Music Nation partners with Soundexchange to collect and distribute neighboring rights in the UAE

27 March 2025 - Press release

The deal builds on Music Nation’s best-in-class tools, technology and industry partnership with Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) to create the first-ever collective management organization with a single royalty solution

Music Nation Copyrights Management (Music Nation), a pioneer in music rights management in the United Arab Emirates, announces a ground-breaking partnership with SoundExchange, the recording industry’s top digital global collective management organization, to enable the collection and distribution of neighboring rights in the UAE.

Under the agreement, Music Nation will leverage SoundExchange’s technology, data and extensive industry experience to collect neighboring rights, the royalties paid to sound recording owners, producers and recording artists for the public performance of their music.

With best-in-class tools, technology and industry partnerships, Music Nation will provide music rightsholders with the industry’s first rights management organization capable of offering a single solution for collecting performance, mechanical and neighboring rights.

Rasha Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairwoman of Music Nation, said, “We are thrilled to partner with SoundExchange to begin collecting neighboring rights on behalf of our affiliates. This partnership marks a significant milestone for recording artists and sound recording rights holders in the UAE and globally. By comprehensively and accurately collecting and distributing neighboring rights royalties, Music Nation will help ensure the continued growth of the region’s vibrant music ecosystem.”

Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange, said, “We are honored to put our extensive neighboring rights management experience and state of the art systems to work in the UAE. Our in-depth administration expertise, proven record on rate settings, and premiere distribution processes for international creators will provide capabilities to propel the emerging UAE market. SoundExchange is proud to partner with Music Nation on this exciting project, and to help the Emirati creator community realize the true power and value of their music.” 

Combined with Music Nation’s previously announced partnership with BMI, the largest performing rights organization in the world, Music Nation will ensure local and international songwriters, composers, publishers, record labels, performing artists, producers and other rightsholders are fully compensated for the use of their work in the UAE. The scale of that opportunity only continues to expand, with the IFPI reporting that global recorded music revenue in 2024 experienced a remarkable growth for a tenth consecutive year, including a 22.8% increase in MENA, the fastest growing region in the world.