CISAC Reports Record Global Creator Royalties, Warns of ‘Largest Test’ From AI

Global music publishing collections reached a record €14.06 billion in 2025, up 11.9% on the previous year, according to CISAC. The rise shows continued demand for creative works, but much of the increase came from a change in reporting rather than underlying growth, while CISAC warns that artificial intelligence presents a major test for protecting creators’ rights.

Digital was the largest source of publishing royalties, accounting for 45.6% of the total, or €6.41 billion, up 28%. More than half the overall increase reflected the first-time inclusion of US agency the Mechanical Licensing Collective; organic growth was about 5.3%, ahead of the 4.8% increase in recorded-music revenues reported by IFPI. Concert and background music revenue rose 7.2%, while television and radio, CDs and video, private-copying assessments, synchronisation and other licensing sources declined.