– TONO has had an invaluable impact on Norwegian composers, songwriters and music publishers throughout its 85 years. TONO facilitates the use of music in Norwegian society, and ensures that authors are fairly paid for the use of their works. In this way, TONO has stimulated the creation of ever-new music, to the delight of the entire society. I congratulate TONO, all Norwegian authors and the Norwegian people on TONO's 85th anniversary.
The quote belongs to former Minister of Culture Thorhild Widvey, and was a greeting to TONO when we celebrated our 85th anniversary in January 2014. Strictly speaking, the day itself was a few months earlier. TONO was established on November 27, 1928, and for many years was called “The Norwegian Composers’ Association’s International Music Agency – TONO”.
Why was TONO created back in 1928? "Why not?" is the answer in the anniversary book "TONO, protecting music for 50 years" (1978).
According to the book, it was in the air. The Norwegian Broadcasting Company A/S had been established with the radio as a medium for transmitting music, and new draft laws were preparing what would become the Copyright Act of 1930. On December 12, the Norwegian Broadcasting Company received a letter informing it that TONO had taken over the representation of both Norwegian and foreign composers in "more than 15 cultural countries."
On April 6, 1929, the first agreement between TONO and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation was signed.
Since 1928, TONO has played a central role in Norwegian music and cultural life. Through agreements with TONO, broadcasters, media companies, concert organizers, hairdressers, shopping centers, streaming services in music and film, etc. have had the pleasure of being able to communicate a world repertoire of music to the Norwegian people for almost a hundred years. In 2026, TONO has tens of thousands of customers and more than 46,000 members. In 2025, we paid out NOK 715 million to music creators and publishers worldwide based on documented music use.
Thus, TONO has become a small popular movement of composers, songwriters, lyricists and music publishers.