União Brasileira de Compositores

UBC (União Brasileira de Compositores, or Brazilian Composers Union) is Brazil's oldest collective management organization, founded in 1942 and headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. It administers performance and mechanical rights for composers, authors, music publishers, interpreters, musicians, and phonographic producers. UBC represents over 30,000 Brazilian rightsholders and 212,529 international rightsholders, operating through Brazil's central collection system ECAD.

How UBC Works

UBC does not collect royalties directly from music users. Instead, ECAD (Escritório Central de Arrecadação e Distribuição, created in 1973) serves as the central collection agency for all Brazilian collective management societies. ECAD collects license fees from radio stations, television networks, streaming services, concert venues, restaurants, retail stores, bars, gyms, and any business that plays music publicly in Brazil. The collected funds are then distributed to the individual CMOs, including UBC, which in turn distribute to their members.

In 2024, ECAD collected a record 1.83 billion BRL (up 12% from 2023). Of the 1.483 billion BRL distributed by all CMOs in the ECAD system, UBC alone accounted for nearly 925 million BRL, representing over 62% of the total. That marked a 17% jump in UBC's distributions compared to 2023. UBC distributed 769.2 million BRL in copyright royalties (for composers and publishers) and 145.5 million BRL in neighboring rights (for performers and record producers). Royalties collected abroad for UBC members reached 9.76 million BRL.

In 2025, ECAD collected 2.1 billion BRL (up 15% from 2024) and distributed 1.7 billion BRL (up 10%) to over 345,000 composers, interpreters, musicians, publishers, and phonographic producers. The average distribution was BRL 4,600 per rightsholder, up 8.8% from 2024. National repertoire accounted for 78% of distributed values. Digital services led ECAD's collection segments for the first time in 2024, with 6.6 trillion executions identified on digital platforms. The registered works database reached 24.8 million in 2024, up 18% from 2023.

Brazil's royalty distribution follows a specific split: 10% goes to ECAD for collection costs, 5% goes to the CMOs for administration, and 85% goes to rightsholders (songwriters, publishers, singers, performing musicians, and executive producers). Of that 85%, two-thirds goes to publishing (songwriters and publishers) according to split shares registered in the ISRC metadata.

UBC released 121.6 million BRL in previously withheld credits in 2024, benefiting thousands of rightsholders. The organization invests in technology and documentation validation to ensure only rightful owners can register works and collect royalties. UBC has honored Brazilian composers through the UBC Award since 2017, with winners including Gilberto Gil (2017), Erasmo Carlos (2018), and Milton Nascimento (2019).

Real-World Example

A Brazilian songwriter joins UBC and registers 20 songs. A São Paulo radio station plays 10 of those songs in rotation, Spotify reports 2 million streams, and a Rio de Janeiro concert venue features 5 songs in its set list. ECAD collects royalties from all three sources on behalf of UBC.

ECAD distributes the collected funds to UBC, which then distributes to the songwriter based on airplay logs, streaming data, and concert set lists. If the same songs are played on streaming platforms in Portugal, UBC's partnership with SPA (Sociedade Portuguesa de Autores) means SPA collects those royalties and remits them to UBC through the international network.

With the ECAD distribution split, if BRL 10,000 is collected for a songwriter's works, approximately BRL 8,500 goes to rightsholders and BRL 1,500 covers ECAD and CMO administrative costs. Of the BRL 8,500, roughly two-thirds (about BRL 5,667) goes to the songwriter and publisher split. A Brazilian songwriter with 50 songs receiving regular airplay and significant streaming activity might earn anywhere from BRL 10,000 to BRL 300,000 or more annually, depending on usage scale.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Brazilian songwriter, composer, author, or publisher, UBC is the largest CMO in Brazil's ECAD system, handling over 62% of all royalty distributions. Membership is open to creators and publishers. You can join UBC online through their website.

Register every composition with UBC 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. UBC's documentation validation process ensures only rightful owners can register works, so provide complete and accurate information.

Brazil's system is unique because ECAD centralizes collection while individual CMOs handle distribution. This means you join a specific CMO like UBC, but ECAD handles the actual collection from music users. You do not need to contact ECAD directly for membership. Your CMO handles your relationship with ECAD.

Digital services became the largest collection segment in Brazil in 2024, with 6.6 trillion executions tracked on digital platforms. Ensure your works are properly registered with ISRC codes so streaming usage is matched and you receive your share of this growing revenue stream.

If your music is played internationally, UBC's partnerships with 212,529 international rightsholders and foreign societies mean those royalties flow back to you. Register your works so international performances are tracked. The 9.76 million BRL collected abroad for UBC members in 2024 demonstrates the global reach of Brazilian music.

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