Svenska Tonsättares Internationella Musikbyrå

STIM (Svenska Tonsattares Internationella Musikbyra) is a Swedish non-profit membership organization founded in 1923 that licenses the public performance, broadcasting, streaming, and digital use of its members' musical works. It represents 113,181 songwriters, composers, and music publishers, collecting royalties from businesses that play music and distributing them based on usage data. In 2025, STIM collected SEK 3.07 billion ($290 million) in rights revenue and distributed SEK 2.66 billion to rightsholders in Sweden and abroad.

How STIM Works

STIM issues blanket licenses to radio stations, television networks, streaming platforms, concert venues, restaurants, retail stores, gyms, cinemas, and any business that plays music publicly in Sweden. License fees are collected and distributed to members based on performance data gathered from broadcast logs, TV cue sheets, streaming usage reports, and live concert set lists.

STIM operates as an economic association owned by its members. Membership is free for songwriters, composers, and publishers. In 2025, 3,529 new authors and 93 new publishers joined, bringing total membership to 113,181. Of these, 78,134 received compensation during the year. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors elected by members at the Annual General Meeting.

In 2025, STIM reached a historic milestone when domestic license revenues exceeded SEK 1 billion for the first time, totaling SEK 1.14 billion. This was driven by a strong live music year, higher market coverage, and a more data-driven approach to licensing and customer relations. Total rights revenue was SEK 3.07 billion, with over 50% coming from abroad, reflecting the global strength of Swedish music exports. Sweden is the EU's only net exporter of music.

Revenue breakdown for 2025 shows live music generated SEK 181.9 million (up from SEK 138.5 million in 2024), including SEK 172 million from concerts and festivals. Background music (shops, restaurants, hotels, gyms, workplaces) generated SEK 252.6 million. Radio brought in SEK 103.5 million, television SEK 153.5 million, and online interactive services SEK 449.97 million. Revenue via other collective management organizations totaled SEK 1.09 billion.

STIM distributed SEK 2.66 billion to rightsholders in 2025. Operating expenses were SEK 338.1 million, with group profit totaling SEK 24.8 million. The STIM sphere also includes Skap (the Swedish association of songwriters, composers, and lyricists), FST (the Society of Swedish Composers), and Musikforlaggarna (the Swedish Music Publishers' Association).

STIM operates the Stim Music Room, a free creative workspace in Stockholm for affiliated songwriters and composers, offering studio time and a co-working area. The organization has also taken a public position on AI-generated music, supporting human creativity and monitoring legal developments to adapt to the future of music and copyright.

Real-World Example

A Swedish songwriter joins STIM for free and registers 20 songs. A Stockholm radio station plays 10 of those songs in a given quarter, Spotify reports 500,000 streams of 15 songs, and a concert venue holds a STIM license for a live performance. STIM collects royalties from all three sources.

The songwriter receives a distribution based on the radio airplay logs, streaming usage data, and the venue's license fee. If the same songs are played on radio in the United States, STIM's reciprocal agreement with ASCAP and BMI means those PROs collect the royalties and remit them to STIM, which distributes them to the songwriter.

With STIM's 2025 distribution of SEK 2.66 billion across 113,181 members, a songwriter with 20 registered songs receiving regular airplay on Swedish radio and significant streaming activity might earn anywhere from SEK 5,000 to SEK 500,000 or more annually, depending on the scale of usage. A songwriter whose music streams globally can earn substantially more, since over 50% of STIM's revenue comes from international sources.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Swedish songwriter, composer, or publisher, STIM membership is free and provides the only practical way to collect performance royalties when your music is played publicly in Sweden. Without it, you are not collecting royalties from radio, TV, streaming platforms, live venues, or businesses that play your music.

Register every composition with STIM before commercial release. Unregistered works earn zero royalties, even if they receive millions of streams. Submit accurate metadata including ISRC codes, ISWC numbers, and split sheets to ensure proper matching and payment.

Sweden's position as the EU's only net exporter of music means Swedish creators benefit disproportionately from STIM's international collection network. Over 50% of STIM's SEK 3.07 billion in 2025 revenue came from abroad. If your music streams on global platforms, STIM's reciprocal agreements with foreign societies ensure those royalties flow back to you.

STIM's 2025 record domestic revenue of SEK 1.14 billion reflects a growing Swedish music market, particularly in live performance. The SEK 181.9 million in live music revenue (up 31% from 2024) means gigging musicians who register their set lists with STIM can earn meaningful supplementary income from live performance royalties.

Take advantage of STIM's free resources. The Stim Music Room in Stockholm offers free studio time and co-working space to affiliated creators. STIM also provides scholarships and grants through its support programs. These benefits go beyond royalty collection and can directly support your creative work.

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