Songwriters Guild of America

What Songwriters Guild of America does

The Songwriters Guild of America (SGA), founded in 1931 and headquartered at 105 Continental Place, Suite 320, Brentwood, TN, is a nonprofit professional membership association operating as the longest-established music creator advocacy and copyright administrative organization in the United States. Its mission, captured in two words as "Protect Songwriters," is executed along three tracks: a tiered membership business (Gold at $60/yr, Platinum at $84/yr, Platinum Pro at $96/yr, Diamond at $225/yr, plus a Dual SGA-NYSC Platinum joint tier) selling direct-to-consumer via songwritersguild.com; professional services for published songwriters and their heirs including copyright termination/recapture, song licensing, mechanical royalty collection, contract review, and earnings reporting, marketed at half the cost of competitors; and federal advocacy in Washington, D.C., focused on royalty rates, streaming income, CRB reform, and AI-related creator protections, often in coalition with the Society of Composers & Lyricists and Music Creators North America.

SGA's core technology footprint is modest and purpose-built rather than proprietary software: the SGATracks.com music licensing platform curates pre-licensed songs from members for music supervisors, the Members' Studio is a gated online area for member profiles, music sharing, and peer feedback, and the SGA Single-Song Contract is an industry-standard fillable contract template with review services from outside counsel. Distribution is delivered through self-serve web sign-up, regional offices in Los Angeles (managed by Aaron Lynn) and Nashville (managed by Eric Watkins), and live showcase performances including monthly slots at The Bitter End in NYC via the NYSC partnership. The GTM motion emphasizes community, advocacy-driven word-of-mouth, and content marketing across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Blue Sky rather than paid acquisition.

The primary customer segments are developing songwriters seeking professional feedback, awards recognition, and performance opportunities, and professional songwriters or their heirs needing cost-advantaged catalog administration and royalty collection, with a secondary segment of professional indie songwriters (Platinum Pro) seeking licensing access. SGA is privately governed by its members and songwriter board, with no venture capital, private equity, parent company, or public funding disclosed in the input.

Name

Songwriters Guild of America

Legal name

Songwriters Guild of America

Website

https://songwritersguild.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Songwriters Guild of America is a nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1931 that serves songwriters through tiered memberships, copyright administration and royalty collection services, the SGATracks.com licensing platform, and federal advocacy for creator rights in Washington, D.C.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Creator Advocacy & Trade Association

NAICS

Music Publishers (51223), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Sync Rights Representation (Pitching, Clearance, Negotiation) (MPAIABAF), Performance Rights Administration (PRO Affiliation, Cue Sheet/Setlist Processing) (MPAIABAE)

Keywords

• Music advocacy services
• Songwriter membership
• Royalty collection
• Copyright administration
• Music licensing platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Brentwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership subscriptions at multiple tiers (Gold at $60/year, Platinum at $84/year, Platinum Pro at $96/year, Diamond at $225/year) providing different levels of services including song feedback, contract reviews, performance opportunities, licensing site access, and professional services for catalog administration and royalty collection.
2. Professional Services: Professional songwriters and their heirs receive catalog administration and royalty collection services at half the cost of competitors. Services include copyright termination and recapture, song licensing, mechanical royalty collection, and contract/record keeping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Songwriters Guild of America (SGA) is a nonprofit professional membership association that sells tiered annual memberships (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Dual SGA-NYSC Platinum, Diamond) to songwriters at various career stages. It delivers song feedback, contract reviews, copyright termination and recapture, song licensing, royalty collection, and catalog administration to members, alongside access to the SGATracks.com music licensing platform and Members' Studio community. The organization supplements its services with Washington D.C. advocacy, an industry-standard single-song contract, and educational resources.

Product overview

The Songwriters Guild of America (SGA) operates a multi-tiered membership organization rather than a unified software product. Its core offerings include five membership tiers (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Dual SGA-NYSC Platinum, and Diamond) providing songwriters at various career stages with services including song feedback, contract reviews, copyright recovery, royalty collection, and music licensing. Key platforms include SGATracks.com for music supervisor licensing, the Members' Studio for member networking, and the SGA Single-Song Contract as an industry-standard template. The organization supplements these with educational resources (video interviews, songwriting instructors), advocacy representation in Washington, awards competitions, and performance showcase opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• National Music Council: An organization chaired by SGA Outside Counsel Charlie Sanders. The NMC monitors and advocates for music creators' rights, including speaking out on human rights violations affecting artists internationally.

