Ask me questions about the business side of things in the music industry. I'll do my best to answer them and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!

Registering with ASCAP in order to make money from music requires the song in question to be played on the radio first, right?

No, if you have a song that you wrote and want to make money off of the "performance royalties," then you can register with a PRO (performing rights organization) when you're ready. PRO's collect performance royalties for you and also help to protect your copyright. PRO's also protect who can broadcast or perform your song on radio or other sources like movies/films, etc. People who wish to perform your songs or use them in a commercial or a broadcast must pay your PRO a licensing fee. Hope that answers your question. Message me if you have anymore. Thanks!