Public performance rights for music writers refer to the right of songwriters and music publishers to receive compensation when their musical compositions are publicly performed. This includes concerts, radio and television broadcasts, restaurants, bars, and other public places.

The exposure and publicity from public performance is awesome, but when a song is played or performed in public, the creators of that song are also entitled to receive royalties for the use of their work.

Songwriters earn public performance royalties through performance rights organizations (PROs) such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC in the United States. These organizations collect fees from businesses and venues that use music publicly and distribute those fees as royalties to the rights holders.

Public performance rights are distinct from mechanical royalties, which are related to the reproduction and distribution of recorded music.