Escritório Central de Arrecadação e Distribuição

ECAD (Escritório Central de Arrecadação e Distribuição) is Brazil's central office for collecting and distributing public performance royalties for music. Headquartered in Rio de Janeiro and administered by seven Brazilian music associations, it collected R$2.1 billion and distributed R$1.7 billion to over 345,000 artists and composers in 2025. It is best suited for Brazilian songwriters, composers, performers, musicians, and publishers who need a centralised system to collect royalties from radio, television, streaming, live performances, and commercial establishments across Brazil.

How ECAD Works

ECAD operates differently from most PROs. It does not represent members directly. Instead, it is administered by seven music associations that handle membership, work registration, and member payments. ECAD handles collection, identification of music usage, and distribution to those associations, which then pay their affiliated members.

The seven associations are Abramus, Amar, Assim, Sbacem, Sicam, Socinpro, and UBC. They represent different classes of rights holders: composers, performers, musicians, publishers, and phonographic producers. Artists must join one of these associations to receive royalties through the ECAD system.

ECAD collects royalties from radio stations, television broadcasters, streaming platforms, concert venues, bars, restaurants, retail stores, cinemas, gyms, hotels, nightclubs, and event spaces. It operates 21 owned offices and 9 accredited agencies across Brazil to manage collections nationwide.

From the amounts collected, 85% goes to rights holders (composers, performers, musicians, and other title holders), 6% goes to the associations to cover operational expenses, and 9% goes to ECAD for its administrative costs. This split is defined by the associations in their General Assembly.

Distribution follows international criteria. Of the total distributed, 66.67% goes to author's rights (composers and publishers) and 33.33% goes to related rights (performers and producers). Streaming distributions are made in February, May, August, and November, based on programming data submitted by each platform.

In 2025, the digital segment became the largest source of revenue, accounting for 33.6% of total collections with 47.2% growth driven by streaming platform negotiations. Live music segments (Festas Juninas, Carnaval, and Musica ao Vivo) also saw significant growth in distributions. The average distribution per rights holder was R$4,600, up 8.8% from the previous year. 78% of distributed royalties went to Brazilian artists and composers.

ECAD's database is one of the largest in Latin America, containing 24 million musical works, 24 million phonograms, and 396,000 audiovisual works. The organisation is led by Superintendent Isabel Amorim.

Real-World Example

A Brazilian funk songwriter joins UBC (one of ECAD's seven associations) and registers 30 songs. A Sao Paulo radio station plays 10 of those songs regularly, Spotify reports 1 million streams, and three venues in Rio de Janeiro hold blanket licenses covering live performances.

ECAD collects royalties from all three sources. It identifies the music played through automated matching against its database of 24 million works. The collected amounts are distributed to UBC, which then pays the songwriter based on their registered split shares.

If the same songs are played on radio in Portugal, ECAD's reciprocal agreements with Portuguese societies mean those royalties are collected and remitted back through the system. The songwriter receives payments through UBC on the association's distribution schedule.

Based on the 2025 figures (R$1.7 billion distributed across 345,000 rights holders), the average annual distribution was approximately R$4,600 (roughly $800 USD). However, top-earning artists with heavy radio rotation and streaming numbers receive significantly more.

Drawbacks / Things to Consider

ECAD is not a direct membership organisation. You cannot join ECAD itself. You must join one of its seven member associations (Abramus, Amar, Assim, Sbacem, Sicam, Socinpro, or UBC), each with its own membership requirements, fees, and distribution schedules. This adds a layer of complexity compared to PROs like ASCAP or BMI where you join the PRO directly.

Royalty distributions are split between ECAD and the associations, with 15% of collections going to administrative costs (9% to ECAD, 6% to associations). This overhead is higher than some international PROs.

ECAD has faced public scrutiny over transparency and efficiency. The organisation has invested in technology, cybersecurity, and compliance improvements in recent years, but historical concerns about delayed payments and retained credits persist. Credits for unidentified works are held for up to 5 years before being redistributed within the same segment.

Brazil's market has significant issues with non-payment of royalties by businesses, particularly municipal governments and public sector entities. ECAD regularly pursues enforcement actions against defaulting establishments.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Brazilian songwriter, composer, performer, or publisher, the ECAD system is the only practical way to collect public performance royalties for your works in Brazil. You must join one of the seven member associations to participate.

Register every composition and recording with your chosen association as soon as it is commercially released. Include correct split shares, ISRC codes, and publisher information so your works can be matched to ECAD's usage data. The associations handle work registration, while ECAD handles collection and identification.

If your music is played internationally, ECAD's reciprocal agreements with foreign societies mean those royalties can be collected on your behalf. For non-Brazilian artists, your home PRO collects from ECAD through reciprocal agreements when your music is played in Brazil.

