The global music rights ecosystem continued its strong recovery in 2024, with worldwide collections for creators reaching a record €13.1 billion, according to the latest CISAC Annual Report 2025. Digital revenue now accounts for 35% of total global collections, while live and public performance income rebounded sharply, growing 22% year-on-year to €3.3 billion.
While streaming continues to dominate the revenue mix, CISAC notes that “the vast majority of creators say that streaming income cannot support a career or livelihood,” highlighting the persistent imbalance in digital value distribution.
India’s Growth Outpaces Global Trends
India emerged as one of CISAC’s fastest-growing markets. Collections on behalf of creators surpassed ₹7 billion in 2024, marking a 42% increase from 2023 and a more than fourfold rise over the past five years. The surge was primarily driven by streaming, with India’s global ranking for creators’ collections improving from 37th to 23rd between 2019 and 2023.
Despite this progress, CISAC emphasises that India’s collections “remain well below potential for such a large market.” Key challenges include the low penetration of paid streaming subscriptions and underperformance in non-digital revenue streams such as public performance and broadcasting.
To address this, CISAC has partnered closely with the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) on a new support and development plan. The initiative aims to align IPRS operations with international best practices in governance, licensing, and royalty distribution. The plan, currently in preparation for 2025, will define market potential, set business priorities, and outline milestones to drive sustainable growth and diversify income sources.
AI Regulation and Copyright Protection Take Centre Stage
Alongside market data, the 2025 report focuses heavily on the growing impact of generative AI. A joint CISAC–PMP Strategy study warns that, without regulatory reform, music creators could lose up to 24% of their revenues by 2028due to unlicensed AI use and the substitution of human-made works with AI-generated content.
CISAC’s President Björn Ulvaeus described AI as both “the biggest and potentially the best revolution for creative industries, if creators’ rights are protected.” The organisation continues to push for stronger global frameworks that enforce transparency from AI operators, require creator consent, and guarantee fair remuneration.
The Broader Picture
CISAC represents over 5 million creators through 227 collective management organisations across 116 countries. The 2025 report highlights growing cooperation between authors’ societies and publishers, new anti-fraud measures for music registrations, and expanded data initiatives such as the ISWC Network, which now tracks over 78 million worksworldwide.
What It Means for India
India’s current trajectory mirrors the broader transition of emerging markets from informal, under-monetised ecosystems to structured, data-led licensing economies. With stronger digital collection mechanisms and better non-digital enforcement, India has the potential to move into the global top 20 markets within the next few years. The continued expansion of paid streaming, coupled with reforms in performance licensing and copyright education, will be key to achieving that milestone.
