Good News for Musicians on the Revenue Front

Record Revenue for ASCAP

ASCAP closed 2025 with record-breaking financial results, reporting $1.945 billion in revenue and $1.759 billion in royalty distributions — the highest in its history. Growth was driven by strong U.S. licensing income from streaming, radio, and general licensing, alongside a double‑digit increase in international performance royalties. The organization also expanded its membership to 1.1 million, with more than 80,000 new creators joining, including high-profile writers and artists who migrated from other Performing Rights Organizations. ASCAP emphasized its low overhead, debt‑free structure, and independence from private equity as key advantages for creators.

Beyond financials, ASCAP highlighted major advocacy efforts and member support initiatives throughout 2025 . These included a $1 million emergency relief fund for members affected by the Los Angeles fires, extensive engagement with federal agencies on AI policy, and a grassroots campaign that helped influence the Copyright Office’s stance on PRO regulation. The organization also launched ASCAP Connections, a networking feature within its app, and secured higher radio royalty rates through a settlement with the RMLC. Leadership underscored ASCAP’s mission to protect creators amid rapid technological and economic shifts, positioning the PRO as a steadfast defender of songwriter rights.

SoundExchange Expands Coverage of ‘Global Neighboring Rights Market’

SoundExchange has expanded its global footprint by securing 17 new agreements with collective management organizations across multiple continents, pushing its network to more than 90 international partnerships and extending its coverage of the global neighboring‑rights market to over 91%. Most of these deals were finalized in 2025, with additional agreements already completed in early 2026. New partnerships span Kenya, Barbados, Paraguay, Panama, and several European territories, reinforcing SoundExchange’s position as the world’s largest neighboring‑rights collective, serving nearly 500,000 artists and rights owners. As a nonprofit, the organization emphasizes low administrative costs and simplified international royalty collection.

The expansion underscores SoundExchange’s strategy to strengthen global royalty flows and ensure creators are compensated wherever their music is played. CEO Michael Huppe framed the growth as part of the company’s mission to deliver transparency, efficiency, and fair payment to artists worldwide. The newly executed agreements include CMOs in Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, India, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, and more, reflecting a broad push to deepen international alignment and streamline rights management across diverse markets.

Strong Start to Bandcamp Friday in 2026

Bandcamp kicked off 2026 with a strong start, raising $3.6 million for independent artists during the first Bandcamp Friday of the year. The initiative, launched in 2020 to offset pandemic‑era touring losses, has now generated more than $150 million in direct artist support. Even outside of Bandcamp Fridays, most revenue on the platform goes straight to artists, helping sustain a community-driven ecosystem where fans directly support creators through digital releases, vinyl, merch, and even gaming soundtracks.

This year’s first Bandcamp Friday also coincided with the rollout of Bandcamp’s new platform‑wide ban on music created entirely or substantially by AI — a first among major music services. The policy reinforces Bandcamp’s commitment to human-made art and artist‑first economics, ensuring fans can trust the authenticity of what they purchase. Together, the February event and the no‑AI policy highlight Bandcamp’s continued stance on protecting creators and preserving genuine creative work, with the next Bandcamp Friday scheduled for March 6.

Yosick Law is Here to Help You Protect Your Revenue

With the rise of AI slop music and the continuing squeeze on artists’ revenue from seemingly all sides, these updates are welcome news on the ability of musicians to actually make money in creating and playing music. Please reach out to the Yosick Law team if you need assistance on agreements, protecting your brand, or formulating an IP protection strategy.