Last year’s royalties music to composers’ ears

Swiss composers and songwriters received a record amount of income from royalties and licensing fees in 2008.

Suisa, the association for administering authors’ rights, said on Saturday that it had generated more than SFr141 million ($130 million) last year, about seven per cent above the 2007 result.

Most of the money – nearly SFr122 million – will go directly to the composers and songwriters.

The income came from royalties for performing rights, a tax imposed on blank CDs, DVDs and digital music players as well as the payment of a longstanding debt by Spain.

swissinfo.ch and agencies