2025 Results: With 663,000 artists and publishers receiving royalties worldwide, Sacem's international presence continues to grow as it marks its 175th anniversary

6 May 2026 - With the growth of its international collections – a soaring trajectory largely driven by digital platforms – Sacem distributed €1.502 billion to 663,000 artists 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.

• 845 million euros collected from abroad, ie. +13 % compared to 2024
• 859 million euros collected in France, in a generally stable market
• 17.8 million euros dedicated to cultural initiatives and 3,801 projects supported across all markets
• Enhanced operational efficiency, with an expense-to-revenue ratio of 9.8% – one of the lowest in the world

An international network supporting creative professionals

In 2025, Sacem reached a new milestone in its development. The music industry has been profoundly transformed by globalised music consumption, the rise of streaming platforms, and rapid technological advancements. 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, remains broadly stable at €859 million compared to €852 million in 2024, digital and overseas revenue rose to €845 million, 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. Today, Sacem collects royalties directly in nearly 180 countries and is working to build up its partnerships with international publishers and foreign collective management organisations who are signing on with Sacem to manage their portfolios on an ever-increasing scale.

This strategy allows Sacem to deliver revenues to more artists, more effectively, and furthermore attract new members:

• 1.502 billion euros distributed in 2025 (+9% compared to 2024)
• 663,000 artists and publishers receiving royalties worldwide

In addition, 13,500 new members joined SACEM this year, 27% of whom are under 25. This brings the total number of members to more than 251,000, including 12% from foreign markets.

Innovation and operational excellence for better redistribution

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 by a factor of 5. These technical upgrades, processing data more quickly and reliably, have made Sacem a force to be reckoned with in a highly competitive international market. And by reducing administrative costs, these developments benefit creative professionals directly.

This increased efficiency has produced tangible results:

• Reduced online royalty fees to 7% starting in 2026
• Shorter distribution lead times
• Improved accuracy of royalty payments

With this improved technical infrastructure, Sacem now ranks among the most competitive organisations for collecting and distributing artists' royalties from online platforms, both in France and abroad.

Currently, almost 40% of our members' music streaming royalties are collected directly from international markets.

In addition, Sacem has also established itself as the European leader in the management CD and vinyl rights. 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.

A real commitment across France's regions

As it expands internationally, Sacem nevertheless remains dedicated first and foremost 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 €17.8 million invested in cultural initiatives, supporting 3,801 projects across the country.

Sacem operates at every stage of the music value chain through:

• Support for performance venues and theatres, with 178 venues supported
• Funding for 1,250 concerts and musical events in cafés, bars, restaurants, and campgrounds that help bring music directly to audiences
• Support for 514 festivals, which are key drivers of cultural appeal in the regions
• Support for independent production through dedicated grants so that artists can produce, distribute, and develop their projects independently, contributing to the diversity and vitality of the music scene everywhere in France
• Creative music projects in schools, nursing homes, and correctional facilities, aimed at countering social isolation and promoting the empowerment of the most vulnerable populations
• Several agreements with federations (French Rugby Federation, Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion) and local government associations (Association of Mayors of France,
• Association of Rural Mayors of France), to provide a framework to ensure music is broadly accessible. These partnerships aim to streamline procedures, enhance transparency, and make music more accessible all while providing fair compensation to artists and publishers.

As funding for the arts continues to decline, we are committed to supporting community-based arts scenes, fostering the emergence of new talent, and expanding access to music for everyone.


"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. 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.

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 grass-roots presence with global-scale initiatives is what makes Sacem such a strong and unique organisation.”

Patrick Sigwalt, composer, Chairman of the Sacem Board of Directors

“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.

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 fifteen 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.

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.”

Cécile Rap-Veber, Sacem Chief Executive Officer

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