Since 2018, More Than 95% of Songwriters, Producers, and Creators in Africa Are Unpublished, With This Number Increasing As The Continent Goes Digital
Highvibes, the simplified music distribution and music rights management platform, has partnered with Songtrust to power its music publishing administration service. This partnership with Songtrust, the world's largest technology solution for global music publishing royalty collection and administration, establishes Highvibes as a multi-tiered option for music rights holders in Africa needing royalty collection on the recording side and now publishing as well.
According to CISAC, music collections in Africa have grown more than 35% over the past five years, only second to USA/Canada which had a 65.2% growth rate over the same period. As Africa rapidly digitizes over the next ten years, and its digital rights infrastructure begins to match that of other continents, music industry experts in Africa and around the world expect to see a quick and continued increase in music royalty collections.
In November 2019, Highvibes conducted a music publishing survey at the biggest showcasing and networking event in Africa, Music In Africa Conference for Collaboration, finding that 95% of songwriters, producers, and creators in Africa have been unpublished since 2018. The company’s music publishing offering now powered by Songtrust enables them to offer global royalty collection to these creators and not leave money on the table. Highvibes, which was founded in 2019, has already distributed more than 1MM songs from over 100,000 artists who live across 32 countries. The company makes money through retaining 10% of royalties generated by artists and songwriters who use its platform.
Providing a professional distribution service to clients across the continent, here are a few words from artists that Highvibes works with:
- “Highvibes’ dedication and guidance for content owners and songwriters is superb, and together we are reaching greater heights.” - Mix Master Garzy | Ghana
- “Highvibes helped me achieve goals I thought were impossible before I started working with them." - Okal | Nigeria
- “Royalty collection has been simplified for us by Highvibes, and we can now focus solely on developing our artists.” - Dr. Maringa, the CEO of Africa Unite | South Africa
“Africa is the largest market yet to be tapped into, with an immediate need for stabilization and structuring of digital music distribution across Africa, especially when it comes to publishing administration,” said Highvibes Founder and CEO, Gbolahan Mathias. “Our partnership with Songtrust provides us the ability to publish countless African music rights holders for years to come, which has been estimated to exceed more than one million by 2030.”
In this partnership with Songtrust, all songwriters, producers, and creators in Africa who distribute music through Highvibes, will be able to collect their publishing royalties not only in Africa, but from Songtrust’s entire global royalty collection network which exceeds more than 215 countries and territories. Songtrust, who represents more than 300,000 songwriters around the world and more than 2,000,000 songs, experienced a record year in 2019 and continues to build on that record growth in 2020.
“It’s inspiring to see how Highvibes has devoted itself to helping and educating songwriters, artists, and producers across Africa on the importance of protecting their intellectual property, and appreciating its financial value,” said Mandy Aubry, Songtrust’s Director of Business Development for EMEA and APAC, who led the partnership. “Songtrust’s mission is to build a more equitable music ecosystem, and global partnerships like this are another step in the right direction.”
With new content from Africa making waves on the digital stores through business ventures, collaboration, features and investments, the world now looks to East Africa, North Africa and especially West Africa to start doing the right things to ease the transition and digital transformation of Africa.
About HiGHViBES
Highvibes is a 100% independent online music distributor and publisher founded by Caleb Dorgbley and Ogunade Gbolahan in February 2019. Its mission is to serve as the easiest tool for artists across Africa to get their songs on the world's leading digital services, like iTunes and Spotify. With offices across Ghana and Nigeria, Highvibes is helping artists to reach and connect with a global audience. For more information, visit their website at highvibesdistribution.com.
If you have any questions about this partnership, music publishing in general, or about Songtrust, reach out to our team.
