Audoo Partners with GEMA for World-First Music Impact Study

Music technology company Audoo partnered with GEMA, the German performing rights society, on its Music Impact Study as part of the PROs multi-faceted research quantifying the commercial value of...

un:hurd music

What membership includes Smart playlist pitching 120 credits per year / 10 credits per month Professional 90-day release plan Automated ads tool Exclusive partner offers Real-time social and...

Embassy of Music

The studio, acquired by Konrad von Löhneysen (founder and CEO of Embassy of Music / Embassy One) and jointly run with GEMA in Berlin has been available to rent since the beginning of 2023. The...

CISAC, publishers and recording industry come together to upgrade harmonised music cue sheets

2025-11-06 14:12 The cross-sector project to harmonise cue sheets for the use of music in audiovisual (AV) productions has been upgraded to include recording metadata for the first time. This is an...

Music creators shape the future: GEMA General Assembly brings around 1,000 creative minds to Munich

Artificial intelligence, streaming, and copyright: the music industry is facing major challenges. Technological innovations and social changes are increasingly putting musicians’ creative work to...

I have received an invoice for live music. The music played at the event was, however, from sound recordings and streaming services. What can I do?

According to our information, live music was performed at the events in question. You had already received a licence or licences from us on the basis of the tariffs for live music. Since you had...

Significantly higher royalties for music creators: GEMA cuts online commission from 10 to just 7 percent

GEMA is sending a powerful message: in 2027, the association aims to reduce its online commission on all on-demand music distribution from 10 to 7 percent – a drop of 30 percent compared to the...

MOD distribution

Get help – quickly! If you need us, our help centre offers answers to your questions – it is quick and easy to use and accessible to you 24/7 – and there are no waiting times. Go to the help centre...

GEMA joins Friends and Supporters of IMPF

GEMA joins the ‘Friends and Supporters’ network of the Independent Music Publishers International Forum (IMPF). The forum represents the interests of independent music publishers worldwide. false...

Gigmit

Home Music creators GEMAplus Partner offers Gigmit Gigmit was founded to simplify concert booking substantially. The global booking platform for live music brings together as many as 200,000 music...

Authors meet European policymakers in Brussels to call for urgent action on AI and streaming

GEMA joined other European authors at the European Parliament yesterday to discuss issues that are severely impacting the creative sector. false Standard Sharing Image für News The event, called...

Using music on the internet

The licence fees go directly to the music creators Everything about how to register music on the internet Those who compose songs, write lyrics or publish music want to get fair pay. Just like...

background music

Home Music users background music What costs does GEMA charge for background music? Yes, because we do not only manage the rights of German music creators. We also represent the rights of foreign...

Music users

When you license your music, you make a valuable contribution to music creators getting their fair share for their artistic contributions. This is how it works: Creators assign their exploitation...

Study: Music streaming in Germany

Music streaming in Germany 5. Billion-Euro-market Music streaming is a billion-Euro-market. More than 2 billion Euros are expected to be generated by the involved market players in Germany in 2022....

Nachbericht zu den Foren E und U im November 2025

2025-11-17 11:58 true Forum-E-Nov25-Oeller Im November 2025 fanden zwei zentrale Veranstaltungen zur geplanten Reform der Kulturförderung der GEMA statt: das Forum E am 11. November in Berlin...

Physical music media

This is how distribution works in For a long time, sound carriers were the only possible way of recording, reproducing and playing back music in various locations. In the area of physical music...

Music International

In Germany, GEMA issues licences and distributions in accordance with its own rules. In other countries, this is carried out by our sister organisations in accordance with their own respective...

Physical music media

Audio and audio-visual recordings at a glance What usage information is considered: Anyone who wants to acquire a licence for reproduction and dissemination must submit a notification to GEMA,...

Music on sound recordings

Music videos Distribution to the specialist trade or via special distribution channels (tariffs VR-BT-H 3/VR-BT-H 5) Link Synchronisation rights Use of the GEMA repertoire to create a film work...

Music creators

Which rights do I assign to GEMA with the Deed of Assignment? You assign to us as a trustee all rights in your works you are currently entitled to and those accruing, devolving, redevolving to you...

Engagement

THE SUPERVISORY BOARD Many shoulders carry the first violin Go to the Supervisory Board It is an honourable office which members of the Supervisory Board of the largest collective management...

Buy a licence for music in videos

If you combine music with another medium such as a video, you require the consent of the rightsholders. In most cases, these are the authors who created the work and the music publishers. This is...

APRA and CISAC celebrate 100 years of protecting creators’ rights

2026-03-06 08:00 100 years on from when they were both formed on opposite sides of the globe on the principle that creative work carries economic value that must be recognised and protected, the...

Physical music media

These types of use fall within the following distribution categories: Mechanical Right in Audio Media (Phono VR) Mechanical Right in Audio-Visual Media (BT VR) Did you register your works on time...

CISAC Global Collections Report 2025: Global creators’ royalties reach €13.97 billion, powered by digital growth

2025-11-06 14:52 November 6, 2025, PARIS – The CISAC Global Collections Report 2025 was released today, the definitive annual analysis of creator royalties across the global creative industries....

Categories Radio

*Please note that this is an approximate amount. The amount shown is divided among all the entitled parties involved in the work. Supplements and caps are not considered. Radio is as popular as...

Why pay GEMA

It is more than a hundred years old. Creators have long fought for it. Because without copyright, they would not have a basis for their livelihood. Anyone could perform their works in public, play...

