Music Publishers Association

What Music Publishers Association does

The Music Publishers Association of the United States (MPA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1895, making it the oldest music trade organization in the United States. Headquartered in New York City, the MPA serves 60+ member music publishers, with a particular emphasis on publishers of print music for concert and educational purposes. Its core mission centers on fostering communication among publishers, dealers, music educators, and music users; advocating for copyright protection and intellectual property rights; and providing industry representation in legal, legislative, and technological matters. The MPA also serves secondary constituencies including music educators, students, and performers who benefit from its copyright resources, permission forms, and educational materials.

Name

Music Publishers Association

Legal name

Music Publishers Association of the United States

Website

https://mpa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Music Publishers Association of the United States is a non-profit trade association founded in 1895 that represents 60+ music publishers, advocating for copyright protection and providing education, awards, and industry resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Industry Trade Association

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Legal Services (Artist/Label/Publishing) (MPAIAGAE), Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB)

Keywords

• Music publishing advocacy
• Print music trade association
• Copyright licensing resources
• Music industry education
• Music engraving awards

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues collected from music publishers based on their gross volume tiers. Dues range from $50 to $3,000 annually depending on company size.
2. Event Registration: Revenue from educational seminars like The Blueprint (one-day crash course on music publishing at $185-$220 per attendee) and annual awards luncheons.
3. Award Submission Fees: Discounted rates offered for first-time applicants and new members to submit scores for Paul Revere Awards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Music Publishers Association of the United States is a non-profit trade association founded in 1895 that serves over 60 member music publishers through representation, advocacy, and education. Its core offerings include tiered membership services, the annual Paul Revere Awards for Graphic Excellence (since 1964), The Blueprint educational seminar, copyright and licensing resources, a publisher directory, and advocacy on copyright and intellectual property issues affecting print music publishers.

Product overview

The Music Publishers Association operates as a trade association offering member services, not a unified product platform. Its portfolio consists of the Paul Revere Awards for Graphic Excellence (annual engraving/design awards program), The Blueprint educational seminar, a Publisher Directory, Copyright Resources center, Educational Materials, and tiered Membership Services. These are member programs and industry resources rather than commercial products or software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paul Revere Awards for Graphic Excellence Annual awards program recognizing excellence in all areas of print music publishing including music engraving, artwork, design and printing. Open to member publishers, with submissions judged by industry experts (e.g., Lawrence Tarlow, Principal Librarian of the New York Philharmonic, chaired the 2025 judging).
• The Blueprint Seminar One-day crash course seminar for industry professionals and creatives providing an essential guide to understanding music publishing basics, including Performance & Grand Rights, Sync rights, Performing Rights Organizations, distribution, and composer representation. Each seminar is capped at 40 attendees.
• Publisher Directory Online directory of member publishers that allows users to search and find publisher information for the MPA's 60+ member publishers.
• Copyright Resource Center Educational materials and resources covering copyright law, permission forms, streaming live music guidelines, frequently asked copyright questions, copying under copyright, and resources for churches.
• Educational Materials Educational resources for publishers, performers, students, and teachers provided by the MPA across its website and member communications.
• MPA Membership Services Annual trade association membership for music publishers, providing voting status, access to board meetings, committee eligibility, advocacy representation, and annual awards luncheon invitations. Dues are tiered based on gross volume from $50 to $3,000 annually.

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NewMusicUSAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA maintains a close working relationship with NewMusicUSA, engaging in industry-wide initiatives and representing print music publisher positions.
• International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP-CIEM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA participates in the International Confederation of Music Publishers for international industry coordination and representation.
• American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA engages with ACDA as part of its industry outreach and trade relations activities.
• National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA maintains liaison relationship with NAMM for industry-wide communication and advocacy.
• League of American OrchestrasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA collaborates with the League of American Orchestras on orchestral music and publisher issues.
• Church Music Publishers AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA works with Church Music Publishers Association on sacred music publishing matters.
• Music Library AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA has a Joint Committee with the Music Library Association addressing cataloging, publishing information and copyright issues.
• Major Orchestra Librarians' Association (MOLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA has a Joint Committee with MOLA addressing issues relevant to both music librarians and music publishers.
• National Association for Music Education (NAfME)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA engages with NAfME for educational music outreach and standards.
• Music Teachers National Association (MTNA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA works with MTNA on music teacher resources and professional development.
• Retail Print Music Dealers Association (RPMDA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMPA's Educational Contacts Committee maintains liaison with RPMDA for retail music dealer relations.
• National Music Publishers Association (NMPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA members belong to and work cooperatively with NMPA on industry advocacy.
• Harry Fox AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA members work with Harry Fox Agency on licensing and royalty matters.
• ASCAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA maintains relationships with ASCAP, one of the major performance rights organizations, on performance licensing matters.
• BMIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA maintains relationships with BMI, one of the major performance rights organizations, on performance licensing matters.
• SESACcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA maintains relationships with SESAC, one of the performance rights organizations, on performance licensing matters.
• Institute for Composer DiversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA is a proud supporter of the Institute for Composer Diversity as part of its equity and inclusion commitments.
• The Sphinx OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA is a proud supporter of The Sphinx Organization as part of its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA): US trade association representing music publishers' rights, particularly on the sound recording/publishing side. Both NMPA and MPA are US-based music publisher trade bodies serving overlapping member bases and often cooperating through joint advocacy.
• International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP): International umbrella body of which MPA is itself a member. ICMP aggregates national music publisher associations globally, providing a direct international peer for MPA's advocacy and policy coordination role.
• Church Music Publishers Association: Niche US trade association for publishers of sacred/church music. Operates as a sister trade body to MPA with similar services (advocacy, networking, education) for a specialized music publishing segment.
• Music Library Association (MLA): US professional association for music librarians and librarianship. Operates a Joint Committee with MPA on cataloging, publishing information, and copyright issues, making it a direct functional peer within MPA's ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Songwriters Guild of America (SGA): US trade organization advocating for songwriters' rights — adjacent to but distinct from MPA's publisher-focused mandate. Comparable as a songwriter-side industry body interacting with the same PROs and legislative arena.
• Major Orchestra Librarians' Association (MOLA): Specialized professional association for orchestra librarians, with an active Joint Committee with MPA. Comparable as a niche music trade body interacting with MPA on orchestra music publishing workflows.

Broad incumbents

• ASCAP: One of the largest US performing rights organizations (PROs) collecting public performance royalties. MPA maintains a core partnership with ASCAP, and ASCAP's broader rights mandate overlaps with MPA's performance rights education focus.
• BMI: Major US PRO collecting performance royalties on behalf of songwriters, composers, and publishers. Listed by MPA as a core partner and clearly comparable as a music rights organization serving publishers.
• SESAC: The third major US PRO, smaller in membership than ASCAP/BMI but operating the same core public performance licensing function. Listed as a core MPA partner and operates in the same music rights landscape.
• National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM): US trade association for the music products industry (instruments, sheet music retail). Comparable to MPA as an adjacent music trade body serving downstream channels for member publishers' products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MusicPublishers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Music Publishers Association