NMPA

What NMPA does

The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA), founded in 1917 and headquartered in Washington, DC, is the largest U.S. trade association for music publishers, serving over 3,000 members including the major publishers (Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music), large independents (BMG, Kobalt, peermusic, Reservoir), and smaller publishers. Its mission is to protect and advance the economic and legal interests of music publishers and the songwriters they represent across Congress, federal agencies, and the courts.

NMPA's core offerings span four pillars: (1) the Gold & Platinum Program, a database of 59,268+ RIAA-certified song records synced quarterly with RIAA data, used to certify and notify songwriters; (2) Legal & Business Affairs, providing copyright resources, Copyright Royalty Board representation, and aggregated song ownership search (Songview, ASCAP, BMI, MLC, Global Music Rights, SESAC); (3) NMPAC, a bipartisan federal political action committee; and (4) a member events portfolio including the Annual Meeting at Lincoln Center, Nashville Gala, SONGS Foundation Golf Tournament, and Grammy Week Songwriter Awards co-hosted with Billboard. NMPA operates a member portal (member.nmpa.org) and a searchable G&P database; no public API or developer platform exists.

NMPA is a private, member-funded 501(c) trade association with no investors or parent company. Revenue comes primarily from tiered annual membership dues calculated on market share (with the top 6 publishers responsible for ≥75% of the operating budget, and publishers under $50,000 in revenue paying a flat $100/year). Its economic engine is industry-wide collective licensing and litigation: NMPA has recovered nearly $1.5 billion cumulatively through settlements (YouTube, Limewire, etc.), including the $230M+ Late Fee Program, and currently returns approximately $110 million annually to members through negotiated deals, including the landmark 2026 AI licensing agreements with Udio and KLAY Media.

Name

NMPA

Legal name

National Music Publishers' Association

Website

https://nmpa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) is the largest U.S. trade association for music publishers, serving 3,000+ members through collective licensing, copyright litigation, regulatory advocacy, and the Gold & Platinum songwriter certification program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Publishing Trade Association

NAICS

Music Publishers (512230), Music Publishers (51223)

SIC

Patent Owners & Lessors (6794)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Rights Administration & Royalty Processing (Admin, Accounting, Statements) (MPAIAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Royalty Accounting & Payment Services (Statements, Audits, Payee Management) (MPAIABAL), Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) & Public Performance Licensing (MPAIAKAA), Global Rights Representation & Sub-Publishing/Reciprocal Collection Services (MPAIAKAI)

Keywords

• Music publishing advocacy
• Copyright protection services
• Songwriter certification program
• Trade association membership
• Music licensing negotiations

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual dues calculated based on member market share. General Members (reporting more than $100,000 in prior year) are assessed dues based on market share, with Executive Members (top 6 by revenue) responsible for no less than 75% of the NMPA operating budget. Publishers reporting $50,000-$100,000 pay a flat $250 fee; those under $50,000 pay $100 annually.
2. Legal Settlements and Judgments: NMPA has collected over $1 billion in aggregate through litigation and settlements on behalf of songwriters and music publishers. Includes settlements with YouTube, Limewire, Fullscreen, Maker Studios, Rap Genius, and the Late Fee Program which has collected over $230 million from major labels.
3. Licensing Program Distributions: Returns approximately $110 million annually to members through negotiated licensing deals, including recent AI music company agreements with Udio and KLAY Media.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NMPA is a member-funded trade association that represents American music publishers and songwriters through legislative advocacy, litigation, Copyright Royalty Board representation, and industry-wide licensing negotiations. Its flagship Gold & Platinum Program certifies songwriters behind RIAA-certified hits, while the organization collectively negotiates digital and AI music licensing deals returning approximately $110 million annually to members and has recovered nearly $1.5 billion in legal settlements over its history.

Product overview

The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) is a trade association for the American music publishing industry, founded in 1917. Rather than a unified software product, NMPA operates a portfolio of member services centered on its flagship Gold & Platinum Program (which certifies songwriters of RIAA-certified hits in partnership with RIAA), Legal & Business Affairs (providing copyright resources, CRB proceedings, and industry guidance), NMPAC (the bipartisan political action committee), and events including the Annual Meeting, Gold & Platinum Gala, S.O.N.G.S. Foundation Golf Tournament, and Grammy Week Songwriter Awards. These services work together to protect and advance the interests of music publishers and songwriters in copyright protection, legislative advocacy, and industry recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SONGS Foundation: NMPA's charitable foundation that raises funds to support career songwriters.

Products and services

• Gold & Platinum Program NMPA's flagship certification program, in partnership with RIAA, that identifies and certifies songwriters behind RIAA-certified Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum hits. Certifications count both sales and on-demand streams toward thresholds (500K Gold, 1M Platinum, 2M+ Multi-Platinum). NMPA maintains a database of all awards and notifies songwriters and publishers of their certifications.
• NMPAC (National Music Publishers' Association Political Action Committee) The bipartisan political action committee of NMPA, registered with the FEC. NMPAC raises funds to support candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives who share the values of music publishers and songwriters, evaluating candidates based on their pro-creator, pro-music agenda and importance to NMPA's legislative priorities.
• Legal & Business Affairs / Copyright Resources Comprehensive legal resources providing NMPA members with guidance on copyright law, the Music Modernization Act (MMA), Copyright Royalty Board proceedings, song ownership databases (Songview, ASCAP, BMI, MLC, Global Music Rights, SESAC), and industry resources for app music licensing and livestreaming.
• Annual Meeting & Industry Events Industry events including the NMPA Annual Meeting at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall (featuring industry analysis, awards such as Songwriter Icon, Non-Performing Songwriter Icon, and Industry Legacy Award, keynotes, and performances), the Gold & Platinum Gala in Nashville honoring country songwriters, the S.O.N.G.S. Foundation Golf Tournament in Los Angeles, and Grammy Week Songwriter Awards co-hosted with Billboard.
• SONGS Foundation A charitable foundation associated with NMPA that raises funds to support career songwriters, part of NMPA's ecosystem of songwriter advocacy programs. The foundation hosts the annual Spring Golf Tournament at The Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles and other fundraising events.

