Royalties & payouts

Payouts

• Where can I view details on my payouts?

  You can access detailed breakdowns (individual statements and usage statements) in the free online service GEMA download.

  • Individual statements = how much is the pay-out amount per work
  • Usage statements = when and where were my works used
  • For online categories, there are summary statements (how much is the pay-out amount per work) and detailed statements. (They contain information who used your works and how often.)
  • For international income categories and the categories of the mechanical reproduction rights, our statements contain details on the amounts and usages.

  In addition to the option of requesting your detailed breakdowns by division in the My Royalties service, we also provide you with your distribution information from the GEMA Download in the online portal. You can retrieve this as a one-click download in the My Downloads service.

  As usual, you can also continue to use the GEMA Download service to retrieve these formats.  

  If you are not yet able to access the online services, get yourself activated.

  You can also request details of the pay-out by e-mail for a fee. To do so, simply take a look at the GEMA service catalogue and contact mitgliederservice@gema.de. 

  You can get an overview of your royalties in the Online Portal under the service My Royalties. There you can also find out where they come from (live, radio, TV/film, digital or abroad) and what income the 10 most successful works have brought you.

• Which categories are paid out? Which belong to performing rights, broadcasting rights and mechanical rights?

  These categories belong to the performing rights:

  • International income distribution (sister organisations) A AR
  • Concerts of serious music of all types (E)
  • Serious music direct accounting (ED)
  • Serious music performances by means of mechanical devices (EM)
  • Stage music (BM)
  • Music in church services (Ki)
  • Events with entertainment or dance music (U)
  • Entertainment music direct accounting (UD)
  • Entertainment music playback (M)
  • Discotheques (DK, DK VR) 

  
  These categories belong to the broadcasting rights:

  • International income distribution (sister organisations) A AR
  • Broadcasting rights in TV broadcasts and communication to the public rights relating to the public communication of TV broadcasts (FS (Grand Rights))
  • Broadcasting rights in radio broadcasts and communication to the public rights relating to the public communication of radio broadcasts (R (Grand Rights))
  • Sound radio/radio (R, R VR)
  • Television (FS, FS VR)
  • Sound film (T)
  • Sound film on TV (T FS, T FS VR)
  • Sound film direct accounting (TD, TD VR)
  • Media libraries (MED, MED VR)

  
  These categories belong to the mechanical rights:

  • International income distribution for mechanical rights (A VR)
  • Mixed content on physical media (GT VR)
  • Music on physical media (MT VR)
  • Playback of music in discotheques with mechanical devices (DK, DK VR)

  
  These categories belong to the performing and mechanical rights:

  • Streaming on mixed online platforms (GOP, GOP VR)
  • Music on Demand Download (MOD D, MOD D VR)
  • Music on Demand Streaming (MOD S, MOD S VR)
  • Video on Demand Download (VOD D, VOD D VR)
  • Video on Demand Streaming (VOD S, VOD S VR)
  • Websites (WEB, WEB VR)

  
  ​​​​​​​Good to know: Online categories are paid out in both rights categories performing rights (AR) and mechanical rights (VR), the ratio of the split of the total amount is 1/3 : 2/3. The weighting is aligned with the distinction Streaming (focus on AR) and Download (focus on VR).

• If I am a reprint arranger or a reprint publisher, do I automatically participate in GEMA pay-outs?

  If you are a reprint publisher who has been authorised by the original or sub-publisher, you can distribute the work in your own print edition. You therefore benefit from the paper business but you usually will not participate in the income that the musical work generates by way of GEMA collections.
  
  Except where, apart from the authorisation to create a print edition (reprint rights), you also received an arrangement authorisation from the rightsholders (creator and/or publisher) of the works which stipulates that you are also participating in the GEMA income. You must have duly acquired the reprint and arrangement rights from the original resp. sub-publisher. The agreement that you and the other publishing party have entered into must also stipulate whether a participation as an arranger in accordance with the GEMA distribution plan has been authorised or excluded. A publishing agreement which has only been entered into between a reprint publisher and a so-called reprint arranger is therefore not a sufficient prerequisite in order to participate in GEMA collections if you are an arranger.

• When will the next distribution for physical music media (audio and audio-visual media) take place?

  We expect to announce the next distribution date for MT VR and GT VR in spring 2026.

• What changes are in the physical media sector (audio and audiovisual media)?

  As of 1 July 2025, we carried out the last regular distribution in the Phono VR and BT VR categories. The next distribution will then take place under the new categories MT VR and GT VR. It is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.

  This change results from the reorganisation of the reproduction and distribution sector for physical media, which was approved with proposal 23 at the 2024 General Assembly.

• How are royalties for my works distributed and allocated in the physical music media sector?

  Will I receive a work‑specific distribution even though no work numbers are provided during licensing?
  
  Yes. The prerequisite is that the works are registered in good time. Distribution is carried out as a direct allocation: revenues are distributed directly, either

  • pro rata temporis (according to playing time), or
  • pro rata numeris (according to the number of musical items).

  How are my works allocated after a physical sound carrier has been licensed?

  When you report your manufacturing activity, you provide us with the EAN or GTIN for sales to retailers. Using this number, we can access databases such as Phononet or Discogs to obtain further information about the sound carrier – most importantly, the works it contains.

  If we do not have the relevant information available or if we are unable to determine sufficient details – with or without an EAN/GTIN – we will contact you. 

  Can I submit a claim for uses from 2025?
  
  A claim can only be submitted once the distribution has taken place. We will announce the distribution date in our overview of distribution dates in spring 2026. The distribution is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.

  How much can I expect my royalties to amount to under the new distribution model?
  
  It is not possible to provide a precise figure, as this depends on several factors. However, we are aiming to achieve a distribution level similar to that under the previous model, while keeping the impact on individual rights holders as low as possible.

• Where can I find information about the new tariff system or the new licensing scheme in the physical media sector (audio and audiovisual media)?

  You can find all information about the new physical media licensing scheme and the revised tariff regulations on our physical media page.