Global royalty collections for creators grew by 7.6% to a new high of EUR13.1 billion in 2023. The increase was driven by continued steady growth in digital income and a strong recovery in live concerts and public performance which became the last sector to recover fully from the pandemic.
Following a decade of annual double-digit percentage growth, digital collections increased by a more modest 9.6% to EUR4.6 billion, with the streaming subscription market starting to mature in larger territories.
Having overtaken TV and radio to become creators’ biggest income stream in 2022, digital moved further ahead in 2023, making up 35% of total collections. This compares to 30% for broadcast and 25% for live and public performance.
Despite the growth in royalties coming from digital platforms, the vast majority of creators say that streaming income cannot support a career or livelihood. This is especially true for those outside the small coterie of highly successful artists, and those who cannot rely on other income streams, such as performing live, to build their career.
Royalty collections from TV and radio broadcasters fell by -4.0% in 2023 and were a mere +0.7% above their 2019 level, reflecting the decline in viewer numbers and TV advertising income.
The Live and Public Performance income stream, which includes concerts, exhibitions and licensing of venues and businesses, continued its robust recovery across all regions. Collections in this category grew by 22% to reach an all-time high of EUR3.3 billion.
These are the key highlights of the 2024 Global Collections Report published by CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers). The report provides comprehensive data and analysis of collections across all repertoires, including music, audiovisual, visual arts, literature and drama.
CISAC Director General Gadi Oron says: “This Report gives a unique overview of the economic and cultural value of our global CISAC community. This year’s figures, for royalties collections by CISAC members in 2023, paint a positive picture of a healthy, stable and promising sector. Overall, collections on behalf of creators reached a new all-time high of EUR13.1bn, an impressive 7.6% increase. This, in itself, is a major achievement and shows the strength of the collective management system”.
Writing in his foreword to the Report, CISAC President Björn Ulvaeus looks ahead to the impact on of AI: “Today, we are on the cusp of an enormous change. AI is shaking up our landscape, and, even as it does so, its impact is still unknown. Generative AI tools are producing contents that are copied from, and risk replacing, the works of human creators. I am a user and a big fan of AI tools. I have always believed we can only ever embrace new technology, not try and stop it – but there is a rock-solid caveat: this must never be at the cost of compromising copyright and human rights. The recent studies estimating what this could cost to creators in lost income, from France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, are an alarm call to us all. I believe that a badly-regulated AI environment could wipe out many artists’ careers. That could be the next Paul McCartney or Taylor Swift”.
Marcelo Castello Branco, CISAC Board Chair, comments in his foreword: “This 2024 CISAC Global Collections Report shows a successful performance by the CISAC global network, and we should take a moment to celebrate our achievements. However, it is essential that we elevate our ambitions further. We have to firmly reject the notion that creation—whether in music, audiovisual, visual arts, literature, or drama—is merely a commodity or a tool in the attention economy. Our market environment is full of uncertainties, and while we take pride in present growth, our priority now needs to be long-term sustainable growth to ensure the livelihoods of the creators we represent”.
