Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori

SIAE (Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori) is Italy's collective management organization for the protection and administration of authors' rights, founded in 1882 and headquartered in Rome. It represents 125,744 members and administers 29.7 million protected works across musical, dramatic, audiovisual, literary, and visual arts repertoires. In 2025, SIAE collected a historic EUR 1.022 billion in revenue, surpassing the one-billion-euro threshold for the first time in its 143-year history, and distributed EUR 849 million to rights holders, a 15% increase over 2024.

Quick Comparison: SIAE vs Other European PROs

SIAE's average commission of 13.7% is higher than SACEM (10.8%) and SABAM (8% online). However, SIAE's digital rate of 8% and live event rate of 5% are competitive for those specific revenue streams. The quarterly distribution schedule (introduced in 2025) is a significant improvement over the previous twice-yearly cycle.

How SIAE Works

SIAE is a multi-repertoire collecting society, meaning it manages rights beyond music. It administers performing rights, mechanical reproduction rights, and synchronization rights for musical works, dramatic and dramatico-musical works, cinematographic works, audiovisual works, literary works, and works of visual art. This broad scope makes it one of the most comprehensive collecting societies in Europe.

SIAE collects from several sources:

• Public performance and live events: Approximately 45% of SIAE's collection still comes from public performance linked to Italian territory. This includes concerts, festivals, theaters, cinemas, and venues. SIAE charges a 5% commission on large live events, down from historical rates.
• Digital and online: SIAE renewed agreements with Meta, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, Google, and Netflix in 2025. These deals include not just license fees but also data transparency provisions, which SIAE considers essential for accurate royalty distribution. Digital commission rates dropped to 8%.
• Broadcast: Radio and television broadcasting royalties collected from Italian broadcasters.
• Mechanical reproduction: Royalties from physical copies, downloads, and streaming reproductions.

SIAE distributes royalties to members on a quarterly basis for music (January, April, July, and October), a historic change from the previous twice-yearly schedule. This means rights holders receive payments faster. The organization reduced its average commission from 16% in 2013 to 13.7% in 2025, meaning more money reaches creators.

SIAE's digital transformation under its Industrial Plan 2023-2025 included:

• EVA: A virtual assistant that handled over 1 million messages in 2025
• SIAE+ app: Enabled 225,776 work registrations via mobile devices in 2025
• Data and AI capabilities: Approximately 50 staff dedicated to data, including AI engineers hired through dedicated hackathons
• Workforce renewal: 300 departures and 150 new hires in recent years, bringing in data specialists and digital negotiators

The organization operates 446 local offices across Italy and maintains 300 foreign agreements covering 199 territories internationally. General Manager Matteo Fedeli, appointed under President Salvatore Nastasi, has driven the transformation from a predominantly legal structure to a data-driven organization.

SIAE's 2030 strategic plan targets EUR 1.1 billion in collections and a further 1% reduction in commission rates. The organization is also positioning itself as a digital platform built on trust, transparency, and innovation.

The "Per Chi Crea" program, funded by Italy's Ministry of Culture and managed by SIAE, supports young artists under 35. The last cycle funded 331 beneficiaries with EUR 10 million, and the 2026 allocation is EUR 14.5 million, with an additional EUR 5.4 million for other social, cultural, and educational initiatives.

SIAE has also been active in AI copyright enforcement. The organization has taken positions on how AI companies must license musical works for training data, aligning with broader European efforts to protect creators' rights in the AI era.

Membership Fees and How to Join

SIAE membership fees depend on your age and repertoire type. For music authors:

• Under 30: Free. No admission fee, no annual fee.
• Over 30, first year: EUR 148 admission fee plus EUR 2 stamp duty (EUR 150 total).
• Over 30, subsequent years: EUR 58 per year (VAT included).
• Over 80: Exempt from annual fees.
• Members with disabilities exceeding one-third: Exempt from annual fees.

Publishers pay different rates depending on repertoire type and whether they are a startup. Publisher admission fees range from EUR 598 (music) to EUR 32 (literary works, after first year).

Joining Process

1. Download the SIAE+ app (available on App Store and Play Store) or visit the SIAE website.
2. Register with an electronic signature. The process takes a few minutes.
3. If under 30, membership is free with no admission fee.
4. If over 30, pay the EUR 148 admission fee plus EUR 2 stamp duty online via the SIAE+ app or the Author and Publisher Portal.
5. Deposit your works digitally through the app. SIAE members deposited 225,776 works via the app in 2025 alone.
6. Submit accurate metadata: song titles, ISRC codes, ISWC codes, and split shares.

