PlayRight has just closed the distribution of music rights for the 2021 reference year! The total amount involved is 7.394.530,82 million euros of neighbouring rights coming from music recordings that were broadcast and/or exploited in 2021.  

In addition to the distribution for 2021, the annual supplementary allowance for 2019, 2020, and 2021 will also be finalized. A total of 83.763,83 euros will be distributed for this purpose. This distribution was opened in 2022. You can read more about this here. 

As an artist (or representative of an artist), you now have six months to inform us of doubts and questions and to file objections or complaints about this distribution. 

How are these neighbouring rights generated?  

The remunerations underlying these rights come from equitable remuneration, private copying and lending rights. These remunerations were collected as compensation for music recordings broadcast and/or exploited in Belgium in 2021. 

First/final distribution: how does it work?  

 PlayRight always carries out the distribution of your rights as a musician in two stages. For Music 2021, our collective management society paid out the first distribution of rights as early as October 2022.  

The deadline for declaring repertoires that could yield rights for the 2021 reference year was 31 December 2024. 

This concluding distribution completes the payment of neighbouring rights for musicians for this reference year. Thus, the total amount of Belgian music rights 2021 paid out to musicians now comes to 7.394.530,82 million euros.  

How are my rights calculated?  

For each distribution of your rights as a musician on Belgian territory, PlayRight links the indicated repertoires with:  

• Radio stations’ playlists and audience rates;  

• The Ultratop sales lists; 

PlayRight charges operational costs before the calculation of the rights allocated to you, as well as
deductions related to the sociocultural actions of PlayRight.

When will the next distribution of my rights take place?  

PlayRight draws up a distribution calendar every year. The 2025 distribution calendar can be found at the following link: https://playright.be/en/distribution-calendar/  

The next distribution concerns the distribution of audiovisual rights for 2020-2021 and is also a final distribution. This distribution will take place in June 2025. 

Any questions?  

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact your Account Manager. His or her contact details can be found via your personal online portal.