I'd love to know, how popular or well-known are the PROs in the US?

There are at least three big ones (BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC) - they use the same mafia-style shakedowns and don't really benefit the lesser-known musician (subjective opinion about a subject I don't really know much about).
I don't know how how "well known" they are - probably not known much at all. Most Americans that I've talked with don't understand or think about copyright law, which is not surprising, since the United States' copyright laws are almost contradictory in what they allow and disallow, and there's alot of undefined grey.

I only know about the PROs because I was casually curious about copyright issues for church services, after seeing copyright claims on a few projected song lyrics during a service. Apparently worship teams can't play (modern) music in churches unless the church pays the annual licensing fee to one of the organizations.
Though, looking here (CCLI is not one of the big three - I guess it sub-licenses, or else contracts its own musicians?), the prices seems quite reasonable - and though I roll my eyes at the ironic humor of the situation, at the same time I understand the whole artist-wants-to-be-paid-for-his-work thing, which is very similar to the software piracy issue.

I'd love to know, how popular or well-known are the PROs in the US?

There are at least three big ones (BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC) - they use the same mafia-style shakedowns and don't really benefit the lesser-known musicians.
I don't know how how "well known" they are - probably not known much at all. Most Americans that I've talked with don't understand or think about copyright law, which is not surprising, since the United States' copyright laws are almost contradictory in what they allow and disallow, and there's alot of undefined grey.

I only know about the PROs because I was casually curious about copyright issues for church services, after seeing copyright claims on a few projected song lyrics during a service. Apparently worship teams can't play (modern) music in churches unless the church pays the annual licensing fee to one of the organizations.
Though, looking here (CCLI is not one of the big three - I guess it sub-licenses, or else contracts its own musicians?), the prices seems quite reasonable - and though I roll my eyes at the ironic humor of the situation, at the same time I understand the whole artist-wants-to-be-paid-for-his-work thing, which is very similar to the software piracy issue.

I'd love to know, how popular or well-known are the PROs in the US?

There are at least three big ones (BMI, - they use the same mafia-style shakedowns.
I don't know how how "well known" they are. Most Americans that I've talked with don't understand copyright law. Which is not surprising, since the United States' copyright laws are almost contradictory in what they allow and disallow, and there's alot of undefined grey.

I only know about the PROs because I was casually curious about copyright issues for church services, after seeing copyright claims on a few projected song lyrics during a service. Apparently worship teams can't play (modern) music in churches unless the church pays the annual licensing fee to one of the organizations.
Though, looking here (CCLI is not one of the big three - I guess it sub-licenses, or else contracts its own musicians?), the prices seems quite reasonable - and though I roll my eyes at the ironic humor of the situation, at the same time I understand the whole artist-wants-to-be-paid-for-his-work thing, which is very similar to the software piracy issue.

I'd love to know, how popular or well-known are the PROs in the US?

There are at least three big ones - they use the same mafia-style shakedowns.
I don't know how how "well known" they are. Most Americans that I've talked with don't understand copyright law. Which is not surprising, since the United States' copyright laws are almost contradictory in what they allow and disallow, and there's alot of undefined grey.

I only know about them because I was curious about copyright issues for church services. Apparently worship teams can't play music in churches unless the church pays the annual licensing fee to one of the organizations.
Though, looking here (not one of the big three - I guess it sub-licenses, or else contracts its own musicians?), the prices seems quite reasonable - and though I roll my eyes at the humor of the situation, at the same time I understand the whole artist-wants-to-be-paid-for-his-work thing, which is very similar to the software piracy issue.