Kongens gate 12 does not come at the expense of payments

Read more: The investment in the TONO house: How, why and for whom? (published June 24, 2026)

TONO is owned and managed by creators (composers and lyricists) and music publishers, and manages the economic copyrights in the music they have created. All values ​​are owned by the same community.

The purpose of the investment in Kongens gate 12 is to manage the TONO community's values ​​in a responsible and good manner, while at the same time ensuring a safe framework for both the business and the TONO members for many years to come.

In addition, we have Kongens gate 12 has created an already widely used and acclaimed gathering place for members and for Norwegian music life. It is needed. It also opens up opportunities to lift the Norwegian music industry into the future.

TONO manages your money safely. As an investment, it provides Kongens gate 12 increased risk diversification, and rental income. The building itself creates value. Both in the form of increased community and new music and economic appreciation.

Finansavisen's representation that TONO has used "artists' money" on a "prestige building" is wrong.

There is a cash flow through TONO, with constant licensing money coming in, and money being paid out four times a year. The money is only paid out when we have received documentation for each song that has been used, so that we know who is going to get the money.

This means that we always have around 500 million NOK available, distributed across funds, banks and real estate.

TONO owned Kongens gate 12 throughout 2025. If we had continued to rent in Møllergata in 2025, we would in principle have had no more money to pay.

Kongens gate 12 is not financed with funds that would otherwise be paid to the licensees. The property is a long-term investment by TONOs total assetsWe also have investments in funds and banks. The financial income from this capital goes to the members.

Kongens gate 12 has, as mentioned, become an important gathering point for TONO members and the Norwegian music scene, following a decision by the members at the annual meeting in 2023. The building houses several music organizations and contains member studios and facilities that have been developed to strengthen the creative music scene and facilitate collaboration and activity across the industry. It is a goal of Kongens gate 12 that value should be created for music creators, music publishers, managers and other apparatus.

Our sister organization, the Swedish STIM, has solved it in the same way. They own both their premises and studios. Other organizations that manage large capital on behalf of several people (such as LO and Blåkors here in Norway) have also chosen to invest part of their funds in real estate to provide security for their members.

It is therefore not correct to present the investment as a burden on the authors' remuneration. The claim is based on a misunderstanding of how TONO's finances and management model work.

Kongens gate 12 is both a long-term investment, for the benefit of the members, and a common house for Norwegian music life. The house is jointly owned by the members and is an investment we can be proud of.

Read also: «The investment in the TONO house: How, why and for whom?«

The story was updated on June 24 at 16:50, when links were added to the article "The investment in the TONO house: How, why and for whom".