About us

Customer Licensees ABOUT ASCAP LICENSING ASCAP licenses the right to perform songs and musical works created and owned by songwriters, composers, lyricists and music publishers who are ASCAP members and members of foreign performing rights organizations who are represented by ASCAP in the United States. It is impossible for individual composers and publishers to monitor the hundreds of thousands of businesses that use music. It would be equally difficult, time consuming and expensive for business owners to locate and negotiate with all the owners of the music that might be used. There is a simple, fast and reasonably priced alternative. Through ASCAP, in one simple transaction, businesses can obtain the right to perform the millions of songs created or owned by more than 350,000 of America's and hundreds of thousands of the world's best songwriters, composers, lyricists and publishers. Founded in 1914, and still owned by and managed for its writer and publisher members, ASCAP grants businesses the permission they need to perform music publicly. The money collected is distributed, after deducting operating costs (currently 11.3%), directly to ASCAP members and to affiliated foreign performing rights organizations for their members. Music is a vital part of the total service businesses offer to customers. ASCAP's licensees recognize that using music benefits their businesses because music, like other amenities or products, pays off in heightened customer satisfaction, increased profits, and improved employee morale and productivity. If you are using music now, or are thinking about using music in the future.