Welcome to our Weekly Headline Roundup!
This week we’re looking at the global increase in songwriter royalties, new Spotify and NMPA AV deal, AI track uploads, and importance of local culture.
Global songwriter royalty collections reached $13.6bn in 2024, up 7.2%, CISAC reports
Creator royalties hit another all-time high in 2024, according to newly-released numbers from CISAC, a global umbrella group of collective management organizations (CMOs).
– Daniel Tencer, Music Business Worldwide
In its latest Global Collections Report, CISAC, which represents 228 CMOs in 111 countries, reported total royalty collections of €13.97 billion (USD $15.12 billion) across music, audiovisual, visual arts, literature and drama in 2024. That’s a 6.6% increase over 2023.
Royalties to songwriters and publishers accounted for fully 90% of that total, growing 7.2% YoY to €12.59 billion ($13.63 billion).
Spotify and NMPA Partner to Launch New Audiovisual Revenue Stream for Music Creators
Spotify and the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) have joined forces to create a new opt-in license for NMPA members to enter into a direct license agreement for “expanded audiovisual rights” in the U.S., according to a press release about the deal. NMPA members can sign up using a portal, and the deal is said to increase the royalty-earning potential of participating publishers and writers by offering them a new audiovisual royalty stream.
– Kristin Robinson, Billboard
50,000 AI tracks flood Deezer daily – as study shows 97% of listeners can’t tell the difference between human-made vs. fully AI-generated music
Fully AI-generated music now accounts for 34% of all tracks delivered to Deezer each day, according to new data released by the French streaming platform.
– Murray Stassen, Music Business Worldwide
Deezer said today (November 12) that it now receives over 50,000 fully AI-generated tracks daily.
The new stat marks a significant jump from the 30,000 figure it reported in September, the 20,000 it disclosed in April, and the 10,000 it disclosed in January when it first launched its proprietary AI detection tool.
Spotify to Launch Music Videos on Platform in United States
Spotify has announced plans to bring music videos to its platform in the United States and Canada following a beta launch overseas last year.
– Steven Horowitz, Variety
A spokesperson for Spotify confirmed to Variety that the company plans to integrate music videos in the coming weeks. On platform, users will be able to switch between audio and video with the tap of a button. It’s unclear if the feature will be available to all subscriber tiers or just Premium users, as the overseas launch was rolled out to the latter.
Industry Perspectives: Gui Morais (Symphonic) on the Importance of Local Culture
The global music scene isn’t shrinking, it’s exploding. Every day, roughly 100,000 new tracks hit streaming platforms. The competition has never been fiercer, and the real challenge for artists today isn’t just being heard but being remembered.
– Gui Morais for Symphonic
So, how does anyone stand out?
The answer is simple: artists who win globally aren’t trying to sound global. They’re staying true to where they come from and letting the world catch up.