MUSICAUTOR

MUSICAUTOR is Bulgaria's collective management organization for musical works, founded on June 11, 1992 by 103 Bulgarian authors and composers. Based in Sofia, it administers performing and mechanical reproduction rights for composers, lyricists, and music publishers across Bulgaria. The organization represents over 3,800 Bulgarian members and more than 2.5 million international authors through reciprocal representation agreements with sister societies worldwide. It is a CISAC member (since 1993), BIEM member (since 1996), and GESAC member (since 2018).

How MUSICAUTOR Works

MUSICAUTOR operates as a non-profit collective management organization under the Law for Non-profit Corporate Bodies and the Law on Copyright and Related Rights. It holds a valid registration with the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture (registration No. 1, dated January 13, 1994, re-registered under certificates No. 62-00-0152 and No. U-62).

The organization performs three core functions:

Licensing: MUSICAUTOR contracts with users who play musical works in their businesses, including media outlets and operators, venues and commercial establishments, internet platforms and websites, concert organizers, and others. License fees are collected based on tariffs approved by the Ministry of Culture.

Royalty Collection: The organization collects royalties from licensed users based on the approved tariff schedule. Revenue sources include public performance licensing (concerts, commercial and tourist establishments), broadcasting (radio and television), and digital platforms.

Royalty Distribution: Collected royalties are distributed among rightsholders according to distribution rules adopted by the General Assembly of the organization. The distribution system matches usage data to registered works and allocates payments accordingly.

MUSICAUTOR's reciprocal representation agreements with sister societies worldwide enable it to administer over 95% of the world's musical repertoire for the Bulgarian market. This means Bulgarian users can license virtually any international work through MUSICAUTOR, and Bulgarian authors can collect royalties when their works are performed abroad.

The organization's catalog includes 146,712 active registrations of Bulgarian works and 38,664,799 foreign work titles as of 2025.

Real-World Example

A Bulgarian composer registers 25 compositions with MUSICAUTOR. A Sofia radio station plays 10 of those songs in a given quarter under a MUSICAUTOR license. Three restaurants in Plovdiv hold MUSICAUTOR licenses for background music, and a concert organizer in Varna hosts a performance featuring 5 of the composer's works.

MUSICAUTOR collects license fees from all three sources based on Ministry of Culture-approved tariffs. The radio station's broadcast logs are matched against the composer's registered works. The restaurant fees are allocated based on reported usage. The concert organizer's set list is processed and matched to the catalog.

The composer receives a royalty distribution proportional to the logged and reported performances, minus MUSICAUTOR's administrative costs. If the same songs are played on radio in the United Kingdom, MUSICAUTOR's reciprocal agreement with PRS for Music means PRS collects those royalties and remits them to MUSICAUTOR for distribution.

In 2025, MUSICAUTOR distributed 8,140,213 euros (approximately 15.9 million Bulgarian leva) to 199,531 rightsholders, representing an 11.1% revenue increase over 2024. Key revenue drivers included concert licensing, commercial and tourist establishment licensing, and the digital market.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Bulgarian songwriter, composer, lyricist, or publisher, MUSICAUTOR is the primary organization in Bulgaria that collects performance and mechanical royalties on your behalf. Without MUSICAUTOR membership, you earn nothing from public performances of your music in Bulgaria.

Register every composition with MUSICAUTOR as soon as it is commercially released. Include correct split information, ISRC codes, and ISWC numbers. The organization's distribution system depends on accurate metadata to match usage data to your registered works. Unregistered works generate zero royalties even if they receive thousands of plays.

MUSICAUTOR also operates a Cultural Fund that provides grants for the creation of new Bulgarian music. In 2025, the twelfth session of the fund awarded 92,000 euros (180,000 leva) across 84 individual projects. Members can apply for these grants to fund new compositions and recordings.

If you are an international artist whose music is performed in Bulgaria, your home PRO should have a reciprocal agreement with MUSICAUTOR through CISAC. Ensure your works are registered with your home society so they can claim royalties from MUSICAUTOR on your behalf.

Potential Drawbacks

MUSICAUTOR's tariff schedule is approved by the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, which means the organization cannot independently adjust its rates in response to market changes. This can result in slower adaptation to new usage patterns, particularly in the digital space where licensing models evolve rapidly.

The organization's 2025 distribution of 8.14 million euros across 199,531 rightsholders means the average payment per rightsholder is relatively modest (approximately 41 euros). While top-earning writers with significant airplay will earn substantially more, niche composers with limited broadcast presence may see small distributions.

MUSICAUTOR's online portal and digital self-service tools are less developed than those of major Western PROs. Work registration and royalty tracking may require more direct communication with the organization's staff.

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 differ from performance royalties
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How CMOs operate globally
• MUSICAUTOR Official Website - Visit MUSICAUTOR for membership and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital performance earnings