How royalties are distributed
Songwriters, composers and publishers do not earn a salary when they create their works – they earn their living from the use of their works in public. Many users are not aware of this.
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Online uses
How do I get paid for online uses?
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Domestic uses
How do I get paid for domestic uses?
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Foreign uses
How do I get paid for foreign uses?
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Reporting uses
Report uses of works that are not on your settlement statement to SUISA
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Distribution key
IPI decisions
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SUISA’s cost-coverage deductions
SUISA deducts an amount to cover its administration expenses from all the remuneration it collects.
As a collective management organisation, we see to it that music creators duly receive their royalties. Royalties are calculated as accurately and efficiently as possible to reflect the actual use of their works. We collect the necessary data from the programme information reported by users. This ensures that even authors whose works are not often performed or are only performed in small circles receive the royalties to which they are entitled. SUISA has one of the most accurate and equitable distribution systems in the world.
If you wish, you can also inform us in writing about the uses of your works. For more details, please consult: Reporting performed works.
When the rightholders of a work cannot be identified, the relevant royalties are generally set aside for five years. During that time, SUISA endeavours to obtain the necessary information to enable distribution. If this is not successful, the reserved amounts are applied to benefit rightholders in the five years after they were set aside. The distributable amounts released after five years are applied either to supplemental distributions or to cover costs.