Well, maybe not the sound check, but the live performance counts — at least with BMI. The Performance Rights Organization (PRO) BMI recently established BMI Live, an online program that lets songwriters upload setlists from their performances at live music venues — and receive payment for the songs that are played.

BMI has always paid royalties based on live performances, but only conducted a census survey on the songs played on the top 200 tours.

With BMI Live, the PRO aims to provide its registered songwriters and composers with financial revenue from performance venues as small as your local music venue, or as large as Madison Square Garden. read more