Photo: Kristian Dugstad/TONO
More accurate TONO payments from concerts
TONO is modernizing its tariff for concert organizers to ensure that our members – songwriters, composers, lyricists and music publishers – receive TONO payments from concerts that better reflect the concert economy. The first of three changes came into effect on April 1.
– The most fundamental value creators for Norwegian concert organizers are our members. They are the ones who write the songs and lyrics that are performed on stage. The new tariff gives us a better basis for calculating fair payment to music creators in a more precise and correct way., says Tommy Tangløkken, marketing director at TONO and responsible for the concert area.
Concert organizers will pay 2,5 percent of their gross ticket revenue above approximately NOK 226,000 from April 1, compared to the previous 2 percent. There are no changes for concerts with ticket revenue below this level. On April 1 next year, in 2026, this will be further adjusted up to 3 percent for ticket revenues above approximately NOK 226,000.
– The adjustment is important. It gives songwriters, composers and lyricists a more correct and reasonable share of the values created at the largest concerts. At the same time, this brings the payment to the music creators for the major concerts closer to a more international standard, explains Tangløkken.
In a larger perspective, TONO payments to Norwegian concert organizers represent a small share of their total economy. The renowned analysis company Oslo Economics completed a report for TONO in the summer of 2024It showed that Norwegian concert organizers' total TONO payments in 2022, which amounted to 110 million kroner, only corresponded to 2,6 percent of their total concert revenues of 4,4 billion that year, based on the Directorate of Culture's "Art in Numbers" report.
From 1 January 2027, concert-related subsidies will also be included in the calculation basis. These may be state, municipal or private subsidies directly related to concert activities. Subsidies that are not directly related to concerts are excluded.
To protect smaller players, TONO has also proposed a limit, so that those with annual subsidies of less than 50,000 kroner, which previously only paid the songwriters, composers, lyricists and music publishers based on ticket revenues, will be subject to a limit.
– Many Norwegian concert organizers have both ticket revenue and subsidies as part of their concert-related income. Because this income is generated due to musical works, it is therefore right that the payment to the music creators is made on the basis of all this relevant income, says Tangløkken.
TONO first announced the changes on 28 May 2024. The aim has been to give the event organiser sector plenty of time to adapt. The changes will be introduced over three years, and during this period there has been dialogue and exchange of information between TONO and the event organiser sector – both through meetings, events and written information.
– We have great respect for the important work that concert organizers do, and for the experiences they create for the audience, and concert performances are one of the most important sources of TONO payments for a wide range of our members. The new model helps ensure that their rights are better protected in the future, says Tangløkken.
Concert organizers will still have access to TONO's entire worldwide repertoire in one TONO license.
As a TONO member, do you have any questions about the new concert tariff? Please contact TONO's membership department at medlem@tono.no. (Note, we are closed for Easter, and will be back in the office on April 22nd)