Australasian Performing Right Association

APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) is the non-profit music rights management organisation that administers performance, communication, and mechanical reproduction rights for over 128,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers in Australia and New Zealand. Founded in 1926, it collects royalties from businesses that play music publicly and distributes them to members based on detailed usage data.

How APRA AMCOS Works

APRA AMCOS operates as two separate legal entities working in tandem. APRA manages public performance and communication rights (radio, television, streaming, live venues, retail stores). AMCOS manages mechanical reproduction rights (CDs, vinyl, digital downloads, streaming reproductions). Both societies share staff, technology, and a member portal under the unified APRA AMCOS brand since their 1997 alliance.

When a business in Australia or New Zealand plays music publicly, it needs a license. APRA AMCOS issues blanket licenses to radio stations, television broadcasters, streaming platforms, pubs, clubs, restaurants, gyms, retail stores, and concert promoters. The collected fees are distributed to members based on usage reports, airplay logs, and digital streaming data.

Domestic royalties are paid quarterly, with major live performances distributed monthly. International royalties are distributed monthly to writer members, thanks to a three-fold increase in processing speed achieved through recent technology investments. APRA AMCOS works with over 100 affiliate societies worldwide to collect royalties for Australian and New Zealand works played abroad, and to distribute royalties to international members whose works are played locally.

In FY25, APRA AMCOS reported record group revenue of $787.9 million (up 6.5% year-on-year), with $683.4 million in net distributable revenue paid to members and rights holders. The cost-to-revenue ratio was 13.26%, down from 14.32% the previous year. International collections reached $98.8 million, up 14.8%, with $117.5 million in total international royalties distributed. Digital streaming accounts for 51.3% of total revenue, with subscription video on demand growing 15.7% to $88.2 million.

APRA is a member of CISAC and AMCOS is a member of BIEM. The organisation adheres to a voluntary Code of Conduct for Collecting Societies and is regulated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which in 2026 proposed renewed authorisation with stronger transparency and accountability conditions.

Real-World Example

An Australian songwriter registers 20 songs with APRA AMCOS. A Sydney radio station plays 8 of those songs in a given quarter, Spotify reports 200,000 streams of 12 songs, and three Melbourne venues hold blanket licenses covering background music. APRA AMCOS collects royalties from all three sources.

The songwriter receives a quarterly domestic distribution based on the radio airplay logs and streaming usage data. If the same songs are played on radio in the United Kingdom, APRA AMCOS's affiliate society PRS for Music collects those royalties and remits them to APRA AMCOS, which then distributes them to the songwriter in the next monthly international distribution cycle.

In FY25, APRA AMCOS collected $98.8 million internationally and distributed $117.5 million (including prior period adjustments). A songwriter with 50 songs receiving regular airplay across licensed Australian radio stations and streaming platforms might earn anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000 annually in performance royalties, depending on the frequency and type of use.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are an Australian or New Zealand songwriter, composer, or publisher, APRA AMCOS membership is the only practical way to collect performance and mechanical royalties for your works. Without it, you would need to individually license every radio station, venue, and streaming platform that plays your music, which is not feasible.

Membership is free. You assign your performing and communication rights to APRA, and optionally your mechanical rights to AMCOS. Once registered, submit your song registrations with correct split shares and ISRC codes so your works can be matched to usage data. APRA AMCOS processes almost 13,000 work registrations per day, so accurate metadata speeds up your payments.

If your music is played internationally, APRA AMCOS's 100+ affiliate agreements mean foreign societies collect on your behalf. You can also submit Overseas Performance Reports directly to flag specific usage. For non-Australian artists, your home PRO collects from APRA AMCOS through these same reciprocal agreements when your music is played in Australia or New Zealand.

APRA AMCOS also runs over 250 creative programs annually, including mentorships, grants, awards, and professional development events. The organisation has launched Alyelhentye Nawu, a world-first department supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music creators, and continues to advocate for local content obligations on streaming platforms.

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Mechanical Royalties - How mechanical royalties work alongside performance royalties
• Blanket License - The licensing model used by APRA AMCOS
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How CMOs operate globally
• APRA AMCOS Official Website - Visit APRA AMCOS for membership and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings