Sesac

What Sesac does

SESAC is a U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) and the second-oldest in the country, founded in 1931 and operating for over 90 years. Headquartered in Nashville with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, and Munich, SESAC represents more than 15,000 affiliated songwriters, composers, and publishers and licenses the public performance rights to over 1.5 million songs through blanket license agreements issued to more than 70 categories of businesses (bars, restaurants, hotels, fitness centers, retailers, broadcasters, digital platforms, etc.). The company derives recurring, subscription-style revenue from annual license fees, with industry-specific pricing determined by venue capacity, number of speakers, screens, and similar criteria; supplementary digital licensing income scales with licensee revenue or aggregate tuning hours.

The company's product and technology stack centers on its music rights management platform, anchored by the proprietary Repertory Search database and, since October 2025, integration into the Songview platform alongside ASCAP, BMI, and GMR, which consolidates rights data for over 38 million U.S. musical works into a single license-verifiable source. SESAC operates as the parent of a multi-subsidiary group known as SESAC Music Group, which bundles performing rights (SESAC), mechanical rights administration (The Harry Fox Agency, acquired September 2015), music licensing (Rumblefish), royalty collection (Audiam), digital music services (Mint Digital Services), and UGC monetization (HAAWK, acquired October 2024). The combined portfolio is positioned as the only U.S. rights organization offering singular licenses that aggregate performance and mechanical rights.

SESAC is privately held by Blackstone, which acquired the company in February 2017. Distribution combines a direct-to-consumer self-service online licensing portal (getalicense.sesac.com) with an enterprise field-sales motion, complemented by GTM partnerships with industry associations (American Hotel and Lodging Association, California Restaurant Association, New York State Restaurant Association, Club Management Association of America, YMCA, Better Business Bureaus). SESAC Latina operates a specialized Latin music division, and annual awards programs across Nashville, LA, Latina, and Film & Television categories serve both as brand-building and affiliate-relationship channels.

Name

Sesac

Legal name

SESAC Performing Rights, LLC

Website

http://www.sesac.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SESAC is a U.S. Performing Rights Organization founded in 1931, representing more than 15,000 songwriters, composers, and publishers and licensing over 1.5 million songs through blanket public-performance licenses sold to more than 70 categories of businesses across the U.S. and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Rights Management

NAICS

Music Publishers (51223)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) & Public Performance Licensing (MPAIAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mechanical Licensing (MLC/Local Equivalents, D2C/Streaming Mechanical) (MPAIABAD), Sync Rights Representation (Pitching, Clearance, Negotiation) (MPAIABAF)

Keywords

• Music performance licensing
• Performing rights organization
• Blanket music licenses
• Mechanical rights administration
• Royalty collection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Music Performance Licensing: SESAC collects licensing fees from businesses that publicly perform copyrighted music. License fees are determined by industry criteria and business-specific factors. Fees range from hundreds to thousands of dollars annually based on venue capacity and other criteria.
2. Blanket License Agreements: SESAC offers blanket license agreements that authorize the performance of all compositions in their repertory, recognized as the most convenient and cost-effective method for businesses to obtain required authorization for public music performance.
3. Internet/Digital Performance Licensing: SESAC provides digital performance licenses for websites, apps, and internet-connected platforms. For revenue-generating digital services, fees are based on revenue generated; for other platforms, fees are calculated using aggregate tuning hours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SESAC is a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) that licenses the public performance of copyrighted music on behalf of more than 15,000 affiliated songwriters, composers, and publishers, covering over 1.5 million songs. It offers blanket music performance licenses to businesses across more than 70 industry categories including bars, restaurants, hotels, fitness centers, retail stores, broadcasters, and digital platforms. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary The Harry Fox Agency (HFA), SESAC also administers mechanical rights, positioning itself as the only US music rights organization offering singular licenses aggregating both performance and mechanical rights.

Product overview

SESAC is a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) offering a unified platform for music licensing and royalty administration. The core offering consists of blanket music performance licenses through SESAC Performing Rights, supplemented by mechanical rights administration via The Harry Fox Agency (HFA). The portfolio includes additional brands—Rumblefish, Audiam, and Mint Digital Services—that collectively provide copyright administration, royalty collection, and distribution services. SESAC Latina serves as a specialized division for Latin music. Together, these products enable SESAC to offer singular licenses aggregating both performance and mechanical rights for its affiliated writers and publishers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SESAC Blanket License
• Internet/Digital Performance License
• SESAC Performing Rights
• The Harry Fox Agency (HFA)
• SESAC Latina
• HAAWK

