What I'm curious about is who is receiving the bulk of the revenue generated through the payment of these royalties?
In Canada, with digital streaming firmly entrenched in the industry, an artist receives 11 one thousandths of one cent each time someone plays their song.
The PRO takes the bulk of it, and uses it to fund litigation against bars, stores, restaurants, anywhere that plays music for their patrons to listen to.
Moreover, the PRO doesn't require proof of copyright to register a song. All they require is the title. Add to that the fact that if they cannot locate the artist who wrote the song after three years, they've written in their own policies that they get to keep those funds, hence the "legal fund" filled with revenue that rightfully belongs to artists.