Sociedad Argentina de Autores y Compositores

SADAIC (Sociedad Argentina de Autores y Compositores de Musica) is Argentina's primary performing rights organization, founded on June 9, 1936, in Buenos Aires. It is a private, civil, cultural, mutual society without profit motive that collects and distributes royalties for the public performance, broadcasting, streaming, reproduction, and synchronization of musical works on behalf of Argentine authors and composers and 131 foreign sister societies.

How SADAIC Works

SADAIC issues licenses to radio stations, television networks, streaming services, live concert venues, restaurants, retail stores, cinemas, and any business that uses music publicly in Argentina. It also manages collection agreements with major digital platforms and publishers including Spotify, Facebook, Netflix, TikTok, Instagram, Universal, Sony, Warner, and Kobalt.

SADAIC distributes royalties every four months (three distribution cycles per year). The April 2025 distribution covered the third four-month period of 2024. Royalties are allocated based on usage data from broadcast logs, streaming reports, concert set lists, and venue reports.

The organization operates under Argentina's Law 17.648, which recognized SADAIC as the representative body for music creators. In February 2025, the Argentine government issued Executive Order 150/2025, which reformed SADAIC's regulatory framework. The decree introduced several changes:

• A government-appointed auditor under the Ministry of Justice now oversees collection and distribution procedures, with a four-year mandate.
• If SADAIC's administrative deductions exceed 30% of revenue, it must inform the Ministry and propose corrective measures.
• Competition among collecting societies is now permitted, allowing multiple organizations to represent similar authorial interests.
• SADAIC has 180 days to adapt its bylaws to the new provisions.
• Current tariff rates remain in effect: 20% of revenue for ticketed events, 15% for other events, and 10% for broadcasting, phonographic products, and publications.

SADAIC is a member of CISAC (since 1946) and BIEM (since 1971). It maintains representation agreements with 131 foreign societies and operates a US office, SADAIC Latin Copyrights Inc., which also administers catalogs from SCD (Chile), SACVEN (Venezuela), AGADU (Uruguay), and APDAYC (Peru) in the United States.

The organization is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors. President is Atilio Stampone and CEO is Carlos Guillermo Ocampo.

Real-World Example

An Argentine songwriter registers 30 songs with SADAIC. A Buenos Aires radio station plays 15 of those songs in regular rotation, Spotify Argentina reports 1.5 million streams, and a live concert at Luna Park features 8 of the songs in its set list.

SADAIC collects royalties from all three sources. The radio royalties are allocated based on airplay logs submitted by the station. The streaming royalties are allocated based on usage reports from Spotify. The live concert royalties are allocated based on the set list submitted by the concert organizer.

If the same songs are played on streaming platforms in Spain, SADAIC's reciprocal agreement with SGAE means SGAE collects those royalties and remits them to SADAIC, which distributes them to the songwriter in the next four-month distribution cycle.

With the current tariff structure, if a ticketed concert generates 10 million Argentine pesos in box office revenue, SADAIC collects 20% (2 million pesos) as the licensing fee. After deducting administrative costs (capped at 30% under the 2025 decree), the remainder is distributed to rights holders based on the works performed.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are an Argentine songwriter, composer, or publisher, SADAIC is the primary organization for collecting performance royalties in Argentina. Register every composition with SADAIC before commercial release. Unregistered works earn zero royalties, even if they receive millions of streams or extensive radio airplay.

Submit accurate metadata including ISRC codes, ISWC numbers, and split sheets. SADAIC's matching system processes usage data across radio, television, streaming, live concerts, and public venues, so correct metadata directly impacts how quickly and completely you get paid.

The 2025 regulatory reforms mean SADAIC operates under tighter government oversight. The 30% cap on administrative deductions ensures more of the collected revenue reaches creators. The introduction of competition also means you may have alternative collecting societies to consider in the future.

SADAIC's 131 reciprocal agreements with foreign societies mean your music earns royalties internationally. Argentine music, including tango, folklore, and contemporary pop, has global audiences. Ensure your works are registered so international performances are tracked and royalties flow back to you.

SADAIC also provides health insurance for musicians and organizes cultural events and music courses. Membership is open to songwriters, composers, arrangers, and music publishers.

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
• Blanket License - The licensing model used by SADAIC
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How CMOs operate globally
• SADAIC Official Website - Visit SADAIC for membership and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings