SUISA annual result: Increase in revenues despite Corona

Zurich, 20 June 2022 - SUISA, the cooperative society of authors and publishers of music in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, presented its business results at the General Meeting. Despite another difficult year for music creators, copyright revenues increased slightly again last year compared to 2020. They amounted to 149.6 million Swiss francs in Switzerland and abroad. Compared to the previous year (144 million francs), this is an increase of 3.8%. This means that composers, lyricists and publishers of music will again receive more money from their cooperative this year: In the current business year, SUISA can distribute 121.3 million Swiss francs of the 2021 income - 5.9% more than in the previous year.

Over 60% growth in the online sector

Thanks to a high income from online music use, SUISA's annual result turned out comparatively good despite the Corona pandemic. The income from the online sector - streaming and downloads - amounted to 27.5 million Swiss Francs in 2021. This corresponds to an increase of 61.1% compared to the previous year (CHF 17.1 million). This is due in particular to higher revenues from the subsidiary SUISA Digital Licensing AG and Mint Digital Services AG, the joint venture with the US company SESAC. SUISA Digital Licensing again won various foreign sister societies and publishers as new clients last year and was able to conclude better contracts with online service providers. In the meantime, SUISA Digital Licensing has concluded contracts for the use of music with more than 70 streaming providers worldwide.

Few concerts: Another decline in performance rights

In 2021, too, concerts were hardly possible or only possible under more difficult conditions. Accordingly, revenues from authors’ rights from concerts fell massively last year compared to the previous year: from 11.4 million Swiss francs in 2020 to 4.5 million Swiss francs in 2021. This corresponds to a decline of over 60%. This was compensated by rising revenues from other areas such as hospitality (+13.5%) and background music in shops (+4.8%). Thus, revenue from performance rights amounted to 28.4 million francs last year, a decrease of 17.6% compared to 2020 (34.4 million francs). 

The income from broadcasting rights remained stable again last year and amounted to CHF 64 million (2020: CHF 64.3 million). SUISA recorded an increase in royalties from the levy for blank storage media (fair compensation revenues) from 12.4 million Swiss francs in 2020 to 14.6 million Swiss francs last year (+17.7%). Mechanical rights, which have been continuously decreasing for years, remained stable and amounted to CHF 4.3 million, as in 2020.

87 out of 100 Francs for authors and publishers

Including secondary revenues of CHF 15.4 million (2020: CHF 11.9 million), SUISA's total turnover amounted to CHF 165.0 million (2020: CHF 155.9 million). In total, SUISA distributes around 87 francs to authors and publishers of music out of every 100 francs it earns from authors’ rights. 

Christian Baumgartner elected to the SUISA Executive Committee

At SUISA's General Meeting, management consultant Christian Baumgartner was elected to the Board. Christian Baumgartner is on the Board of Directors of the online music provider iMusician Digital and was a founding partner of Accenture.

SUISA's Annual Report 2021 is available online at www.suisa.ch/annualreport

The most important key figures from SUISA's business year 2021 (in CHF million):

* SUISA Group's online revenues include the online revenues of SUISA Cooperative Society as well as SUISA Digital Licensing AG.