Composers, Authors and Publishers Association

CAPASSO (Composers, Authors and Publishers Association) is a non-profit mechanical rights licensing agency based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Founded in 2014 through a partnership between SAMRO and NORM, it licenses the reproduction and distribution of musical works and collects royalties for composers, authors, and publishers across Southern Africa.

How CAPASSO Works

CAPASSO administers mechanical rights, which are triggered whenever a musical work is reproduced. This includes physical reproduction (CDs, vinyl, DVDs) and digital reproduction (streaming, downloads, ringtones, backing tracks). The organization issues mechanical licenses to streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, advertising agencies, filmmakers, and anyone making copies or cover versions of musical works.

CAPASSO was created when SAMRO (South African Music Rights Organisation) transferred its mechanical rights licensing operations to a dedicated entity. SAMRO now handles only performance rights, while CAPASSO handles mechanical rights. NORM (National Organisation for Reproduction Rights in Music) joined forces with SAMRO to establish CAPASSO as a single administrative body for mechanical rights in South Africa.

The organization collects license fees from music users and distributes them as royalties to its members. CAPASSO also partners with Muserk, a global music rights administrator, to collect mechanical royalties from streaming services in North and South America. This partnership helps African artists capture digital royalties from YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Pandora, Tidal, and Deezer in territories outside Africa.

CAPASSO reported approximately $5.1 million in annual revenue as of 2026. The organization has secured multi-territory licensing deals, including a TikTok licensing agreement with SAMRO that covers multiple territories.

Real-World Example

A South African composer affiliates with CAPASSO and registers 30 songs. A streaming service like Spotify reproduces those songs for its South African users. Spotify pays CAPASSO a mechanical license fee based on the number of streams. CAPASSO deducts its administrative fee and distributes the remainder to the composer.

If a South African filmmaker wants to use one of those songs in a movie soundtrack, they must obtain a mechanical license from CAPASSO to legally reproduce the composition. The filmmaker pays a negotiated fee, and CAPASSO passes that royalty to the composer after deducting its administrative costs.

Similarly, if an advertising agency produces a commercial that includes a cover version of a CAPASSO-registered song, the agency must license the mechanical rights from CAPASSO before the commercial airs.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a composer, author, or publisher based in South Africa (or your works are reproduced there), CAPASSO collects mechanical royalties you would otherwise lose. This includes revenue from streaming platforms, physical media, films, advertisements, and cover versions.

Register your works with CAPASSO as soon as they are commercially released. If your music streams on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube in South Africa, CAPASSO collects the mechanical royalties generated by those streams. The Muserk partnership extends collection to the Americas, so if your music streams in the US or Latin America, CAPASSO can capture those royalties too.

Do not confuse CAPASSO with SAMRO. SAMRO collects performance royalties (radio play, live performances, TV broadcasts). CAPASSO collects mechanical royalties (reproduction and distribution). If you are a South African songwriter, you likely need both: SAMRO for performance royalties and CAPASSO for mechanical royalties. Register with each organization for the respective rights they administer.

Related Resources

• Mechanical Royalties - How mechanical royalties are generated and collected
• Mechanical License - What a mechanical license covers
• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - How PROs like SAMRO differ from mechanical rights agencies
• Copyright - The legal foundation for mechanical rights
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How collective rights management works globally
• Music Publishing Explained - Complete guide to publishing and mechanical royalties
• CAPASSO Official Website - Visit CAPASSO for membership and licensing details
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital streaming earnings