ASCAP was founded today (February 13th) in New York City in 1914! A meeting was organized with over 100 visionary music leaders at New York's Hotel Claridge and ASCAP was officially created on that evening. For songwriters and composers, this monumental event would forever change music history. The Society's founding members included some of the most popular songwriters and composers of the day, including Irving Berlin, John Philip Sousa and Victor Herbert.

Victor Herbert realized what a problem enforcement had become when he walked into a hotel one evening and heard one of his own songs being played. Knowing he hadn't given permission or been paid for his music, he set out to create an organization that would stand up for the rights of music creators.

The first office of the ASCAP was little more than a closet in New York's Fulton Theater Building. In October of 1914, Rectors Restaurant in Manhattan became ASCAP's first licensee.

Today, ASCAP has more than 315,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members representing all genres of music all around the world.