Press Release: 8/21/2025
BMI and the RMLC Settle Rate Court Proceeding
Tue, August 19
New York, NY, August 19, 2025. BMI and the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) today announced a settlement of their rate court proceeding. The new agreement, which is retroactive to January 1, 2022, represents a historic rate increase for BMI that reflects the company’s superior market share in the radio industry.
“BMI sought a rate that reflected our market-leading share of the music performed on radio stations across the country, and I’m pleased to say we achieved our largest rate increase ever for the radio industry,” said Mike O’Neill, President & CEO, BMI. “This new deal ensures BMI’s songwriters will be more fairly compensated for the performance of their music on this incredibly important platform. Negotiation is always better than litigation, and we’re pleased to have worked together with the RMLC to achieve this outcome.”
Asked for comment, the RMLC’s Chairman, Ed Atsinger, said: “We are pleased to have reached an amicable agreement with BMI, which is indicative of how strongly the radio industry values its partnerships with songwriters. Furthermore, we feel that this agreement provides the radio industry with the ability to plan for the long-term while avoiding substantial litigation costs and uncertainties associated with the rate court process.”
About BMI
Celebrating over 80 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, BMI® is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in over 22.4 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.4 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI’s repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on X and Instagram @BMI or stay connected through BMI’s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI’s The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every week to stay up to date on all things music.
About the RMLC
The RMLC is a non-profit corporation that represents the commercial radio industry with respect to music licensing matters involving performing rights organizations such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. For additional information, visit http://www.radiomlc.org.