The U.S. Copyright Office has opened an inquiry into the rising number of Performance Rights Organizations (PROs), prompting significant concern among industry insiders. As part of a response to a letter from the House Judiciary Committee, the office is calling for an investigation into the PROs and their royalty distribution methods.
For decades, ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC were the only major players in the U.S. PRO market, but a shift began over the past 12 years with the creation of new entities like Global Music Rights (2013), PRO Music Rights (2018), and AllTrack (2019). This expansion has transformed a once-simpler landscape into a crowded arena, creating confusion and frustration for both licensees and songwriters alike.
The Copyright Office’s inquiry, posted on February 10, seeks input on a variety of issues related to these new PROs. One of the key concerns is the financial and administrative burden these entities place on licensees, such as small businesses, venues, and restaurants, which are now receiving demands for royalties from an increasing number of organizations. The inquiry also touches on transparency in the royalty distribution process, especially for independent artists and smaller publishers who worry their compensation is being overshadowed by major players.
But what's driving this explosion of PROs? And could there be a deeper agenda at play?
Some argue that this "proliferation" of PROs isn't just about a chaotic system for the sake of competition—it’s part of a larger trend that’s impacting all sectors of the entertainment industry. Could this be connected to the rise of the woke music machine? As political and social agendas push their way into the music world, it’s becoming clear that money, power, and influence are increasingly steering how royalties are distributed and who controls the licensing process.
The growing number of PROs might be a sign of something more insidious—an attempt to introduce more layers of bureaucracy and complexity, which only benefits the large, well-connected organizations at the top. With more players in the field, artists may find themselves at the mercy of a system that prioritizes control over fairness, putting smaller or independent voices at a disadvantage.
Perhaps the underlying question is this: are PROs—originally designed to protect songwriters and ensure fair compensation—now part of a larger agenda to shape the future of music through a lens of political influence and corporate power?
Will the music industry continue to shift toward a more woke and fragmented future, or can we return to a simpler, more transparent system that truly serves the artists?
Only time will tell, but one thing’s clear—change is coming, and it’s up to us to decide which direction it takes.
