Swedish collecting society STIM registered a total revenue of SEK 2.2 billion 2021 – an increase of 13 per cent from 2020. Despite the major impact of the pandemic on the music industry, it is the organisation’s second highest figure ever, largely thanks to the intensive work undertaken with digital services. A large part of this growth came from streamed music and national Online and Video on Demand services (VOD), while live music and background music both declined. Payments to songwriters, composers and publishers totalled SEK 1.8 billion – also the second highest amount in our history.

– This is a remarkable sign of strength for Swedish composers, songwriters and publishers. STIM’s income from 2021 underlines the cultural impact that Swedish music has abroad. For many years, our members’ music has had an enormously strong impact all over the world on services such as Spotify, Netflix, YouTube and HBO, says Casper Bjørner, CEO of STIM.

A report written by Will Page and David Safir for Export Music Sweden shows that Sweden is one of only three countries that are net exporters of music – that bring more money in than they send out abroad. For every Swedish krona that is sent to songwriters overseas, STIM collects 2,7 kronor back.

STIM also launched a successful direct licensing service for Asia, which is a rapidly growing market for Swedish music. STIM members now receive their payments quicker when their songs are played online in, for example, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore.

STIM is currently one of the top music tech organizations worldwide, with a strong focus on digital development. A highly appreciated app has been developed in-house, where members can track their revenues in great detail. A new web shop for customers has also been developed. And 2021 also saw the launch of Cora Music, a STIM subsidiary and the first service of its kind in the world offering well-known music to YouTubers, a growing target group.

The pandemic brought about a significant change in how we consume music. 2021 saw a large increase in Online and VOD, where revenues increased by as much as 27 per cent, largely driven by the rise in film and television services. STIM also closed several important deals in this area, with Disney + and TV4 Play among others. International revenues from streamed music increased by 74 per cent, as a result of solid growth as well as retroactive revenues.

Unfortunately, other parts of the music industry were more negatively impacted by the effects of the pandemic. Revenues from concerts decreased by 5 per cent to SEK 37 million. This compares with a more normal year, (before 2020), when STIM’s revenues from the live market were approximately SEK 120 million. Background music also declined, with 6 per cent lower revenues from, for example, restaurants, shops, cinemas and hotels.

– The music industry will have to live with the effects of the pandemic for a long time, and many of our members are still in need of support, Casper Bjørner continues. However, it’s very gratifying to see sold-out arena gigs again – both the live and background music markets are bouncing back strongly.

In 2021, 3,394 music creators and publishers joined STIM which now has 98,756 members, who registered 93,367 new works over the year. This year’s most successful Swedish songwriters include Tove Lo, Ali Payami, Robin Fredriksson, Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh, who won STIM’s Platinum Guitar award last year.

One of the reasons for STIM’s increased music revenues from abroad is ICE, the international collaboration with GEMA in Germany and Britain’s PRS for Music. ICE’s joint data management also creates large efficiency gains. Over the year, it handled more than 27 trillion streams and downloads, and over 144 terabytes of data were processed – an increase of 93 per cent from 2020.

One of the most important tasks of STIM and its partner organizations – FST, SKAP and Musikförläggarna is to strengthen Swedish music long term. Autumn saw the launch of STIM Forward Fund, which brings together all our efforts to increase the diversity and growth of music under one common brand. STIM distributed a total of SEK 44 million on various projects and initiatives over the year, with 143 songwriters, composers and lyricists receiving grants.

Eric Aronson
Press officer STIM
| Hornsgatan 103 
104 62 Stockholm
+46 (0)709 75 11 11 eric.aronson@stim.se

Stim is a copyright organization with 100,000 affiliated music makers and music publishers. Our objective is a strong copyright legislation to ensure that those who we represent are being paid when their music is played. Stim is a non-profit organization with an interest in the sustainability and diversity of Swedish music life, which distinguishes us from other more market oriented organizations. A license with Stim provides access to a world-class repertoire – music that brings feelings, creates identity and togetherness.