BMI accrual/royalties statement missing / finally there

[CTWF]

Hi all

I have been a BMI member for just over two years. Last quarter (Feb. 16) I got my first accrual statement. I have just logged in, now this statement cannot be found anymore (I do have a copy), but also there is no new one even though yesterday was payment date (May 19), and I must have had way more placements than last quarter (even when taking the overseas delay into account). My placements are mostly in Europe, and GEMA pays quarterly to the US (also to BMI, I assume), last time April 1st.

Any ideas what could have happened? It is weird that the last quarter statement disappeared, or not? According to BMI, the accrual statement is written forth each quarter, so I should expect a new update one in my account, but there is none.

Any experiences or thoughts on this? I can ask BMI, and possibly will soon, but maybe someone one here knows what the reasons are before I start bugging them.

Thanks,
Tom

[CTWF]

Thoughts: Maybe I was over the threshold of $250 for accrual reports and they just send me a cheque? But even if so, I should still find a royalties statement in that section, no?

[Casey H]

You've been kicked out of BMI? The composer is always the last one to know.

Seriously, I'm not a BMI-er, but it sounds like a phone call to them would be in order.

[CTWF]

You've been kicked out of BMI? The composer is always the last one to know.

That was my first reaction, too! But all my works are there and the contract self-renews every two years. It all seems in order, only there are no statements in my folder.

Seriously, I'm not a BMI-er, but it sounds like a phone call to them would be in order.

Yeah, I will have to shoot them an email, I think.

[Telefunkin]

My advice?....just wait. Accrual notices are posted if you don't make the payment threshold, so that will have happened last time around. If you still haven't made the payment threshold this time that notice will have to be updated with new information, but if you have, it will become a royalty statement. BMI say this....
https://www.bmi.com/faq/entry/what-are- ... ual-report

At distribution time when they're paying $millions spread across thousands of people like us (including loads of small cent values - especially for streaming ), as well as many more $millions to their big clients (the big celebs who earn the most) I suspect that updating an accrual notice will be well down their priority list. Its also possible that they're still converting it to a royalty statement if you're over the threshold. I've sometimes had my statement a day or two after everyone else seems to have had their's although I don't know why (bigger earners take priority perhaps?). This time round though, my statement was bang on time.

There will be masses of folk querying statements right now so I think you'd have to wait a while for an email response, by which time you'll probably have already got your answer anyway. You might or might not get notification of an accrual or statement within the next few days (check your spam folder too), but its worth logging in just to see for yourself (my recent statement was there before I got the notification). Whatever the answer is though, you're unlikely to change the outcome and it won't help by adding to the noise. Besides, even though its exciting to know, the amount involved is unlikely to change your life (unless you suddenly landed some massive placements). Good luck for it being in excess of $250 and getting a pay-out, but even if it isn't you'll still get paid in the August distribution provided the amount earned exceeds $25. As in all things sync related, patience helps.

P.S. These comments are made according to my understanding of the way things work coupled with some experience, but YMMV.

[CTWF]

P.S. These comments are made according to my understanding of the way things work coupled with some experience, but YMMV.

Thanks, Graham! It helped, because it kind of freaks me out when the computer simply says "no".

[Telefunkin]

it can kind of freaks me out when the computer simply says "no".

The more computers you meet, the more you get used to it.

There is another consideration too. Remember that it can take a while for placement data to show up at GEMA, then be passed on according to their international distribution schedule, then added to your BMI data to be included in the next BMI distribution. You might check GEMA's international payment schedule, because it might not be every quarter (although I don't know for sure). All I can say is that I have a fairly steady stream of German placements detected by Tunesat but the info doesn't show up every quarter in my BMI statements. Therefore, its possible that your placement data is still in the departure lounge waiting to cross the Atlantic.

[shamus]

I had a similar situation last November. Nothing on bmi day. Randomly checked a couple of weeks later and had an accrual statement (due to no bank being setup as in UK and under threshold). Then Feb bmi day rolled round and accrual disappeared. Appeared at later point but updated. Seems to be a delay for accrual statements lol. I then setup payoneer account, and now get statement and paid haha. Hopefully you have had some sort of update by now?

Best

[CTWF]

I had a similar situation last November. Nothing on bmi day. Randomly checked a couple of weeks later and had an accrual statement (due to no bank being setup as in UK and under threshold). Then Feb bmi day rolled round and accrual disappeared. Appeared at later point but updated. Seems to be a delay for accrual statements lol. I then setup payoneer account, and now get statement and paid haha. Hopefully you have had some sort of update by now?

Best

Not yet, but thanks for the idea with Payoneer.

[cosmicdolphin]

You might check GEMA's international payment schedule, because it might not be every quarter

GEMA only pay out for TV annually

Although they make a payment every quarter , each quarter is for a different type of performance. Radio & TV are only paid out by GEMA in July each year....then it has to pass thorugh your own PRO, takes until October to get it as a PRS Member

https://www.gema.de/en/music-creators/r ... -deadlines