CISAC Report: Global Publishing Collections Hit Record $15.89 Billion
Despite the record numbers, the creator rights organization warns about AI
The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), a non-profit that represents 225 collective management organizations in 110 countries, has released its latest Global Collections Report. The document shows that publishing collections have reached record highs.
The numbers:
Total publishing collections hit 14.06 billion euros ($15.89 billion) in 2025.
That is up 11.9% from last year’s total of 12.6 billion euros ($13.62 billion).
6.6% of that growth came from including longstanding revenue from the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) in the total for the first time.
MLC oversees publishing royalty distribution in the US.
5.3% of the overall growth was organic.
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), record labels collectively saw 4.8% growth in the same period.
Digital was the largest source of royalties, accounting for 45.6%.
The second largest were background music and concerts, at 25.8%.
All other categories, including TV, radio, and CDs, dropped in 2025.
What they said:
The report went into the potential effect AI will have on these figures as the major labels and publishers sign licensing deals with AI music companies.
CISAC Director General Gadi Oron: “Our confederation now faces its largest test with artificial intelligence, new business models and changing patterns of consumption. This technological change also means that the future can bring real opportunities for creators… The issue is no longer whether AI will transform our industries, but whether the systems that protect creators’ rights are evolving quickly enough to keep pace.”
CISAC President and ABBA Co-Founder Björn Ulvaeus: “Human creativity is not something to be replaced or bypassed. It is something to be valued, protected and celebrated. And I hope that if we get it right, artificial intelligence will not diminish human creativity but will help inspire its next chapter.”
👋 Disclosures & Transparency Block
This article was written with information sourced from Billboard.
We covered it because this report gives a snapshot of the state of the music industry.
