SOKOJ (Organisation of Music Authors of Serbia)

SOKOJ (Organisation of Music Authors of Serbia) is Serbia's non-profit collective management organization for music authors, founded in 1950 and headquartered in Belgrade. It represents over 12,000 domestic songwriters, composers, lyricists, arrangers, and music publishers, and manages rights for more than 4.5 million foreign authors through reciprocal agreements with copyright societies worldwide. SOKOJ licenses public performance, broadcasting, reproduction, and mechanical rights for musical works of all genres.

How SOKOJ Works

SOKOJ issues licenses to radio stations, television networks, streaming services, live concert venues, restaurants, retail stores, and any business that uses music publicly in Serbia. License fees are collected and distributed to rights holders based on usage data from broadcast logs, streaming reports, concert set lists, and sales reports.

SOKOJ distributes royalties on an annual cycle. Domestic royalties (from broadcasting, concerts, physical media sales, and other sources) are paid in May or June of the following year, after the Assembly approves annual reports. The exact payment date for each year is announced on the SOKOJ Member Portal. Individual calculations are provided to authors, who have 60 days to submit complaints from the date of receipt.

Foreign royalties are paid after the relevant foreign CMO completes its calculation processing. SOKOJ distributes these based on usage data supplied by the foreign organization and the full income received. The fees collected and distributed by foreign organizations are subject to the laws and practices of the country of collection.

SOKOJ operates under a license from the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia and is the only entity in Serbia authorized to collectively exercise the rights of all authors and copyright holders in musical works, regardless of whether they have a contract with SOKOJ. Authors who do not wish to be part of the collective system must explicitly opt out.

The organization is a member of CISAC since 1956 and follows CISAC standards for documentation, distribution, and data management. SOKOJ also implements a Quality Management System certified under ISO 9001:2015 and an Information Security Management System compliant with ISO/IEC 27001:2013.

SOKOJ published its 2025 Annual Report, and in 2026 the organization participated in the Internet Dialogue 2026 conference and attended the CISAC General Assembly in Paris, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the international confederation.

Real-World Example

A Serbian songwriter joins SOKOJ and registers 15 songs. A Belgrade radio station plays 8 of those songs in regular rotation, a streaming service reports 300,000 streams, and a live concert at a Belgrade venue features 5 of the songs in its set list.

SOKOJ collects royalties from all three sources. The radio royalties are allocated based on airplay logs. The streaming royalties are allocated based on stream counts reported by the digital service. 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 Germany, SOKOJ's reciprocal agreement with GEMA means GEMA collects those royalties and remits them to SOKOJ, which pays the songwriter after completing the foreign CMO's calculation processing. The songwriter can also report international usage directly to SOKOJ using the Application form for the use of musical works abroad, sent to international@sokoj.rs.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Serbian songwriter, composer, lyricist, or publisher, SOKOJ is the dominant collective management organization in Serbia. You do not need a contract with SOKOJ to have your rights exercised, since SOKOJ is authorized by law to collectively manage rights for all music authors in Serbia unless they explicitly opt out. However, signing a contract with SOKOJ registers you in the international database of authors so that foreign CMOs can identify you and collect royalties for your works used abroad.

Register every composition with SOKOJ before commercial release. The deadline for registering works for royalty payments is 60 days from the end of the accounting period. Submit accurate metadata including ISRC codes, ISWC numbers, and split sheets. Incomplete documentation will not be used as a basis for distribution until all required data is provided.

If your music is performed internationally, report that usage to SOKOJ using the international usage application form. SOKOJ's reciprocal agreements with foreign societies mean your music earns royalties globally, but you must ensure your works are registered so international performances are tracked.

SOKOJ's membership in CISAC since 1956 connects Serbian creators to a network of 230 societies across 121 countries. This global reach is particularly relevant for Serbian artists whose music crosses borders, including Balkan pop, folk, and electronic music with growing international audiences.

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