Help topics for music users

Help topics for music users Change customer details Change address Change bank details Change e-mail address Change name Change venue Company name change Contracts & offers Contracts Offers...

Musical works (enhanced access)

cannot be combined with search criteria from line 2 ("AND") Search criteria line 2: CAE/IPI, author/publisher, performer , status and publisher. When searching with the publisher IP number, the...

What do I have to consider if I upload videos with music on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook or Instagram?

For fee-based live streams on Facebook/Instagram, you must acquire a licence for linear streaming (tariff VR-OD 10, II.2.b.2 licence package music on demand streaming) from us. You can notify us of...

I want to use music on TikTok. What do I need to consider?

In its “Music Terms of Service ”, TikTok differentiates between non-commercial and commercial videos. Non-commercial TikTok videos are created by natural persons, are exclusively for personal...

License music

How can I report music uses?

a) Event Concert Theatre performance Festival Party/celebration/dance/balls Disco Carnival Processions/street parades Mass Self-made copies Film presentation/slide show etc. Sports event Spoken...

Do I have to report GEMA free music?

Yes, you also have to report to us if you use music in the public domain, or GEMA free music. It is only on the basis of your notification that we can check your played titles. In the case of...

Use music

Music notification

I want to upload replayed songs (covers) online, for example on YouTube, Instagram or my website. Do I need a licence?

If you offer music for streaming or downloading on your website, our tariff VR-OD 10 (II.2.b.2 licensing package Music on Demand Streaming resp. II.2.b.2 licensing package Music on Demand Download)...

By when do I have to report my music use?

There is no fixed period for this in general*, but we do recommend: The earlier, the better! This way, you can clarify any unresolved issues and are on the safe side. What’s important is that you...

Which form do I use for my music notification?

You cannot submit notifications relating to most GEMA tariffs for events and background music; instead, you can do this via the price calculator in our Online Portal. It’s really simple and you...

How can I add details to sound recordings for my work?

Information can only be added to sound recordings by GEMA members who are direct participants in the works, and/or by their legal successors or authorised representatives. The easiest way to add...

Which categories are paid out? Which belong to performing rights, broadcasting rights and mechanical rights?

These categories belong to the performing rights: International income distribution (sister organisations) A AR Concerts of serious music of all types (E) Serious music direct accounting (ED)...

What are royalties in the music business?

If your works are used, you, the creator or publisher, will receive payments; they are also known as royalties. In order to receive such royalties, you assign the exploitation rights for your...

GEMA free music

About GEMA

*As of May 2024. All numbers are rounded. The origin of copyright For music creators and music users: Previous Next We tune and harmonise different interests As an association, GEMA represents the...

April

Regular supplementary distribution Statutory remuneration rights On 1 April 2026, you will receive a distribution for statutory remuneration rights (GVA) for the 2024 financial year. GEMA received...

Are there any restrictions for making a claim?

In our Online Portal, you can easily submit a claim if your works have been allocated to the wrong category, assigned incorrect shares, or distributed with an inaccurate rating. The same applies...

Despite a challenging market, GEMA posts excellent results for 2025

2026-03-30 12:04 Higher payouts, lower costs: GEMA closed the 2025 financial year with an excellent set of results. The total distributable amount came to EUR 1.15 billion (2024: EUR 1.13 billion),...

Die GEMA präsentiert die Weihnachtshits 2024

2025-12-16 09:00 Wenn es in der Luft nach frisch gebackenen Plätzchen duftet und die Straßen im Lichterglanz der Weihnachtsbeleuchtung erstrahlen, steigt bei vielen die Vorfreude auf die...

When does music become royalty-free?

70 years after the death of a creator the music becomes royalty-free or enters the “public domain” (another expression used). Until then, copyright lies with the heirs. Even if the musical work is...

What does it cost to use music in public?

It depends how the music is used, whether live, in the background, on sound recordings or on the internet.Whether many or few people are listening. In order to take this into consideration, there...

I want to upload music content, for example background music, to my homepage. What do I need to consider?

If you upload music onto your own website, our tariff VR-OD 10 for online uses on a small scale is applicable. You can register the use [SJ1] under this tariff in our Online Portal. As a general...

Company events

R Background music via the radio Tariff for background music in shop premises, offices or workshops (R) Link The most important GEMA tariffs for companies fs Background music via television Tariff...

Category M

Nowadays music is played in many public places – ranging from bars, cafés and restaurants to hair salons, supermarkets and retail shops. Even in waiting rooms, there is often background music...

Church

Music is a central element in church services and during prayers because it moves “from heart to heart” – this at least was Beethoven’s wish for his Missa Solemnis. Music creates communion and is...

Soundplate

Get help – quickly! If you need us, our help centre offers answers to your questions – it is quick and easy to use and accessible to you 24/7 – and there are no waiting times. Go to the help centre...

SubmitHub

To the link SubmitHub connects performers with curators Get help – quickly! If you need us, our help centre offers answers to your questions – it is quick and easy to use and accessible to you 24/7...

Categories UD/U

New festival distribution starting in 2026 From next year onwards, revenues from major festivals will be distributed more quickly and more frequently – in line with the interests of our members....

Events

Unser kundenprogramm GEMA Zugabe Wer muss GEMA Gebühren zahlen? Your payment goes directly to creators All about how to register events Those who earn their living composing music, writing lyrics...

MusicHub

Get your release ready Track the status of your release and boost your promotion MusicHub is the digital hub for artists who want to organize, release, and promote their music independently and...