US performing rights organization (PRO) BMI has agreed to acquire Soundmouse, the cue sheet management platform, from Los Angeles-based music tech company Orfium.
The deal, announced on Tuesday (May 19), will combine the two companies’ cue sheet operations to build what BMI says will become “the largest and most comprehensive cue sheet database in the global audiovisual marketplace”.
The transaction will be funded through BMI‘s operating cash and will not impact the PRO’s distributions to its songwriter, composer, and publisher affiliates, according to the company.
Soundmouse uses AI-driven technology to automate the creation of cue sheets, which report the musical elements included in films, TV shows, commercials, video games and other projects.
BMI plans to operate Soundmouse as an independent company and will remain one of its biggest clients, the PRO said.
Todd Horvath, BMI’s President and COO, will oversee the operations of Soundmouse. Horvath joined BMI in January from Equifax.
The deal is expected to close mid-2026.
“The global audiovisual marketplace is one of the fastest growing sectors of our industry, and the income stream it provides for our creators continues to grow in importance.”
Mike O’Neill, BMI
“This acquisition is just one element of our plans to invest in technology and expand the services we offer to our songwriters, composers and publishers,” said Mike O’Neill, BMI’s CEO.
He added: “The global audiovisual marketplace is one of the fastest growing sectors of our industry, and the income stream it provides for our creators continues to grow in importance.
“By establishing the most comprehensive cue sheet database in the industry, BMI will be in the best position to collect and distribute the royalties our songwriters, composers and publishers are entitled to whenever their music is used in an AV production, anywhere around the world.”
Horvath said: “We’re very excited for this partnership given the key service Soundmouse provides to music creators, studios, broadcasters and global collective rights organizations.
“Just as we are investing to grow BMI‘s business, we will support Soundmouse to ensure it continues to thrive and serve the needs of the industry in the best possible way.”
Orfium – the Los Angeles-headquartered music rights management technology firm led by former Universal Music Group digital chief Rob Wells – acquired Soundmouse in January 2023.
“Just as we are investing to grow BMI‘s business, we will support Soundmouse to ensure it continues to thrive and serve the needs of the industry in the best possible way.”
Todd Horvath, BMI
“During the three years that Soundmouse was owned by Orfium, we invested significantly in both the business and its technology, transforming it into one of the world’s leading cue sheet management platforms and making it an attractive proposition for an organization like BMI,” said Wells.
“With its scale, global reach and the strength of its relationships across the music industry, we believe BMI is the ideal partner to take Soundmouse through its next stage of growth for the benefit of composers and songwriters around the world.”
“With its scale, global reach and the strength of its relationships across the music industry, we believe BMI is the ideal partner to take Soundmouse through its next stage of growth.”
Rob Wells, Orfium
Soundmouse is headquartered in London, with operations in Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Bulgaria and Greece. The company monitors television, radio broadcasts and music production worldwide to generate cue sheets for music rights organizations.
Under Orfium‘s ownership, Soundmouse expanded into new markets, including a three-year partnership announced in 2024 that saw it become the official music reporting partner for broadcasters in South Korea via its deal with BROMIS, a consortium of major broadcasters and collecting societies in the country.
BMI, which describes itself as “the world’s largest performing rights organization,” was acquired by a shareholder group led by private equity firm New Mountain Capital in early 2024.
The acquisition converted the PRO – which was founded in 1939 – from a not-for-profit entity into a for-profit company.
According to its most recent boilerplate, BMI represents the public performance rights in over 22.4 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.4 million songwriters, composers and music publishers.
Music Business Worldwide