has anyone switched from APRA to BMI

[stevecollom]

After migrating to USA from down under, i am thinking of switching to BMI. Has anyone switched before?
The main reason is that i would get checks a heck of a lot quicker than now.

steve

[dynamicalan]

Hello Steve,

I thought BMI took several quarters to pay. I am currently with BMI and I am looking to change to ASCAP. I personally don't like the Nashville office at BMI.

[mojobone]

Um, Keith Urban? Wait, no, he's a Kiwi, right?

[rnrmachine]

BMI takes forever to pay... I am expecting the next check in time for when the "I-brain" is released and we all just plug in like the matrix...

Lady Gaga is still with BMI isn't she?? Among many other popular artists... anyway, the New York office was extremely helpful to me. But I only had to contact them a few times in the last 1-2 years. BUT my problems were... "Press the fry button on the Mc Donalds register to order french fries" easy to solve.

Rob

[matto]

Hello Steve,

I thought BMI took several quarters to pay. I am currently with BMI and I am looking to change to ASCAP. I personally don't like the Nashville office at BMI.

BMI actually pays slightly earlier than ASCAP generally speaking, but it's only by a couple of weeks or so.

[matto]

After migrating to USA from down under, i am thinking of switching to BMI. Has anyone switched before?
The main reason is that i would get checks a heck of a lot quicker than now.

steve

If most of your plays occur in the US then switching to BMI will get you your payments a lot faster, if most of them occur in Australia then APRA will be quicker.
I've never switched myself but I have friends who have. The larger your catalog and, especially, the more different publishers are involved, the more complex it would be.

[matto]

BMI takes forever to pay

BMI pays roughly 6 months after the end of the quarter in which the (US) performance occured. End of March, June and September for performances that occured in the 3rd, 4th and 1st quarter of the (preceeding) year. The only exception is Q2 which gets paid around mid January as opposed to late December.

However they will only mail you a check if your income exceeds a certain level for that quarter (can't remember what the minimum is), otherwise they will let the money accumulate til it does. UNLESS you have direct deposit which I highly recommend, in which case you get whatever you're due at the above mentioned times.

Afaik ASACP payments run approximately 3 weeks behind BMI for all quarters except Q2 which they pay at the same time or even a few days earlier.

HTH,

matto

[stevecollom]

Thank's guys, so it seems that's it's all the same. I might just leave it as is, I wonder how currency exchange plays into effect. As the AUD might be worth more than the US $ in the near future. Lol.
Just a thought !
Also does this mean that I have to be composer to receive anything? Lol
Steve

[mojobone]

I hear you can still get royalties even after you become a decomposer.

[stevecollom]

Hahaha now THAT's funny mojo.