The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) announced record-breaking financial results for 2025, driven in part by a new licensing agreement with the commercial radio industry. The performing rights organization collected $1.945 billion in total revenue, a 6% increase over the previous year, and distributed $1.759 billion to its songwriter and publisher members.
The report highlights the impact of the settlement reached last year with the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC), which represents over 10,000 commercial radio stations. That agreement secured higher royalty rates for the use of ASCAP’s musical repertoire. While the specific rate increase remains confidential, the organization noted that domestic revenue from US-licensed performances grew by 5.3%, fueled by strength in radio, streaming audio, and general licensing.