SACEM has reported that it distributed €1.502 billion to 663,000 songwriters, composers and publishers in 2025, a 9% increase from 2024.
“As it marks its 175th anniversary, SACEM's robust business model continues to prove its worth, a model built on international prestige, highly-efficient technology, and a genuine commitment to supporting creativity throughout France,” said a statement.
Highlights included:
– €845 million collected from abroad, up 13% compared to 2024
– €859m collected in France, in a generally stable market
– €17.8m dedicated to cultural initiatives and 3,801 projects supported across all markets
– A cost-to-revenue ratio of 9.8%
SACEM said it reached a “new milestone in its development” in its development last year.
“The music industry has been profoundly transformed by globalised music consumption, the rise of streaming platforms, and rapid technological advancements,” said the collection society. “In this changed world, its growth is increasingly built on international expansion and digital initiatives.”
While revenue in France, driven by the growing appeal for live concerts, remained broadly stable at €859m, digital and overseas revenue rose to €845m, up 30% over the past two years.
“This momentum was the result of a strong international expansion strategy, particularly in the music and video streaming markets,” stated SACEM.
SACEM collects royalties directly in nearly 180 countries and is working to build up its partnerships with international publishers and foreign collective management organisations.
In addition, 13,500 new members joined SACEM this past year, 27% of them under 25. This brings the total number of members to more than 251,000, including 12% from foreign markets.
Improved technical infrastructure
SACEM’s growth was also driven by ongoing investment in new technologies throughout 2025 to improve the quality of service provided to its members.
Migrating its URights online rights management platform to a cloud-based solution has increased data processing capacity tenfold, while reducing the platform’s operating costs.
This increased efficiency has led to SACEM reducing online royalty fees to 7% starting in 2026, shorter distribution lead times and improved accuracy of royalty payments.
“With this improved technical infrastructure, SACEM now ranks among the most competitive organisations for collecting and distributing royalties from online platforms, both in France and abroad,” stated SACEM.
Currently, almost 40% of members' music streaming royalties are collected directly from international markets.
I am incredibly proud to see a French company as the global leader in music rights management
Cécile Rap-Veber
In addition, SACEM has also established itself as a leader in the management of CD and vinyl rights in Europe. In 2025, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and BMG joined Universal Music Group by partnering with SACEM to manage their rights across the entire European market.
Support for French culture
While it continues to expand internationally, SACEM remains dedicated to artists, distributors and audiences in France.
Building on a network of 60 regional offices across mainland France and overseas territories, it provides daily support to artists, venues, associations, and local authorities, particularly in rural areas and regions with limited cultural infrastructure.
In 2025, this commitment translated into more than €17.8m invested in cultural initiatives, supporting 3,801 projects across the country.
"In 2025, as we celebrate 175 years of the organisation's history, SACEM's robust business model is more relevant than ever to the modern age,” said Patrick Sigwalt, composer, chairman of the SACEM board of directors. “Since its creation, its mission has never wavered: to protect creators, foster musical diversity and support all those who bring music to life across the country.
“In an environment profoundly transformed by the digital revolution and new, globalised usage patterns, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to ensure that these changes serve to strengthen creativity, cultural diversity and fair remuneration for authors, rather than undermining them.”
This combination of grassroots presence with global-scale initiatives is what makes SACEM such a strong and unique organisation
Patrick Sigwalt
Sigwalt added: “Every venue we fund, every festival we support, and every initiative carried out in schools or places with limited access to culture, exemplifies our commitment: to make music accessible to all, a vehicle for social connection and vitality for local communities. In this spirit, we have worked with the Association of French Mayors to develop solutions tailored to the realities of small towns so they can organise music events in spite of increasing budgetary constraints. This combination of grassroots presence with global-scale initiatives is what makes SACEM such a strong and unique organisation.”
“Our performance in 2025 is proof that the strategy we have adopted is a sound one, based not only on digital and international expansion, but even more so on the role we play in fostering creativity throughout France,” said Cécile Rap-Veber, SACEM CEO. “This momentum stems from major technological investments, such as the URights platform, which enable us to process ever-increasing volumes of data with greater speed, reliability and transparency. More than anything, it reflects SACEM's long-established ability to adapt to major technological shifts and drive innovation.
“Today, artificial intelligence marks a turning point. Just as we did with streaming platforms over 15 years ago, we have set our sights on partnering with AI providers to ensure a fair and protective framework for creators. And 2026 will be a pivotal year in this regard, driven by ongoing legislative developments.”
Rap-Veber added: “Over 175 years, SACEM has grown in scale: from a society supporting around a hundred creators in France, it has become a global player in over 180 markets, remunerating 663,000 creators and publishers worldwide.
“Digital technology, which was still generating only marginal revenue in the early 2000s, has accelerated this transformation and is now the main source of copyright royalties. Today, I am incredibly proud to see a French company as the global leader in music rights management. We will continue to develop this model, which has proven its worth for 175 years, serving artists and creative professionals wherever music is played.”
PHOTO: Jean-Baptiste Millot
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