Important: Leaving SIAE

Leaving SIAE is deliberately difficult. Cancellation must be sent by August 31 to take effect on January 1 of the following year. You must pay a cessation fee. If you miss the deadline, you are locked in for another year. SIAE continues to manage your rights even if you stop paying annual fees, but your works remain bound to SIAE. Switching to alternatives like Soundreef or Patamu requires a formal withdrawal process.

Territory and Reciprocal Agreements

SIAE collects royalties directly in Italy. It operates 446 local offices across the country, organized into 4 territorial areas and 16 branches.

Internationally, SIAE maintains 300 foreign agreements covering 199 territories. Major reciprocal partners include:

• GEMA (Germany)
• SACEM (France)
• SABAM (Belgium)
• BUMA/Stemra (Netherlands)
• ASCAP (United States)
• BMI (United States)
• PRS for Music (United Kingdom)
• SOCAN (Canada)
• JASRAC (Japan)

Foreign societies collect royalties locally and transfer them to SIAE for distribution. Data quality and payment speed vary by partner society.

Notable Members

SIAE has represented some of Italy's most celebrated songwriters and composers throughout its 143-year history:

• Mogol (Giulio Rapetti): One of the most prolific Italian lyricists. Wrote lyrics for Lucio Battisti, Riccardo Cocciante, Mango, and many others. Won the Festival di Sanremo in 1961 with "Al di la." Received the SIAE career award.
• Gino Paoli (1934-2026): Singer-songwriter who wrote Italian classics including "Il cielo in una stanza" and "Sapore di sale." Founding figure of the Genoese School of Italian songwriting.
• Lucio Dalla (1943-2012): Singer-songwriter and musician. One of Italy's most beloved artists, known for "Caruso" and "Attenti al lupo."
• Giancarlo Bigazzi (1940-2012): Composer and producer who wrote international hits including "Gloria," "Self Control," "Ti amo," and "No Me Ames." Co-wrote the Academy Award-winning film score for Mediterraneo.
• Cristiano Minellono: Lyricist who wrote for Adriano Celentano, Toto Cutugno, Mia Martini, and Patty Pravo. Won two Festival di Sanremo titles. Received the SIAE career award. Described himself as "the author who has sold the most records worldwide in Italian light music history."
• Alessandra Flora: Contemporary lyricist and composer. SIAE records nearly 50 songs in her name. Has written for Gianni Morandi, Raf, Noemi, Nina Zilli, Malika Ayane, and Emma Marrone.

SIAE was founded on April 23, 1882, in Milan by 181 individuals including Giuseppe Verdi, Giovanni Verga, and Edmondo de Amicis. President Mattarella commemorated the 145th anniversary of SIAE's founding, noting SIAE's role as "the true bulwark of freedom" for protecting intellectual works.

Video: SIAE 145th Anniversary

Italian President Sergio Mattarella speaks at the ceremony marking 145 years since SIAE's founding. He addresses SIAE's history from its founding by Giuseppe Verdi to its current role in the AI era, and its mission to protect creators' rights under the Italian Constitution.

Real-World Example

An Italian composer writes 30 songs registered with SIAE. In a given year, those songs generate the following usage: 250,000 streams on Spotify, airplay on four Italian radio stations, live performance at 10 concerts across Italy, and use in a film soundtrack broadcast on Italian television.

SIAE collects royalties from all four sources. Spotify reports streaming data under its renewed 2025 agreement, which includes data transparency provisions. The radio stations submit airplay logs. The concert promoters report setlists. The television network submits cue sheets for the film broadcast.

If the total collected royalties for those 30 songs amount to EUR 6,000 in a quarter, SIAE deducts its commission (at the 13.7% average rate, approximately EUR 822) and distributes the remaining EUR 5,178 to the composer in the next quarterly payment (January, April, July, or October). Under the old twice-yearly schedule, the composer would have waited up to 6 months for payment. Now they wait at most 3 months.

If the same songs are performed in Germany, SIAE's reciprocal agreement with GEMA means GEMA collects those royalties and remits them to SIAE, which then distributes them to the composer in the next international distribution cycle.

