Sound Exchange
SoundExchange has widened its international footprint in a way that could have meaningful financial consequences for artists worldwide. The U.S.-based neighboring rights organization has finalized 17 new agreements with collective management organizations (CMOs) across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe, bringing its global coverage to more than 91% of the available neighboring rights market and expanding its network to over 90 partner organizations.
While the announcement hasn’t circulated headlines, its implications are significant, particularly for independent musicians navigating an increasingly borderless industry in the digital age.
The newly added territories includeKenya, India, Panama, Paraguay, Barbados, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Poland, among others. These deals span both performer and rights-holder royalties and extend beyond digital radio into other revenue categories. This could be terrestrial radio, television broadcasts, public performances, and certain forms of digital use that vary by market.
For years, collecting neighboring rights income internationally has been a complicated, often inaccessible process, especially for artists without foreign label infrastructure or direct relationships with local CMOs. In many regions, securing payment required on-the-ground representation. With these new reciprocal agreements, SoundExchange can now collect and distribute royalties from a broader range of territories without artists needing to establish country-by-country arrangements.
The timing matters. Independent artists are increasingly building audiences overseas through streaming playlists, sync placements, touring, and social media discovery. Yet revenue from radio play and broadcast usage in emerging markets has historically gone unclaimed. As royalty systems in fast-growing music economies continue to formalize, previously untapped income streams may now become accessible.
Neighboring rights revenue often extends beyond interactive streaming, which dominates industry conversation. In several international markets, traditional radio and public broadcasting still generate meaningful payouts in comparison to the Western market. Expanding coverage means artists could see compensation from usage they didn’t realize was monetizable.
SoundExchange, a nonprofit designated to administer the U.S. digital performance license for sound recordings, reports having distributed more than $12 billion in royalties since 2003. With this latest expansion, the organization is positioning itself as a comprehensive gateway for global collections, particularly for independents looking to ensure their international airplay translates into actual income.
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