Music notification

How can I add details to sound recordings for my work?

Information can only be added to sound recordings by GEMA members who are direct participants in the works, and/or by their legal successors or authorised representatives. The easiest way to add...

November-December

Get help – quickly! If you need us, our help centre offers answers to your questions – it is quick and easy to use and accessible to you 24/7 – and there are no waiting times. Go to the help centre...

Which form do I use for my music notification?

You cannot submit notifications relating to most GEMA tariffs for events and background music; instead, you can do this via the price calculator in our Online Portal. It’s really simple and 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)...

Information events

Timetable The membership party, during which the Fred Jay Award will be presented, takes place on 14 May 2024 from 7.00 pm in the bcc Berlin Congress Center, Alexanderstraße 11 in Berlin. If you...

What are royalties in the music business?

If your works are used, you, the creator or publisher, will receive payments; they are also known as royalties. In order to receive such royalties, you assign the exploitation rights for your...

Details of our online services

My portal access permissions Go to the portal permissions My portal permissions Go to my portal permissions Sound file upload Go to the upload Keep an eye on your finances. The service My financial...

Are there any restrictions for making a claim?

In our Online Portal, you can easily submit a claim if your works have been allocated to the wrong category, assigned incorrect shares, or distributed with an inaccurate rating. The same applies...

GEMA free music

Despite a challenging market, GEMA posts excellent results for 2025

2026-03-30 12:04 Higher payouts, lower costs: GEMA closed the 2025 financial year with an excellent set of results. The total distributable amount came to EUR 1.15 billion (2024: EUR 1.13 billion),...

When does music become royalty-free?

70 years after the death of a creator the music becomes royalty-free or enters the “public domain” (another expression used). Until then, copyright lies with the heirs. Even if the musical work is...

About the online portal

This is how we protect your data Access your data at any time Whether it’s about changing your bank details, e-mail address or tax details: The Online Portal is the place where you can manage your...

What does it cost to use music in public?

It depends how the music is used, whether live, in the background, on sound recordings or on the internet.Whether many or few people are listening. In order to take this into consideration, there...

Do I need an authorisation for third parties to access the online portal?

Yes, you do. Only an authorisation entitles another person (spouse/life partner, manager, tax adviser, employee of a publisher, or others) to use the online portal for you. General powers of...

I want to upload music content, for example background music, to my homepage. What do I need to consider?

If you upload music onto your own website, our tariff VR-OD 10 for online uses on a small scale is applicable. You can register the use [SJ1] under this tariff in our Online Portal. As a general...

Cultural Subsidy for the Online Sector

Virtuos Artikel Link Zoom Close Overline Heading Example Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Donec velit neque, auctor sit amet aliquam vel,...

Category M

Nowadays music is played in many public places – ranging from bars, cafés and restaurants to hair salons, supermarkets and retail shops. Even in waiting rooms, there is often background music...

About GEMA

*As of May 2024. All numbers are rounded. The origin of copyright For music creators and music users: Previous Next We tune and harmonise different interests As an association, GEMA represents the...

Church

Music is a central element in church services and during prayers because it moves “from heart to heart” – this at least was Beethoven’s wish for his Missa Solemnis. Music creates communion and is...

Soundplate

Get help – quickly! If you need us, our help centre offers answers to your questions – it is quick and easy to use and accessible to you 24/7 – and there are no waiting times. Go to the help centre...

SubmitHub

To the link SubmitHub connects performers with curators Get help – quickly! If you need us, our help centre offers answers to your questions – it is quick and easy to use and accessible to you 24/7...

Events

Unser kundenprogramm GEMA Zugabe Wer muss GEMA Gebühren zahlen? Your payment goes directly to creators All about how to register events Those who earn their living composing music, writing lyrics...

Categories UD/U

New festival distribution starting in 2026 From next year onwards, revenues from major festivals will be distributed more quickly and more frequently – in line with the interests of our members....

MusicHub

Get your release ready Track the status of your release and boost your promotion MusicHub is the digital hub for artists who want to organize, release, and promote their music independently and...

Audiovisual Productions

Fees for music in films, series and commercials VG WORT – Verwertungsgesellschaft Wort If a work is published with a music publisher, it is usually the respective music publisher who is your first...

Live Performances and Playbacks

We need the following information from you: Date and time of the event Name and address of the organiser of the event Name and address of the event venue (including the room, if applicable) Name of...

Become a member

Where you earn money with music - and how much To the royalty calculators Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. read more read less Max Muster, Songwriter Button *plus VAT Your...

discotheque monitoring

Register your club with us and tell us in the registration form that you would like to be part of the panel: Questionnaire Discotheque Monitoring GEMA rewards participation in discotheque...

Audiovisuelle Produktionen

In order to complete the works registration in our Online Portal, please click on the link regarding the works registration which was sent to you in your AV confirmation of receipt. All of the...

Start-Up Summit

Frequently asked questions and answers Still got any questions? If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by email at mitgliederversammlung@gema.de. Send an email now Link When: 12...

Tariff information christmas markets

Wir Helfen gerne! Callback Angebot Wri unterstützdne Sie gerne Button Calculate individual price: Go to the GEMA price calculator Tariffs & costs Advice & consultations Press material Fictitious...

AGM 2024: Focus on Artificial Intelligence

GEMA General Assembly 2024 Additional materials on AI in music AI Dossier Current topics and articles, press materials and media reviews Link Generative AI is going to fundamentally change the...

Audio and Visual Recordings

Audio and visual recordings Latest update: As previously announced - we carried out the final regular distribution for categories Phono VR and BT VR on July 1, 2025. The next distribution will take...

Public broadcast

Are my sound files uploaded in the GEMA Soundfile Upload also available to SoundAware for the monitoring of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio? Yes, all soundfiles uploaded in the GEMA Soundfile Upload...

Groover

Redeem your discount now As a GEMA member, you get a 15% discount on one promotional campaign per quarter. Secure a discount code and register with Groover. Our partner has more details for you on,...

BEFORE EIGHT

Go to the discount code Home Music creators GEMAplus Partner offers BEFORE EIGHT BEFORE EIGHT Organic, transparent and efficient Redeem your discount now Get help – quickly! If you need us, our...

Categories Radio

*Please note that this is an approximate amount. The amount shown is divided among all the entitled parties involved in the work. Supplements and caps are not considered. Radio is as popular as...

Monitoring

User manual Soundfile Link Soundfile Upload in Online Portal Link A sound file consists of: The audio file of a musical work Metadata about the work and the recording (work title, work number,...

Stability in turbulent times: GEMA achieves strong result in financial year 2024

Economic stability, efficient operations and cultural responsibility: In a globally tense environment, GEMA achieved a compelling financial result in 2024. Total revenue rose to around EUR 1.33...