Foreign Library Release on PRS, not reflecting on ASCAP

[Justin]

My writing partner and I recently completed an album for a UK music library label. The library published it via PRS and took all of our ASCAP writing info (we’re located in the States). This was officially published back in March of this year and I’m still confused as to if we need to ALSO register these tracks on our ASCAP for the writing aspect to show up in our published works…??

We’ve had plenty of work that was published domestically show up internationally, but this is the first time we’ve written for a foreign library. Our rep at the library is showing that everything is in order, but the rep we spoke to at ASCAP can’t seem to find our works.

Thanks in advance if someone can steer me in the right direction. I just don’t want to create problems by duplicating work on the ASCAP side if unnecessary.

[Music1234]

Justin,

Did you read your contract 5 times with the PRS/ UK Publisher and do you understand EVERYTHING that you are agreeing to in terms of the rights you are transferring over to them?

Did you see an area of the contract that explains exactly who will register the titles at your PRO which is ASCAP? and what about registration at every PRO around the world?

The PRS is the only major PRO that does not allow non members access to their database of registered works and that is to this day astonishing.

If they are EXCLUSIVE publisher and you gave them control of the copyrights, then they should have registered these titles with you credited as WRITER, at ASCAP, the PRS, and frankly every PRO in the world on your behalf.

There are too many missing details before anyone can speak to you with constructive advice. We need to know what their obligations are to you and the co writer? Is your deal exclusive, forever? Did you sign over the copyrights to them? Did you get an advance fee for your work? and so on.

[Justin]

Thanks for the feedback!

Yep, the contract was/is pretty standard. They are the exclusive publisher and have control of the copyrights. When I followed up with the publisher, they showed me a screenshot from their PRS and it shows the correct writer names and IPI numbers for ASCAP, however, ASCAP doesn’t have a record of it.

ASCAP said that it can some time of course, but it’s been about 10 months now–even a cue sheet from that time period would have likely showed up by now. At least in my normal experience.

I’ll reach back out with the publisher and confirm that they registered on ASCAP, etc, also.

[RM90]

I wouldn’t worry too much. It can take a while for international track registrations to show up on ASCAP. Also the cue sheets only show up on ASCAP for domestic (US) placements and those show up late frequently.

[Justin]

Thanks everyone!

[Author]

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