Broadcast Music, Inc.

The Broadcast Music Incorporated - usually abbreviated to BMI - is a US-based company managing copyright of composers and lyricists of contemporary music.

History

The BMI was founded in 1939 by radio stations as a non-profit organization in order to break the monopoly of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers ( ASCAP ). The BMI also took up members from neglected by ASCAP musical genres - such as country music or rhythm and blues. The result was a "democratization" of American music world. At the same time the radio station liberated from the dependence of the monopolist.

1940 ran out of the five-year contract of radio stations with the ASCAP. The resident in the New York Tin Pan Alley powerful organization called for a doubling of the annual total, with the rights of all games played on the radio music pieces were paid a flat rate. The transmitter then boycott the ASCAP songs and fell back on the BMI material.

Task

The main task of the BMI is to ensure that its members receive royalties every public performance of their songs. It thus acts as a mediator between music producers and the ( public ) exploiters of the copyrighted music tracks. The copyright holder is thus freed from the tedious exercise of his rights. The BMI also represents non-American authors whose works are performed in the United States.

The equitable distribution of the lump sum collected by the public recyclers such as radio stations sums of the individual members is a complex undertaking. Using statistical methods to determine how large the proportion of individuals. The copyright holders listed for each song separately for text and music in the catalogs of the BMI and ASCAP and usually listed on the recordings.

BMI Awards

Another object of the BMI is the annual award of awards to the most successful songwriters. The BMI Awards are awarded in the following categories:

  • Christian Music
  • Country
  • Film & TV
  • Latin
  • London
  • Pop
  • Urbane
  • Trail Blazers

In addition, the Award " Recipients Icon " is awarded, will be awarded to the songwriters who have exercised "significant influence on generations of music makers ."

Since 1951, the BMI Student Composer Awards will be given.

American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
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