Keep your repertoire updated with your association at all times. If registration data is incomplete or incorrect, your royalties may be held as retained credits for up to 5 years. After that period, unclaimed amounts are redistributed within the same segment.

Territory Covered

ECAD covers the entire territory of Brazil. It collects royalties from radio stations, television broadcasters, streaming platforms, concert venues, bars, restaurants, retail stores, cinemas, gyms, hotels, nightclubs, and event spaces across all 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District. ECAD operates 21 owned offices and 9 accredited agencies nationwide to manage collections throughout the country. It collects royalties for both Brazilian and foreign musical works performed publicly within Brazil.

How to Join and Membership Fees

You cannot join ECAD directly. ECAD is an umbrella organization that collects and distributes royalties on behalf of seven member associations. To receive royalties through the ECAD system, you must join one of these seven associations:

1. Abramus (Brazilian Association of Music and Arts)
2. Amar (Association of Arrangers and Conductors / Brazilian Musical Society)
3. Assim (Association of Independent Musicians)
4. Sbacem (Brazilian Society of Authors, Music Composers, and Writers)
5. Sicam (Independent Society of Composers and Musical Authors)
6. Socinpro (Society of Independent Music Producers)
7. UBC (Brazilian Union of Composers)

Each association has its own membership requirements, fees, and documentation processes. Membership is open to composers, performers, musicians, publishers, and phonographic producers. You must register your works (compositions and recordings) with your chosen association, including correct split shares, ISRC codes, and publisher information. The associations then feed this data into ECAD's database for usage matching and distribution.

Overhead Rate

ECAD's overhead rate is 15% of collected revenue. The split is defined by the associations in their General Assembly:

• 9% goes to ECAD for its administrative costs across all of Brazil
• 6% goes to the seven member associations to cover their operational expenses
• 85% goes to rights holders (composers, performers, musicians, publishers, and producers)

This 15% combined overhead is higher than some international PROs. For comparison, ASCAP and BMI in the United States operate with overhead rates of approximately 10-12%.

Of the 85% distributed to rights holders, 66.67% goes to author's rights (composers and publishers) and 33.33% goes to related rights (performers and producers).

Royalty Distribution Schedule

ECAD operates multiple distribution cycles throughout the year, varying by segment:

• Streaming/Digital: Distributions in February, May, August, and November, based on programming data submitted by each platform.
• Shows/Live Music: Distributed monthly, following the chronological order of received setlists from completed and paid shows. Includes regular shows, Carnival shows, Festa Junina shows, and internet show transmissions.
• Radio/TV: Distributed on a quarterly cycle with a lag. For example, performances from January through March are distributed in August; April through June in November; July through September in February of the following year; October through December in May of the following year.
• Carnaval: Distributed in May after identification of music played, using methodology certified by Ibope with a 0.1% margin of error.
• Schools, churches, and similar venues: Distributed in September based on sampling by ECAD technicians.

In the first half of 2026, ECAD distributed over R$1 billion, a 16.5% increase over the same period in 2025. The average annual distribution per rights holder in 2025 was approximately R$4,600 (roughly $800 USD), up 8.8% from the previous year.

Reciprocal Agreements

ECAD itself does not sign reciprocal agreements with foreign societies. Instead, the seven member associations maintain their own reciprocal representation agreements with foreign PROs and CMOs. These agreements allow:

• Foreign artists whose music is performed in Brazil to receive royalties through their home society, which has a reciprocal agreement with one of the seven Brazilian associations.
• Brazilian artists whose music is performed internationally to receive royalties through their association, which collects from the foreign society.

Some Brazilian associations, such as ABRAMUS, AMAR, SICAM, SOCINPRO, and UBC, have reciprocal agreements with foreign PROs. UBC has been a CISAC member since 1946. The associations are responsible for forwarding international collections to their affiliated members, not ECAD.

Notable Members

ECAD does not have direct members. Its seven member associations collectively represent over 345,000 rights holders. Notable Brazilian artists and composers are affiliated with these associations, particularly UBC (founded in 1942):

• Gilberto Gil: Composer, singer, and former Minister of Culture. First winner of the UBC Award in 2017.
• Milton Nascimento: Composer and singer. UBC Award honoree in 2019.
• Caetano Veloso: Composer and singer, founding figure of Tropicalismo.
• Chico Buarque: Composer, singer, and writer.
• Djavan: Composer and singer.
• Ivete Sangalo: Singer and performer.
• Erasmo Carlos: Composer and singer. UBC Award honoree in 2018.
• Alceu Valenca: Composer and singer. UBC Award honoree in 2022.
• Mano Brown: Rapper and songwriter.
• Zeca Pagodinho: Samba composer and singer.

UBC was founded by notable composers including Ary Barroso, Braguinha, Ataulpho Alves, and Vicente Celestino.

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