Products and services

• Gold Membership Entry-level annual membership ($60/year) for beginning songwriters, including one song feedback session from professional hit songwriters, one licensing/sync contract review, discounts on SGA Awards entries, quarterly equipment giveaways, and lifelong access to Members' Studio.
• Platinum Membership Intermediate annual membership ($84/year) providing three song critiques from platinum- and diamond-selling songwriters, two licensing/sync contract reviews, one free entry to SGA Awards, performance opportunities with professional hit songwriters, quarterly giveaways, and Members' Studio access.
• Platinum Pro Membership Professional-level annual membership ($96/year) for indie songwriters seeking licensing opportunities; provides access to post pre-licensed songs on the SGA music licensing site marketed to music supervisors, two advice sessions for complex deal negotiations, plus all Platinum-tier benefits. Requires application with two song submissions.
• Dual SGA-NYSC Platinum Membership Joint annual membership with the New York Songwriters Collective offered at a 'two-for-the-price-of-one' rate, providing dual benefits, feedback on two songs, two contract reviews, live performance slots at The Bitter End in NYC, Zoom Online Song Club sessions, NYSC website access, and Members' Studio access.
• Diamond Membership Top-tier annual membership ($225/year) for working professional songwriters and heirs with published song catalogs; includes copyright termination and recapture, song licensing, royalty collection, contracts and record keeping, earnings reports, SGATracks.com access, free SGA Awards entry, and an SGA membership t-shirt. Requires upload of three published songs as proof of catalog.
• Members' Studio Exclusive members-only online platform where SGA members can create artist profiles, share music, seek peer feedback, and access information on Awards, Showcase live events, and membership perks.
• SGATracks.com Music Licensing Platform Curated music licensing site marketed to music supervisors and others seeking songs for their projects; Platinum Pro and Diamond members can post songs offered on pre-licensed deals, with two advice sessions from the Director of Professional Services for more complex deals.
• SGA Single-Song Contract Industry-standard single-song contract that has been protecting songwriters since 1931; available as a fillable and printable PDF with guides on how to fill it out and optional contract review services from legal counsel.
• Professional Catalog Administration & Royalty Services Comprehensive professional services for Diamond-tier professional songwriters and their heirs, including copyright termination and recapture, song licensing, mechanical royalty collection, contracts and record keeping, and earnings reporting, offered at half the cost of competitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Professional services at half the cost of competitors
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Music Council (NMC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Charlie Sanders serves as Outside Counsel to the SGA and also as Chair of the National Music Council. The NMC and SGA collaborate on advocacy for music creators, with recent joint action on human rights issues affecting Iranian songwriter Parastoo Ahmadi. The NMC focuses on monitoring and addressing threats to artistic expression and creator rights globally.
• New York Songwriters CollectivecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Dual SGA-NYSC Platinum membership offers combined benefits from both organizations at a 'two-for-the-price-of-one' rate. NYSC provides monthly live showcases at NYC's longest-running rock and roll club, The Bitter End, and complementary Zoom Online Song Club sessions. This partnership extends SGA's reach into the NYC songwriter community.
• Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SGA, SCL, and Music Creators North America form a coalition that jointly advocates for music creator rights. They have submitted joint comments to the U.S. Copyright Office regarding the Music Licensing Collective re-designation and have worked together on royalty rate issues, transparency in CRB proceedings, and creator protections.
• Music Creators North America (MCNA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SGA, SCL, and MCNA form a coalition that jointly advocates for music creator rights. MCNA represents independent music creators and has worked with SGA on fighting royalty rate freezes, advocating for MLC transparency, and protecting creator interests in legislative matters.
• National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSGA collaborated with NMC and NFHS on the 'Keeping the Music Playing' initiative to thank music educators during Music In Our Schools Month. The partnership brought together major artists including Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Rosanne Cash, and others to create a video appreciation campaign for music teachers.
• The Bitter EndminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNYC's longest-running rock and roll club serves as the venue for the Dual SGA-NYSC Platinum membership's monthly live showcases. The venue has hosted legendary artists including Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, Tori Amos, Jackson Browne, and Neil Diamond.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ASCAP: ASCAP is one of the two major U.S. Performing Rights Organizations (PROs), collecting public performance royalties for songwriters and publishers. SGA complements PROs by providing advocacy, contract templates, and rights administration services outside the PRO collection function, making ASCAP a directly adjacent comparator.
• SESAC: SESAC is the third U.S. PRO, focused on performance rights licensing for songwriters and publishers. While smaller than ASCAP/BMI, SESAC represents the same PRO-adjacent services that frame SGA's catalog administration and licensing offerings.
• National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA): NMPA is the principal U.S. trade association for music publishers, advocating on mechanical licensing, royalty rates, and copyright issues. NMPA operates on the publisher side of SGA's songwriter-side advocacy, making it a key counterpart and peer.
• Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC): The MLC administers blanket mechanical licenses and collects/distributes mechanical royalties under the Music Modernization Act. SGA explicitly references MLC governance concerns; both operate in music rights administration and royalty processing.
• The Recording Academy (Grammy organization): The Recording Academy is a membership organization for music professionals that also runs advocacy, the Grammy Awards, and professional development. It serves a broader creator/performer base than SGA but competes for songwriter membership and engagement.
• BMI: BMI is the other major U.S. PRO, serving songwriters, composers, and publishers with public performance royalty collection. Like ASCAP, BMI occupies an adjacent role in the songwriter services stack where SGA also competes for songwriter mindshare.

Direct peers

• Songtrust: Songtrust is a music publishing administrator that collects worldwide royalties for independent songwriters and publishers. SGA's Diamond-tier catalog administration and royalty collection directly competes with Songtrust's core service offering.
• Future of Music Coalition: Future of Music Coalition is a U.S. nonprofit that advocates for musicians on policy issues including streaming royalties, copyright, and creator fairness — closely paralleling SGA's policy advocacy mission. Both organizations lobby Washington on creator rights.
• Music Creators North America (MCNA): MCNA is a formal coalition partner of SGA and a peer advocacy organization representing independent music creators on royalty rate, transparency, and legislative issues. Both organizations target similar songwriter/composer audiences with advocacy and policy work.
• Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL): SCL is a coalition partner of SGA and a direct peer as a U.S. music creator advocacy organization serving composers and lyricists with advocacy, education, and member events. Both organizations jointly advocate for creator rights in Washington D.C.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheSongwritersGuild
• Facebookfacebook.com/songwritersguildofamerica
• Instagraminstagram.com/songwriters_guild
• Xx.com/SGAwrites

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Songwriters Guild of America