SACEM is France's performing and mechanical rights society, one of the oldest and most active collecting organisations in the world. UK artists registered with PRS for Music collect French royalties through the PRS-SACEM reciprocal agreement without needing to join SACEM separately.
What SACEM is
SACEM (Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique — Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music) is France's national music rights collecting society. It handles performing rights, mechanical rights, and certain other rights categories for musical works. Founded in 1851, SACEM is one of the oldest collecting societies in the world and is notable for its comprehensive licensing coverage across France and its overseas territories, its aggressive licensing enforcement, and its relatively high distribution rates compared to some other collecting societies. France takes intellectual property rights seriously at a legislative level, and SACEM benefits from a strong legal framework that supports comprehensive royalty collection.
How UK artists collect French royalties through PRS
PRS for Music has a reciprocal agreement with SACEM. When music by UK PRS members is performed or broadcast in France — on radio, television, in licensed venues, or on French streaming services — SACEM collects the royalties and passes the UK artists' share to PRS for distribution. UK artists do not need to join SACEM separately. The effectiveness of this collection depends on works being correctly registered with PRS, including full co-writer details, publisher information, and ISWC codes that allow SACEM's systems to match broadcast data to the correct works. French broadcasters, including Radio France's extensive network of national and regional stations, generate significant royalties for international repertoire that is played in France.
SACEM and French cultural policy — quotas and implications
France maintains a legal requirement (the "quotas culturelles" or "radio quotas") that French radio stations play a minimum proportion of French- language music. This policy, introduced in 1994, means that a significant portion of French radio airtime is reserved for French repertoire — which directly affects the royalties available to international artists. For UK artists, this means that French radio royalties are smaller than they might be in a quota-free market, concentrated on the non-quota airtime. However, France is a large market with a highly engaged music-listening population, and French streaming platforms, television, and live performance venues generate royalties without the quota restriction.
French neighbouring rights — SCPP and ADAMI
France separates neighbouring rights between two organisations. SCPP (Société Civile des Producteurs Phonographiques) collects neighbouring rights for record labels (owners of masters). ADAMI and SPEDIDAM collect for performers. PPL has reciprocal arrangements that should route French neighbouring rights income to UK-registered labels and performers. UK artists with PPL membership should check their PPL statements for French distributions, which will typically appear under the relevant reciprocal society code. The French neighbouring rights framework is one of the more comprehensive in Europe, particularly for broadcast use, so artists with French radio or television airplay should be generating meaningful PPL income from France.
SACEM and the French overseas territories
SACEM's jurisdiction extends to France's overseas territories and departments, including Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Mayotte, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and others. For UK artists whose music is played in these territories — particularly artists with Caribbean music who may have significant airplay in the French Caribbean — SACEM collects royalties from these territories as part of its overall France distributions. This can be a meaningful source of income for soca, zouk, and other Caribbean-influenced artists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to join SACEM as a UK artist?
No. UK PRS members do not need to join SACEM. The PRS-SACEM reciprocal agreement covers French performance and mechanical royalties for PRS members. Joining SACEM directly as a foreign national would conflict with your PRS membership and is not the correct approach for UK artists.
Does SACEM collect streaming royalties from French platforms?
Yes. SACEM licenses and collects from streaming platforms operating in France, including Spotify France, Apple Music France, Deezer (which is a French company), and others. Streaming royalties from France flow through the SACEM-PRS reciprocal agreement to your PRS account.
How long does it take to receive French royalties through PRS?
International royalties through reciprocal agreements typically take 12 to 24 months from the date of the original usage. French royalties are generally within this range, with PRS distributing SACEM income on its regular quarterly distribution schedule.
What is Deezer and does it generate French royalties?
Deezer is a Paris-based music streaming platform with a strong French user base and significant presence in francophone markets. Streaming on Deezer generates the same publishing royalty streams as Spotify or Apple Music — performance royalties collected by SACEM for French users, and mechanical royalties through the applicable licensing framework. UK artists distributed to Deezer should see French royalties reflected in their PRS statements.
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