APRA AMCOS reports double-digit growth for members

Double-digit growth in digital, audio streaming and live music has seen APRA AMCOS hit a record $471.8 million in revenue the 2018/9 financial year – a 12.3% rise from the previous period.

APRA AMCOS says $410.9 million was paid to songwriters, publishers and affiliated societies (net distributable revenue), an increase of 13.2%

44,892 APRA members earned royalties in Australia, and 16,720 earned overseas royalties.

The financial year coincided with Dean Ormston’s first 12 months as CEO, and launch of OneMusic Australia in July to make it easier for businesses to licence music.

“This year, APRA AMCOS firmly laid the groundwork for how we will better serve our 103,000 members and over 150,000 licensees into the future – by listening to our members, by making life simpler for our licensees and by ensuring a world’s best service culture that is focused on efficiency and transparency,” said chief executive Dean Ormston.

Digital revenue

Digital had 30.4% year on year growth to $175.4 million.

This made up $105 million from audio streaming (up 28.2%), $26.1 million from subscription video-on-demand (up 41.8%) and $35.3 million Websites and User Generated Content (up 61.2%).

Audio streaming

Breaking down the figures, audio streaming expanded by 28.2% to $105 million.

Since 2012-13, when audio streaming had its first full financial year impact with $2.4 million collected, the category has grown a whopping 4,275%.

The number of music subscribers in Australia is difficult to ascertain as subscription services keep figures guarded.

But a separate earlier report from Telsyte estimated Australians have taken up more than 12 million streaming music subscriptions at the end of June 2019, with 42% being paid subscriptions.

Telsyte forecasts 16.2 million streaming music subscriptions by the end of June 2023.

Music executives contacted by TMN said such growth would expand the entire business, that streaming royalty rate is abysmally low, but being on a playlist can open up income in other areas from the resulting exposure.

Live music

Performance revenue from concerts, opening slots on major international tours, and other live music activity passed the $30 million mark for the first time, 19% year on year growth; 81% growth over a decade.

It generated just $16.6 million in the 2019/10 financial year.

A record number of APRA AMCOS members earned live performance royalties for the songs they played at gigs of all sizes across Australia and New Zealand

$7.1m was paid to 17,222 members, 15,663 of those unpublished.

44,892 APRA members earned royalties in Australia, with close to one-third earning royalties from their music being played or performed overseas.

Radio/TV

Income from radio and television broadcast totalled $126.8 million.

Public Performance

Public performance sources accounted for $92.4 million.

International sources

Revenue from international sources continues to increase annually, with $45.8 million APRA revenue reported – up 4.8% on the previous year.

Ormston noted, “Australian and New Zealand composers, songwriters and artists are pushing new boundaries and kicking goals in a globally competitive environment and at a time when there is more music content than ever before.

“It’s so vitally important to support and connect our members to new opportunities and acknowledge their achievements—both locally and globally.

“Whether it’s a Meet the Locals networking event in Darwin, a SongHubs in London or Nashville, or a place on The 1,000,000,000 List—we’re focused on supporting both our new and emerging, and longer career songwriter and composer members.”

The last decade

In the last decade, APRA AMCOS group revenue has climbed 113.4% from the $221.1 million reported in 2009-10.

Net distributable revenue of $410.9 million in 2018-19 – the amount payable to members and affiliated societies – eclipsed last year’s $362.8 million, and rose 13.2%, improving on the previous year-on-year growth of 8.2%.