO."
Every location with an active plan or trial gets an Original Catalog Certificate in its name. What the certificate covers sets out its limits. You are responsible for licensing any other music or audio you play. Ask your own lawyer if you are unsure.
eleMusic is PRO-free: it never registers its tracks with ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or GMR, so there is no performing rights fee for the music you play through eleMusic. Radio, TV, music on hold and any other music you play still need their own licenses. We cannot control or verify what others register, and we do not promise that no PRO or other person will contact you or make a claim. The certificate describes our catalog and your subscription; it does not determine your practice's legal obligations. The certificate is not a license from any performing rights organization and is not legal advice.
ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR are trademarks of their respective owners. eleMusic is not affiliated with or endorsed by any performing rights organization.
If a PRO writes to an eleMusic customer: Don't ignore it. Forward it to us. We aim to send your certificate, the verification link and a response template within 2 business days. That is a target, not a promise. The address is hello@elemusic.fm.
Common questions about the four PROs
Does a dental office need licenses from all four PROs?
We cannot answer that for your practice. Each PRO licenses only its own repertory, and each of the four says a license from another PRO does not cover its music. Whether your office needs any of their licenses depends on what you play and how, which is a question for your attorney.
What is GMR?
Global Music Rights is a US performing rights organization founded in 2013, by its own account "the first US PRO in nearly 75 years." It represents an invitation-only group of writers and publishers, and its FAQ page shows "134,000+ Songs Licensed." The US Copyright Office counts it among the US PROs.
Is SESAC part of ASCAP or BMI?
No. SESAC's FAQ calls SESAC, ASCAP and BMI "three separate and distinct Performing Rights Organizations." It was founded in 1931 and, by its own account, was acquired by Blackstone in February 2017.
How do we contact each PRO about a license?
Use the PRO's own website. ASCAP's general business page has a licensing contact form and, on October 11, 2026, also gave a phone number (1-800-505-4052) and an email address (glcs@ascap.com) for businesses that would rather speak with an associate. GMR's FAQ gives licensing@globalmusicrights.com, SESAC's licensing page links to its online Licensing Quick Start, and BMI's licensing page is bmi.com/licensing. If a message gives you other contact details, check them against the PRO's own website first.
Can we check which PRO represents a song?
Yes. ASCAP Repertory Search includes Songview data, which shows ownership shares by PRO for over 40 million works across ASCAP, BMI, GMR and SESAC. SESAC and GMR also run their own searches.
Sources
- US Copyright Office: Notice of Inquiry, Issues Related to Performing Rights Organizations, 90 Fed. Reg. 9253 (February 10, 2025), accessed October 11, 2026
- 17 U.S.C. 101, Definitions (Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School), accessed October 11, 2026
- ASCAP: About ASCAP, accessed October 11, 2026
- ASCAP: Music Licensing FAQs, accessed October 11, 2026
- ASCAP: Music License Agreements and Reporting Forms, accessed October 11, 2026
- ASCAP: Music licensing for all other businesses (contact form), accessed October 11, 2026
- ASCAP: Songview, accessed October 11, 2026
- ASCAP: About ASCAP Repertory Search, accessed October 11, 2026
- BMI: Music Licensing FAQs (updated August 19, 2026; read in the Internet Archive's copy of September 19, 2026), accessed October 11, 2026
- BMI: Comments to the US Copyright Office, Docket No. 2025-1 (April 2025), accessed October 10, 2026
- BMI: Music License Agreements and Reporting Forms, accessed October 11, 2026
- BMI: Music License for Retail Establishments, accessed October 11, 2026
- BMI: Music License for Health Care Multiple Use License (the Hospitals & Other Healthcare Facilities download), accessed October 11, 2026
- SESAC: About, accessed October 11, 2026
- SESAC: Frequently Asked Questions, accessed October 11, 2026
- SESAC: About Music Licensing, accessed October 11, 2026
- SESAC: Music Licensing Fees: How are they determined? (May 5, 2022), accessed October 11, 2026
- SESAC: Repertory search, accessed October 11, 2026
- Global Music Rights: About, accessed October 11, 2026
- Global Music Rights: FAQ, accessed October 11, 2026
- Global Music Rights: Licensing, accessed October 11, 2026
- Global Music Rights: Fraudulent Websites and Impersonation Notice, accessed October 11, 2026
- Colorado Secretary of State: Performing Rights Societies, accessed October 11, 2026
- ASCAP 2026 licensing book, as filed with the Colorado Secretary of State (Health Care Facilities License Agreement), accessed October 10, 2026
- BMI 2026 licenses, as filed with the Colorado Secretary of State (Health Care Multiple Use License), accessed October 10, 2026
- SESAC 2026 licensing agreements, as filed with the Colorado Secretary of State (License for Professional Offices), accessed October 10, 2026
- eleMusic Terms of Service, Section 11: Performing rights organizations and your Certificate (version 2026-10-11), accessed October 11, 2026
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