The deal builds on Music Nation’s best-in-class tools, technology and industry partnership with Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) to create the first-ever collective management organization with a single royalty solution
ABU DHABI AND WASHINGTON, D.C.— March 26, 2025 — Music Nation Copyrights Management (Music Nation), a pioneer in music rights management in the United Arab Emirates, announces a ground-breaking partnership with SoundExchange, the recording industry’s top digital global collective management organization, to enable the collection and distribution of neighboring rights in the UAE.
Under the agreement, Music Nation will leverage SoundExchange’s technology, data and extensive industry experience to collect neighboring rights, the royalties paid to sound recording owners, producers and recording artists for the public performance of their music.
With best-in-class tools, technology and industry partnerships, Music Nation will provide music rightsholders with the industry’s first rights management organization capable of offering a single solution for collecting performance, mechanical and neighboring rights.
Rasha Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairwoman of Music Nation, said, “We are thrilled to partner with SoundExchange to begin collecting neighboring rights on behalf of our affiliates. This partnership marks a significant milestone for recording artists and sound recording rights holders in the UAE and globally. By comprehensively and accurately collecting and distributing neighboring rights royalties, Music Nation will help ensure the continued growth of the region’s vibrant music ecosystem.”
Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange, said, “We are honored to put our extensive neighboring rights management experience and state of the art systems to work in the UAE. Our in-depth administration expertise, proven record on rate settings, and premiere distribution processes for international creators will provide capabilities to propel the emerging UAE market. SoundExchange is proud to partner with Music Nation on this exciting project, and to help the Emirati creator community realize the true power and value of their music.”
Combined with Music Nation’s previously announced partnership with BMI, the largest performing rights organization in the world, Music Nation will ensure local and international songwriters, composers, publishers, record labels, performing artists, producers and other rightsholders are fully compensated for the use of their work in the UAE. The scale of that opportunity only continues to expand, with the IFPI reporting that global recorded music revenue in 2024 experienced a remarkable growth for a tenth consecutive year, including a 22.8% increase in MENA, the fastest growing region in the world.
About Music Nation
Music Nation, a pioneer in music rights management in the UAE, licenses the rights of authors, publishers, sound recording owners and performers throughout the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These rights are referred to as neighboring rights (for sound recordings), public performance rights (for musical compositions) and mechanical reproduction rights (also for musical compositions). With world-class partnerships and technology, Music Nation is helping implement the UAE’s vision for the protection and enforcement of musical copyrights by developing a world-class music licensing and royalty distribution infrastructure. Music Nation, with its partners BMI and SoundExchange, will help ensure that music creators and rights holders are fully and fairly compensated for the use of their work. For more information, visit https://www.wearemusicnation.ae.
About SoundExchange
SoundExchange is the recording industry’s top digital global collective management organization, bringing exceptional sound recording administration and neighboring rights administration experience. SoundExchange collects and distributes digital performance royalties on behalf of over 700,000 music creators, managing over 140 million sound recordings. SoundExchange has distributed more than $12 billion to creators and rights holders since its inception in 2003 and will provide the UAE with technology-forward, ruthlessly efficient and secure operations uniquely suited to navigating the complex royalties landscape. For more information, visit soundexchange.com.