Quantifiable outcome

• US music publishing revenues reached $7.3 billion in 2025, up 3.7% YoY
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UdiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026First-ever industry-wide licensing agreement between music publishers and a major AI music company. The deal values songs and sound recordings equally for AI training and has led to approximately $110 million in distributions to NMPA members. This landmark agreement sets a precedent for how AI companies should compensate music creators.
• Klay MediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026AI platform deal in principle secured prior to platform launch, notable for NMPA's proactive approach to licensing AI music companies. Part of the approximately $110 million returned to members through NMPA-negotiated agreements.
• SpotifycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Partnership to launch new audiovisual revenue stream for music creators. Collaboration aimed at creating additional monetization opportunities through music videos on the Spotify platform. The deal follows an AV-focused licensing agreement with NMPA and beta launches in the UK and Europe.
• Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Established by the Music Modernization Act to offer blanket licenses for digital mechanical rights. NMPA co-developed the MLC and Danielle Aguirre serves as the statutorily designated non-voting publisher representative on its board.
• US Copyright OfficecoreOthersFederal agency overseeing copyright policy and regulations. NMPA advocates for music publishers and songwriters in Copyright Royalty Board proceedings and legislative matters before Congress.
• Copyright Royalty BoardcoreOthersFederal body that sets rates and terms for mechanical and digital phonorecord deliveries. NMPA, NSAI, and DiMA recently reached agreement in the Phonorecords IV proceeding for the highest streaming royalty rate ever.
• SONGS FoundationminorOthersNMPA's charitable foundation that raises funds to support career songwriters. Hosts annual Spring Golf Tournament in Los Angeles and other fundraising events.
• Recording AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Grammy Week Songwriter Awards event. Harvey Mason jr., CEO of Recording Academy, received NMPA's Industry Legacy Award in 2026.
• BillboardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of annual Grammy Week Songwriter Awards, the largest songwriter-focused event during Grammy Week.
• RIAAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Gold & Platinum Program certification. RIAA conducts sales audits and issues formal certification reports; NMPA then notifies appropriate songwriters and music publishers of certifications.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers): The largest U.S. performing rights organization (PRO), directly comparable to NMPA as a music rights advocacy and collection body. ASCAP and NMPA both serve songwriters and publishers on rights and licensing matters, with overlapping but distinct mandates (ASCAP collects performance royalties; NMPA advocates and negotiates industry-wide deals).
• SESAC: Performing rights organization representing songwriters and publishers, smaller than ASCAP/BMI but operating in the same rights-collection niche. NMPA's copyright databases include SESAC lookups, treating it as a peer rights body.
• Global Music Rights: U.S. PRO founded in 2013, representing a smaller roster of high-value songwriters. A direct peer to NMPA's PRO-ecosystem advocacy, also integrated into NMPA's ownership database tools.
• Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI): Songwriter-focused trade organization that co-petitions the CRB alongside NMPA. A peer advocacy body with overlapping songwriter-protection mandate but narrower geographic and segment focus on Nashville/country writers.
• A2IM (American Association of Independent Music): Trade association representing independent music labels and publishers in the U.S. A peer advocacy body with overlapping membership and shared policy priorities (streaming rates, AI licensing, antitrust), though focused on independents specifically.
• Songwriters Guild of America: U.S. songwriting trade association founded in 1931, the oldest organization specifically for songwriters. A peer advocacy body with overlapping mission on mechanical royalties and legislative protection, occasionally co-signing positions with NMPA.
• BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.): Second major U.S. PRO, structurally similar to ASCAP and a direct peer to NMPA's constituency. NMPA's Songview database aggregates BMI data alongside ASCAP for songwriter ownership lookups, reflecting their tight operational coupling.

Broad incumbents

• RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America): Trade association for the recorded music industry, structurally identical to NMPA but on the master rights side. NMPA partners with RIAA on the Gold & Platinum Program and shares overlapping advocacy on streaming and AI policy.
• Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC): The blanket mechanical rights licensing body established by the Music Modernization Act, co-developed with NMPA and represented on its board. A peer industry infrastructure organization with overlapping mission (rights administration) but distinct legal scope (mechanical licensing only).

Regional players

• Music Publishers Association (UK): U.K. equivalent of NMPA representing British music publishers. Operates with the same core mandate (rights protection, legislative advocacy) but serves a different geography; useful peer for international rights representation benchmarking.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nmpaorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOBt4V3VJgBR4GET4gjTchg
• Facebookfacebook.com/NMPAorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-music-publishers'-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/nmpaorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about NMPA