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5 things to know about CISAC’s global report, as songwriter royalty collections hit record $15.9B in 2025, with $900M+ from The MLC and AI in focus
Global songwriter royalty collections reached a record €14.06 billion ($15.87 billion) in 2025, up 11.9% on the previous year. The rise matters partly because it reflects a major change in what the figures include: the US Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) reported collections for the first time.
The MLC added €835 million ($942 million), accounting for more than half of the €1.50 billion increase in global collections; excluding it, growth was 5.3%. Digital became the largest source of collections, rising 27.9% to €6.41 billion, or 45.6% of the total, while the US remained the biggest market at €4.07 billion. CISAC President Björn Ulvaeus said royalties start with human creativity, as the report highlights AI and creators’ role in shaping its development.
In short
- Global collections reached €14.06 billion in 2025.
- The MLC’s first reported year added €835 million.
- Digital made up 45.6% of collections.
Explained simply
Songwriter royalties are payments collected when music is used, including through streaming, broadcasts and public performances. They are gathered in different countries by organisations that represent songwriters and publishers, then distributed to the people and businesses entitled to them.
CISAC is an international body for organisations that manage creators’ rights. The US Mechanical Licensing Collective, known as The MLC, collects certain royalties for digital uses of music in the United States; its figures were included in this global report for the first time.
The report also points to the growing importance of digital music services and to questions about how artificial intelligence may use or affect creative work. Songwriters, publishers, collection organisations and technology companies all have a stake in how rights and payments are handled.