Shattering expectations in the music rights management sphere, Songview has dramatically expanded its extensive database to include all four major U.S. Performing Rights Organizations (PROs): ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR. The platform, which originally launched in 2020 as a joint initiative between ASCAP and BMI, now delivers unprecedented access to over 38 million copyrighted musical works, establishing itself as the industry’s most all-encompassing public performance copyright database.
The expansion begins with the inclusion of all 100%-owned works represented by GMR and SESAC, while enhancing existing partial data for works with split ownership. A highly requested feature now implemented is the addition of publisher names for GMR and SESAC works with shared ownership, with detailed ownership percentage information planned for future updates. This integration creates a unified platform where music ownership and administration shares can be viewed in a single location, greatly reducing confusion in rights management. This collaboration aims to ensure greater transparency in licensing for both music creators and industry licensees. The landmark announcement on September 29, 2025 marked a pivotal moment for music copyright management in the United States.
ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews emphasized the platform’s innovation and transparency benefits for licensees, while BMI CEO Mike O’Neill highlighted its thorough nature and collaborative spirit. SESAC Chairman John Josephson noted the critical importance of including full ownership data in the system.
The unprecedented collaboration among PROs marks a decisive advancement toward comprehensive transparency in music rights management.
Industry stakeholders have broadly welcomed this unprecedented collaboration among PROs as a decisive step forward for the music community. This unified approach addresses the fragmentation issues that have historically complicated royalty collection for songwriters and composers.
Songview remains free and publicly accessible, hosted on both ASCAP and BMI websites with continuous updates. The platform serves diverse stakeholders including songwriters, publishers, licensees, and other music users. For independent artists, this database offers critical insights into platform submission processes that might otherwise remain obscure when distributing their music. Its technical infrastructure follows standardized processing rules to guarantee data consistency across PRO records while minimizing discrepancies.
The expansion is expected to transform music licensing transparency in the U.S. market, reducing administrative burdens and licensing delays. As an ongoing effort to integrate complex multi-source music rights data, Songview could potentially serve as a model for other markets internationally.
Future enhancements may include more detailed ownership percentages and advanced search functionality to further streamline music rights management for all industry participants.
