Royalties from US show via PRS

[JoshM]

I live in the US and am currently writing music on a TV show in the US that pays royalties. I’ve asked my composer friend in the UK to provide some tracks to the show and I just want to make sure of the best way to ensure he gets royalties, since he is a PRS member. So I had a few questions that I figured someone on here might be able to answer.

Is it as simple and making sure the cue sheet has his PRS info for his tracks?

Does he have to have a publishing company through PRS, or just be signed up as a writer?

Does he need to sign up to Soundmouse?

Is it better to set up a BMI account and not go through PRS?

Thanks for your help!

[Orca]

Hi Josh, I’m no expect on this but I’m a UK composer and PRS member. I’ve had plenty of placements on TV shows in the US and did receive most of the royalties via the PRS eventually. So I would think that as long as your friend’s PRS details are on the cue sheet correctly he should get paid after sometime.

However, I realized that I wasn’t always getting the correct amount of royalties via the PRS so I am now a BMI member for the USA and Canada but with the PRS for the rest of the world. Now I get my US royalties directly from BMI and it works much better for me

[JoshM]

Awesome! Thanks so much for your help. That’s what I was thinking but just wanted to get some other opinions.

Have you signed up for Soundmouse or anything like that?

[Art Munson]

I’m in Soundmouse and BMAT.

[JoshM]

Thanks Art! I’ve definitely been looking into Soundmouse. Are there any downsides or reasons not to put your music in there? Have you found it helpful?

[Art Munson]

I’ve definitely been looking into Soundmouse. Are there any downsides or reasons not to put your music in there? Have you found it helpful?

No downsides that I know of but too soon to tell if helpful.

[MaxPower]

@Orca I’m also a PRS member from the UK and most of my income comes from the US. I do get paid via the PRS but maybe it’s worth me switching? Do you need US tax details like a TIN etc before BMI will pay you? I’ve tried jumping through the hoops set out by the IRS previously and it was a bit of an ordeal

[Orca]

@Art – Hi Art, I haven’t said this before but this is a great website and has been an invaluable source of information and resources for me while trying to get my head around how library music works! Thanks for all your hard work !!

[Orca]

@JoshM – You’re welcome. I have signed up to soundmouse and have uploaded some of my songs but need to update it. I don’t know how useful it is yet though.

[Orca]

@MaxPower – Hi Max. I had some problems getting US royalties through the PRS a few years ago and they weren’t very helpful or interested. I called up the BMI London branch and they were really helpful in getting everything sorted. I do have US ITIN number from several years ago but I don’t think it was that important in signing up with BMI. I would suggest phoning BMI’s London office and asking them about it. https://www.bmi.com/about

[Art Munson]

Thanks Orca, for the kind words.

[BEATSLINGER]

If you are registered to PRS, trust Me, you are getting better rates than us in The States!!

[MaxPower]

@Orca – Awesome that’s really helpful thank you

[MaxPower]

@BEATSLINGER are you saying we’ll get paid more for exactly the same usage?

[BEATSLINGER]

Correct. It’s a MUCH better organization than “Our Major Three” over here.

[Author]

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