What are the key takeaways from 2024 for Sacem?
2024 marked the completion of the Sacem 3.0 transformation plan, launched three years ago, and the results are remarkable.
While collections in France remained stable (€852 million in 2024 compared to €835 million in 2023 and €832 million in 2022); international and digital revenues continued to grow, reaching €749 million in 2024 (an increase of +15% compared to 2023 and approximately +29% compared to 2022), with a stronger presence in music and audiovisual streaming and social media, and direct collection of royalties in more than 180 territories. Royalties collected and the amount distributed to right holders both set records, at €1.601 billion and €1.379 billion respectively. This was achieved while maintaining a net operating expense ratio of 10.8%.
Beyond the numbers, the transformation plan significantly modernised the services we offer, strengthened our ties with our members, and accelerated innovation. Here are just a few examples of our 2024 accomplishments: the creation of our online royalty-estimation simulator, our 'Tour de France' for members, and our proposed 'Artist Centric' model for streaming with Deezer--a world first that enables fairer redistribution of rights, promotes professional creators, and combats fraud and parasitic content.
What are the concrete benefits for members?
Our members receive their royalties faster and with unrivalled transparency and detail: 91.1% initial distribution rate (an increase of +1.7 point compared to 2023); online royalties from the largest platforms distributed within three months; 84% of royalties distributed 'on schedule' rather than by analogy or survey. We are the only organisation to offer this level of service.
In addition, members benefit from enhanced social-support measures, such as new personalised healthcare services, new professional training courses, networking opportunities, and the creation of a genuine social network shared by members. Another example is the work of the Comité du cœur, which this year supported 119 members facing difficulties in their lives.
Our authors, composers and music publishers also benefit from our cultural activities: Sacem remains the leading private funder of music in France. In 2024, more than 3,600 projects were supported throughout France, in festivals, nightclubs, hotels, cafés, campsites, etc. This support obviously strengthens the vitality of the French music scene and facilitates access to live music throughout the country.
In this context, it is important to note that our growth promotes a virtuous circle. The ever-increasing number of members and principals, including major international rights holders, strengthens Sacem's bargaining power, particularly with the major global platforms. It also allows us to pool investments so we can lower levies on royalties.
How is Sacem responding to generative AI?
We were the first collective management organisation to exercise the opt-out right, effective from October 2023, thereby making any use of our members' works by AI subject to our prior authorisation. We also launched, together with GEMA (Germany), the very first study on the opportunities and risks of generative AI in the music sector. The study clearly demonstrates the creative potential of AI but highlights threats to authors' income.
We are engaged in close and ongoing dialogue with French and European institutions and AI stakeholders to promote ethical, transparent and fair AI.
In practical terms, measures have already been taken: with Deezer, for example, we have chosen to exclude works that are 100% generated by AI from royalty distribution.
Sacem is obviously not opposed to AI – we use it ourselves on a daily basis to optimise our tools – but it demands fair rules and remuneration for creators.
Has collective management been weakened in this context of change?
No. On the contrary, the collective management model proves its robustness by surmounting crises and change. Periods like this enable creators to act together in the face of very powerful players, such as digital platforms and AI developers.
Entrusting your rights to a partner of choice like Sacem — whose repertoire is the second most exported in the world — offers security, support and negotiating power.
What are Sacem's plans for the coming years?
Sacem is already rolling out its strategic plan, “Sacem 2030,” with a clear ambition: to be both efficient for its members and useful for everyone.
We are developing our quest for efficiency in all its facets. To cite just one example: by seeking out new collection areas and new sources of revenue, we are developing our commercial efficiency. We also think about efficiency in ecological, social and territorial terms, by adopting responsible practices, forging strong links with our members, customers and local communities, and devising new ways of supporting creativity -- I am thinking in particular of our endowment fund, which is about to be launched.
All our teams are motivated to drive this dynamic conviction.
Sacem also wants to be useful for everyone.
In a society searching for meaning and connection, we want to maximise our role as a committed cultural actor. By helping municipalities organise concerts; by bringing authors, composers and young people together to create; by facilitating the dissemination of music wherever it can bring people together, etc. We do these things because we want to keep music alive as a common good, a vehicle for cohesion accessible to all.