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of businesses license with SESAC, many for over 90 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ASCAPcoreTechnology or Integration · 14 October 2025SESAC and GMR completed integration into the Songview platform, originally developed by ASCAP and BMI, creating the most comprehensive US music rights database covering over 38 million works. This consolidation addresses fragmented rights data and provides licensees with verifiable, reconciled data for compliance.
• BMIcoreTechnology or Integration · 14 October 2025SESAC and GMR completed integration into the Songview platform, originally developed by ASCAP and BMI, creating the most comprehensive US music rights database covering over 38 million works. This addresses longstanding fragmented rights data across the music licensing ecosystem.
• Global Music Rights (GMR)coreTechnology or Integration · 14 October 2025GMR and SESAC completed integration into Songview platform alongside ASCAP and BMI. The expansion provides licensees with comprehensive rights data and enables rights holders to more efficiently assert and enforce their entitlements.
• HAAWKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 October 2024SESAC Music Group acquired HAAWK, a rights management and UGC monetization company. This acquisition strengthens SESAC's capabilities in digital rights management and user-generated content monetization.
• The Harry Fox Agency (HFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSESAC acquired The Harry Fox Agency in September 2015, the leading US mechanical rights organization. This positioned SESAC as the only music rights organization in the US able to offer singular licenses aggregating both performance and mechanical rights.
• RumblefishminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of SESAC Music Group portfolio, Rumblefish provides music licensing services and rights management solutions.
• AudiamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of SESAC Music Group portfolio, Audiam provides music identification and royalty collection services.
• Mint Digital ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of SESAC Music Group portfolio, Mint Digital Services provides digital music services and rights administration.
• American Hotel and Lodging AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry association partner that trusts SESAC for music licensing solutions for hotels and hospitality businesses.
• Better Business BureausminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBBB provides additional information concerning Copyright Law and music user's responsibilities, directing businesses to proper licensing sources.
• Club Management Association of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry association partner for music licensing solutions targeting club and fitness facilities.
• California Restaurant AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerState restaurant association partner providing music licensing resources for California food service establishments.
• New York State Restaurant AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerState restaurant association partner providing music licensing resources for New York food service establishments.
• YMCAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational organization trusted by SESAC for music licensing solutions for fitness and recreation facilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers): Direct head-to-head US PRO that licenses public performance rights on behalf of songwriters and publishers. Both operate under US Copyright Law, sell blanket licenses to similar licensee pools, and now share the Songview rights database, making them the closest peer in business model, customer base, and product offering.
• Global Music Rights (GMR): US PRO founded to represent a curated roster of high-profile songwriters and publishers; competes head-to-head with SESAC in the invitation-only, premium-affiliate segment. Recently integrated into the Songview platform alongside SESAC, ASCAP and BMI.
• BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.): One of the original two largest US PROs alongside ASCAP; licenses public performance of musical works to broadcasters, businesses and digital platforms. Directly comparable to SESAC in revenue model (blanket licenses), customer segments, regulatory structure, and Songview integration; captured by a PE-led acquisition in 2023.

Broad incumbents

• SoundExchange: Designated US non-profit collective for digital performance royalties of sound recordings (separate copyright from composition). Comparable to SESAC as a music rights intermediary operating under statutory license frameworks on recurring fees, though it represents master rights not publishing rights.
• Warner Chappell Music: Largest music publisher globally, wholly owned by Warner Music Group. Overlaps with SESAC's music publishing administration functions and competes for songwriter signings, but operates as a major-label publisher rather than a neutral PRO.
• Sony Music Publishing: Major-label music publisher administering a deep catalog of compositions, competing with SESAC for songwriter affiliations and licensing administration. Comparable on rights administration mechanics but different in scale and ownership structure.
• Universal Music Publishing Group: Major-label music publisher that administers some of the world's largest songwriting catalogs. Comparable to SESAC in administering rights and collecting royalties, but operates in a publisher-owned model rather than as a neutral PRO.

Regional players

• GEMA (Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte): German PRO handling performance, mechanical and neighboring rights, also offering combined licensing analogous to SESAC's HFA integration. Direct comparable on PRO functionality but operates primarily in Germany under distinct local copyright frameworks.
• PRS for Music: UK PRO that licenses public performance and broadcasts of music on behalf of its members, with reciprocal agreements covering US works. Direct equivalent to SESAC in business model and product (blanket licenses, royalty collection) but serves a UK/European territorial mandate.

Emerging players

• The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC): Designated US mechanical rights collective under the Music Modernization Act; licenses and collects royalties for streaming mechanical usage of songs. Overlaps with SESAC's HFA mechanical rights business and competes for visibility into streaming-era rights administration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sesac
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/sesac1
• Facebookfacebook.com/sesacmusic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sesac
• Instagraminstagram.com/sesac

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sesac