CISAC Global Collections Report 2025: Global creators’ royalties reach €13.97 billion, powered by digital growth
The CISAC Global Collections Report 2025 was released today, the definitive annual analysis of creator royalties across the global creative industries. The report tracks 2024 royalty collections in music, audiovisual, drama, literature and visual arts repertoires via data from CISAC’s network of 228 societies in 111 countries.
Royalties collected for creators worldwide rose to a record €13.97 billion in 2024, marking a +6.6% increase and continuing a decade-long surge that has seen collections grow by over 70%. The milestone was driven primarily by digital revenues, which rose +11.2% in 2024 to exceed €5 billion for the first time. Streaming and subscription services now represent more than a third of total global collections income, reflecting a seven-fold increase (+596.2%) in digital revenues since 2015. At the same time, live and background royalties grew +9.6% in 2024, surpassing €3.5 billion, while broadcast (TV & radio) saw modest recovery even as viewing and listening habits continue to shift.
“This year’s results are testament to the adaptability and resilience of creators’ collective rights management in a rapidly changing environment,” said CISAC Director General Gadi Oron. “Yet, alongside this success, new challenges brought by Artificial Intelligence technologies threaten the future of the creative sector. AI is not simply another means of distributing creative works; it is a technology that appropriates and replicates them. Without proper safeguards or data transparency it risks undermining the very foundation of creative value.”
Unlicensed generative AI (GenAI) could divert up to 25% of creators’ royalties, equivalent to €8.5 billion annually, if left unregulated. The global Confederation is calling for transparency, licensing obligations for AI platforms and remuneration of creators for AI use, as GenAI expands from an estimated €3 billion market to an estimated €64 billion by 2028.
“In 2024, authors’ societies delivered record royalties to creators worldwide. This achievement is a cause for celebration, reflecting the resilience of collective management and the value of creative works in a growing market. At the same time, the advent of artificial intelligence signals a profound shift for our sector — proof that progress and disruption can exist side by side, and that the future of creativity will be shaped by how we reconcile both realities,” said CISAC President Björn Ulvaeus.
“In this era of rapid AI advancement and global digitalisation, creators face unprecedented challenges, not just in how they work, but in ensuring they’re properly compensated for work that enriches our world immeasurably. The role of collective management societies and our global coalition of rightsholders have never been more critical,” said CISAC Board Chair Dean Ormston.
Key 2024 highlights from the CISAC Global Collections Report:
● Royalties collected for creators worldwide rose to a record €13.97 billion in 2024, a +6.6% increase
● Music dominated 2024 collections with €12.59B (+7.2%), representing 90% of global revenues.
● Audiovisual (€0.73B, +1.1%), Visual Arts (€0.22B, +0.9%), Literary (€0.23B, +7.3%), and Drama (€0.21B, -3.4%) repertoires together accounted for the remaining 10%.
● Digital revenues passed €5 billion for the first time, growing +11.2%
● In 2024, creators’ income was led by Digital (37% of the total, €5.1B), followed by TV & Radio (28%, €3.9B) and Live & Background (26%, €3.6B). Physical and secondary sources contributed smaller shares: CD & Video (3%), Private Copying (3%), Reprography (2%), and others—including Resale Right, Synchronisation, and Rental/Public Lending, each below 1%.
Regional Highlights
● Europe: €7.6 billion (+6.7%) steady growth led by France, the UK and Germany.
● North America: €3.5 billion (+10%) driven by digital income and strong live recovery.
● Asia-Pacific: €1.9 billion (+3%) fuelled by digital surges in India, China and South Korea.
● Latin America & the Caribbean: €786 million (–0.6%) stabilising after two years of exceptional growth.
● Africa: €90 million (+14.2%) led by broadcast and live performance.
Music
● Global revenues for music creators increased by +7.2% to reach €12.59 billion
● For the first time, collections from the digital use of music reached € 5 billion as growth accelerated to +10.8% in 2024. The total represents a sevenfold rise over the past decade with digital remaining comfortably the music repertoire’s largest sector at 39.8% of total income.
● Live & background collections brought in €3.5 billion, driven by concerts, events, and licensing from venues, growing +9.6%
The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) represents a global network of 228 collective management organisations located in 111 countries and territories. These societies represent more than five million creators across five repertoires: music, audiovisual, visual arts, literature, and drama. Working together to protect creators’ rights and strengthen copyright worldwide, CISAC sets professional and technical standards, advocates for fair legislation, and supports its membership in delivering transparent, efficient rights management in a rapidly evolving creative economy.
