PMApub / Academy lessons / Module 2

Registering Live Performances (Setlists)

By PMApub Academy · Last reviewed 2026-10-13 · About 6 min read

How live performance royalties work

Venues that present live music usually need licenses to cover the songs performed there. Many obtain annual blanket licenses from PROs, which let them host performances of music in the PRO's repertoire. A PRO uses part of the license money to pay members whose songs were performed.

The PRO needs data to do this fairly. For recorded music on radio or streaming, it can often use broadcast logs and digital reports. For live shows, it generally relies on setlists submitted by members, along with surveys or other methods, according to its own distribution rules. That is why logging your gigs matters.

The programs: ASCAP OnStage and BMI Live

Two well-known examples are ASCAP OnStage and BMI Live. They let members submit information about their concerts and the songs performed. BMI states on its site that affiliates can enter concerts from the previous six months and that payments are made quarterly, and ASCAP and BMI each publish their own deadlines and rules, so check the current ones. Members of the respective PRO use the matching program, and the PRO calculates royalties for eligible performances using its published rules.

The kinds of venues covered can range from small clubs and cafes to large concerts, though the way each venue type is paid differs, and eligibility depends on the program. Rather than assuming that every show will pay, look up the current rules for qualifying performances, deadlines for submission, and any limits on what can be reported.

What information to collect for every gig

The details required are usually straightforward. Gather the following for each show:

• The date of the performance.
• The venue's name and full address.
• The city, state, and, where requested, details like the event name.
• The complete setlist of songs performed, with titles exactly as registered with your PRO.
• Whether the songs were your own originals or covers; usually only your own works, or works in which you hold a share, are eligible for your claim.

Titles matter. If a song is registered under one title and you submit it under a nickname, the system may have trouble matching it. Keep a list of your official registered titles beside your setlist.

Step-by-step: logging a show

1. Register your songs first. A live submission is more likely to match if the work is already in your PRO account.
2. Save the setlist. Write it down during soundcheck or take a photo of the printed list after the show.
3. Note the venue details. Keep a business card, flyer, or the booking message that shows the exact address.
4. Submit within the allowed window. Each program has its own time limits, so check them and submit soon after the show.
5. Keep a copy. Record the date submitted in your spreadsheet.
6. Review statements. Compare royalty statements with your log to see which performances were credited.

A worked example

Maya plays a Thursday open mic at a local cafe and a ticketed show at a small club on Saturday. She performs four originals at the cafe and seven at the club, three of which overlap. After each show she writes the venue, address, and songs in her log. At the end of the weekend, she submits both through her PRO's live program using the official titles from her catalog sheet.

She cannot predict how much either show will generate, since that depends on the program's rules and the type of venue. But because she logged the data, she has given the PRO what it needs to consider the performances. Without a submission, there may be nothing to evaluate.

Habits that make this painless

Treat live logging like invoicing: a short task done immediately after each job. Keep a template in your notes app, build a recurring reminder for the day after every show, and store setlists in one folder. If you play with a band, agree in advance who owns the log and how songwriter shares are handled for songs you co-wrote.

If you also collect payment for performances as an individual, an accountant can help you understand how royalty income and gig income are each reported. A qualified music attorney can answer questions about performance contracts or venue agreements. You can use the Music Monetization Plan template on PMApub to note which shows you have logged and which still need to be submitted.

For labels, managers, and teams

When a label or management team books and tours several artists, live reporting becomes a repeatable operational task. The risk is not complexity; it is that nobody owns it, so shows go unreported.

Assign the job. One person should receive every setlist after each show, check the song titles against the official registered titles, and submit them through each writer's PRO program. Because each writer typically reports through their own PRO, a show with writers at different organizations needs submissions in more than one place.

Build a template. Capture date, venue name and full address, city and state, and the full setlist in one form that the touring party can fill in at soundcheck. Attach the booking confirmation or a photo of the setlist as backup. Keep the record in your catalog system so you can look back across tours.

Handle splits and covers carefully. If the band performs songs co-written by several people, the reporting should reflect the registered shares. Do not claim covers as the artist's own works. If the set includes songs written by other people, those writers are represented by their own PROs.

For royalty accounting, compare PRO statements with your log and note which shows were credited. Expect uncertainty: payment depends on each program's rules and the type of venue. For audit and delegation, record who submitted what and when. Check each program's current deadlines and eligibility rules before every tour. For venue contracts or tax questions, use an attorney or accountant.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Never logging shows because they seem too small to matter.
• Submitting setlists with nicknames instead of registered titles.
• Waiting so long to submit that the program's window has closed. BMI, for example, states a limit on how far back concerts can be entered.
• Claiming covers as your own works.
• Forgetting to coordinate with co-writers who are at different PROs.
• Submitting incomplete venue details, such as no address.
• Expecting a guaranteed payment for every show.
• Not comparing statements with your log to see which shows were credited.

Action checklist

1. Confirm your songs are registered with your PRO.
2. Keep a list of official registered titles beside your setlist.
3. Create a one-page gig log template.
4. Record date, venue, address, and setlist at every show.
5. Save a photo of the setlist or booking message.
6. Check the current submission window for your PRO's live program.
7. Submit the show soon after it happens.
8. Note the submission date in your catalog sheet.
9. Coordinate with co-writers who report through other PROs.
10. Compare royalty statements to your log each period.

Key terms

• Setlist: The list of songs performed at a show.
• ASCAP OnStage: ASCAP's program that lets members submit information about live performances.
• BMI Live: BMI's program that lets affiliated songwriters enter their concerts and performances; BMI says concerts from the previous six months can be entered.
• Blanket license: A license that lets a venue or user play music from a PRO's whole repertoire.
• Registered title: The exact title under which a work is entered at a PRO.
• Original: A composition written by the performer or in which the performer holds a share.
• Cover: A performance of a song written by someone else.
• Eligible performance: A performance that meets a program's published rules for royalty consideration.
• Gig log: A record of each show with the details needed for a PRO submission.
• Venue: The place where a performance happens, such as a club, cafe, or festival.
• Reciprocal society: A foreign performing rights society that exchanges royalties with a U.S. PRO.