SoundExchange, UAE’s MusicNation Ink Reciprocal Agreement

With an eye on “developing a globally connected rights management framework for the UAE,” MusicNation Copyrights Management has officially inked a reciprocal agreement with SoundExchange.

SoundExchange and MusicNation, the United Arab Emirates’ newly minted CMO, announced their expanded tie-up in a brief release that was emailed to DMN. On the “expanded” front, upon formally launching 11 months back, MusicNation identified SoundExchange as its neighboring rights admin provider.

(And before that, BMI and MusicNation in 2023 started developing a public performance and mechanicals infrastructure.)

Now, the entities have taken their partnership to the next level, and execs on both sides of the deal are touting the bolstered pact as a means of unlocking additional revenue for artists and labels.

“This groundbreaking reciprocal agreement with Music Nation will open a new revenue stream for SoundExchange artists and rights owners whose music is played in the UAE while ensuring Emirati creators are compensated when their music is played in the United States,” noted SoundExchange head Michael Huppe.

“It also enables SoundExchange to seamlessly provide these services for some of its partner CMOs around the world, who have the option of collecting UAE royalties through their existing agreements with SoundExchange,” he concluded.

And in remarks of her own, MusicNation chair Rasha Khalifa Al Mubarak touched on the deal’s bigger-picture significance as the UAE (and other nations in the region) targets creative-sector expansions.

“Music is one of the most powerful expressions of identity, culture, and human artistry,” she said. “As the UAE continues to develop and attract foreign investment into its creative economy, we have a responsibility to build the systems that ensure artists and rights holders are respected, and that musical IP is protected and fairly compensated to global standards.

“This agreement with SoundExchange represents a national and industry milestone, advancing MusicNation’s mission to create a transparent, globally connected music rights ecosystem in the UAE and strengthens the foundation for a more sustainable creative future for our region,” the Naiy Production House founder and Music City UAE chair finished.

According to regional reports, MusicNation as well as the non-profit Emirates Arts & Music Rights Association (EMRA), which earlier this year partnered with SACEM, are set to begin collecting public performance royalties in December.

Furthermore, the rights buildout is coinciding with investments in music and the wider entertainment space – including nearly $500 million in fresh funding for Warner Music-partnered FIVE Holdings, a forthcoming Sphere in Abu Dhabi, and the debut of MENA-focused catalog investor IPNation, to name a few examples.