Royalty coverage
Does BMI collect US mechanical royalties?
Does not
BMI states plainly that mechanical royalties and synchronisation fees are paid directly to the copyright owner, not through BMI.
What this stream is. The songwriting side of a US stream, paid under the statutory blanket licence administered by The MLC. Separate from the recording payment above, and paid to whoever registered the WORK.
Worth knowing about BMI
- ★ Same headline trap as ASCAP: performance only, zero mechanicals.
- BMI's publisher affiliation fee is materially higher than ASCAP's ($175 to $500 versus $50) and is NOT waived for simultaneous writer signup. Most comparisons miss this real cost difference.
- Foreign performance royalties lag 12 to 18 months. A first-year artist concluding BMI is not paying them is usually just early.
Read from BMI's own documentation on 2026-08-13. Check it yourself — and if it has changed, tell us.