How do I check whether a song is in the ASCAP repertory?

Use ASCAP's official repertory search to look for the musical work. Start with the ASCAP licensing portal and open the repertory search linked from ASCAP's official site.

How to search the ASCAP repertory

1. Search the song title in the official ASCAP repertory tool.
2. Search again by writer or publisher when the title returns several results or no clear match.
3. Check the writers, publishers and work details for each result.
4. Compare the result with the song and recording you intend to use.
5. Save the result and contact ASCAP licensing when the answer affects a public performance licence or a disputed use.

Check more than one result because a song can have multiple writers, publishers and registrations. A recording artist name is useful context, but it may not identify the underlying work by itself.

What an ASCAP repertory result does not clear

An ASCAP repertory search concerns rights in the musical work represented in the result. It does not automatically clear the sound recording, a copy of the recording, music in a video or every right needed for an online or commercial use. A work may also have rights represented by more than one organisation or by different organisations in different territories.

If the result is missing or unclear, keep the title, writers, publisher, recording artist and any identifier you have, then ask ASCAP to confirm the relevant public performance rights. The official ASCAP licensing terms and confirmation control.

If you only use MelloJam

According to MelloJam's current plan terms, a business that plays only MelloJam music through the MelloJam player is not using music from the ASCAP repertory covered by ASCAP's licensing route. The MelloJam plan covers MelloJam's original catalogue and the commercial playback rights MelloJam controls for that playback under those terms.

This statement is limited to the MelloJam playback. A non-waivable government, statutory or collecting-society charge can still apply if applicable local law imposes it directly on the venue. Radio, television, Spotify, other recordings, live music, DJs, events, copying or online use require a separate rights check.

Official source

Begin with the ASCAP licensing portal and the repertory search linked from the ASCAP website. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Back to all ASCAP licensing questions.