AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund Distributes Over $91 Million In Royalties

Royalty payments to session musicians and vocalists have reached an all-time high, with a record amount of $91 million paid out by the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) and SAG-AFTRA.

Why is it important? With the booming digital recorded music economy, it’s nice to know that working-class musicians are also seeing some of the rewards – not just the industry giants, who are all reporting record revenues.

Who got paid: Anyone who contributed to recorded music that was “played on satellite radio, non-interactive streaming, other digital formats.”

From what money: The AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund, a non-profit which has distributed over $650 million in royalties to “tens of thousands of non- featured performers and their beneficiaries.” The fund plans to continue collecting and distributing royalties made from digital platforms (and beyond), helping support a healthy music economy.

Could that be me? Many of these musicians – whether union members or not – are unaware of their royalty status. If you have contributed to music being streamed on Spotify, SiriusXM or one of countless other services, enter your information at afmsagaftrafund.org.