SoundExchange Distributions Continue Growing

SoundExchange, the non-profit performance rights organization (PRO) that was appointed by the Copyright Royalty Board to collect and distribute statutory performance royalties owed to recording artists and sound recording copyright owners, reports it has distributed almost $88 million to more than 18,300 payees during the Q3 2011. This distribution, the organization’s largest to date was collected from royalties paid by Internet radio, satellite radio, and cable TV music only channels.

“We’ve processed an unprecedented amount of digital performance data this quarter, which is proof positive that consumers are listening, purchasing and enjoying music in more ways than ever,” said SoundExchange President Michael Huppe. “These payments are the result of billions of digital performances by thousands of music services every month. It is our responsibility to ensure that this upsurge of digital performances can be converted into a reliable revenue stream for those who created the music.”

SoundExchange has seen a dramatic increase in payments to artists and labels since it began, as the accompanying graph shows. In 2010, total distributions were $249.2 million up from $155.5 million in 2009.