At scale, SIAE's EUR 849 million distribution in 2025 means an Italian songwriter with 50 songs receiving regular airplay across Italian radio and streaming platforms might earn anywhere from EUR 3,000 to EUR 30,000 annually in performance royalties, depending on the frequency and type of use. The shift to quarterly distributions improves cash flow significantly compared to the previous biannual schedule.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are an Italian songwriter, composer, or publisher, SIAE membership is the only practical way to collect performance and mechanical royalties for your works in Italy. Without it, you would need to individually license every radio station, streaming platform, concert venue, and business that plays your music.

SIAE membership requires registration and an assignment of your rights. Once registered, use the SIAE+ app to deposit works digitally. Over 100,000 authors already use SIAE's digital tools, with 225,776 works deposited via the app in 2025 alone. Submit accurate metadata including song titles, ISRC codes, ISWC codes, and split shares so your works can be matched to usage data.

SIAE's reduced commission rate of 13.7% (down from 16% in 2013) means more of every euro collected reaches you. For large live events, the commission is just 5%, and for digital revenues it is 8%. The quarterly distribution schedule for music means you receive payments four times a year instead of twice.

If you are under 35, apply for the "Per Chi Crea" program. It provides direct grants funded by the Ministry of Culture, with EUR 14.5 million allocated for 2026. This is free money for young creators that does not need to be repaid.

For non-Italian artists, SIAE matters because Italy is one of Europe's largest music markets. Your home PRO should collect from SIAE through reciprocal agreements. SIAE's network covers 199 territories with 300 foreign agreements, so most major PROs worldwide have direct relationships with the organization.

SIAE's aggressive negotiations with digital platforms (Meta, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, Google, Netflix) ensure that Italian and international rights holders receive fair compensation for digital use. The data transparency provisions in these agreements mean more accurate royalty matching and fewer unmatched works.

Drawbacks / Things to Consider

Membership is free for creators under 30. For those over 30, the first year costs EUR 148 plus a EUR 2 stamp duty, with an annual fee of EUR 58 (VAT included) thereafter. If your royalties do not cover the annual fee, you still owe it. SIAE continues to manage your rights even if you stop paying, but your works remain bound to SIAE, preventing you from switching to alternatives like Soundreef or Patamu without a formal withdrawal process.

Leaving SIAE is deliberately difficult. Cancellation must be sent by August 31 to take effect on January 1 of the following year. You must also pay a cessation fee. If you miss the deadline, you are locked in for another year. Several Italian musicians have documented frustrating experiences trying to withdraw.

SIAE's licensing fees have been criticized as among the highest in Europe. The National Association of Musicians (SOS Musicisti) sent a formal letter to the Ministry of Culture in 2025 arguing that SIAE's tariffs are "the highest compared to other European and non-European sister organizations." This affects venues and businesses, which may reduce live music programming as a result.

The entry of Soundreef into the Italian market has created a double-licensing problem. Venues must now pay both SIAE and Soundreef, increasing costs. SOS Musicisti reported that some venue operators have stopped programming live music entirely due to the combined fees. This indirectly affects artists who lose performance opportunities.

SIAE's DJ online license is only available as an annual subscription with a fixed December 31 expiry, regardless of when you purchase it. A seasonal or occasional DJ who buys the license in October pays for a full year. Cooperativa Esibirsi, representing 4,000 DJs, proposed a monthly option in September 2025, but SIAE had not implemented it as of 2026.

SIAE's average commission rate of 13.7% is higher than some European peers. SACEM operates at 9.8%. For large live events, SIAE charges 5%, and for digital revenues 8%, but the blended rate still exceeds the most competitive societies.

SIAE only collects directly in Italy. International royalties depend on 300 foreign agreements covering 199 territories. Data quality and payment speed vary by partner society.

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations Directory - Browse the full list of PROs worldwide
• 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 SIAE
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How CMOs operate globally
• Visit SIAE for membership info
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings

Compare SIAE With Other PROs

• SABAM - Belgium's collecting society (8% online commission, no annual fee)
• SACEM - France's collecting society (7% online commission, quarterly distributions)
• GEMA - Germany's collecting society (9% online commission, dropping to 7% in 2027)
• BUMA/Stemra - Netherlands collecting society (9% online commission, free to join)
• ASCAP - US-based PRO with global reach
• PRS for Music - UK collecting society
• Browse all PROs - Full directory of performing rights organizations worldwide