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Yearcompared withAny of 8 years, 2017 to 2024

Music royalties in Zimbabwe: what ZIMURA collects and pays out

The Zimbabwe Music Rights Association licenses the playing of music and pays the royalties to its members. Its audited accounts, 2017 to 2024, read year by year: what came in, what running it cost, and who the rest went to. In 2024 collections were down 24.9% on 2023; running costs took 64% of them and 36% reached members.

US$1.6mcollected in 2024, down 24.9% on 2023
64%went on running it
36%reached members

How much of each dollar reached members

35.9% of income left for members in 2024, down 40.5% on 2023.

How much of each dollar reached members, year by year

ZIMURA, 2017 to 2024, of 8 on record.

35.9% in 2024, against 56.4% in 2017.It was highest in 2020 at 73.7% and lowest in 2024 at 35.9%. ZIMURA's own site puts administration at 30% of collections and members' royalties at 70%. The accounts give the share year by year; in 2024 running costs took 64%.
The figures behind itDownload CSV
YearReached members
202435.94%
202360.43%
202271.24%
202170.89%
202073.67%

What came in and where it went, in US dollars

US$ 1.6 million collected in 2024, down 24.9% on 2023. Surplus to members is the largest part of it, 35.9 of every 100.

What came in and where it went, in US dollars, year by year

ZIMURA, 2017 to 2024, of 4 on record.

Up 54% between 2017 and 2024, from US$ 1.1 million to US$ 1.6 million.Surplus to members is the largest part in 2024, 36 of every 100, followed by Staff at 35 and Administration at 21. Surplus to members held 56 of every 100 in 2017. The highest was 2023, at US$ 2.2 million. 2019 to 2022 were kept in ZWL$ and sit in their own section. 2023 is as its own statement prints it; the 2024 accounts restate it, income 1,947,570 and a surplus of 941,379.

The 2024 total, part by part

US$ 1.6 million collected

  • Staff35%
  • Administration21%
  • Premises and operations7.7%
  • Surplus to members36%
Out of every US$ 100 in 2024, US$ 36 is Surplus to members.Staff is next at 35 of every 100, then Administration at 21.
The figures behind itDownload CSV
YearStaffAdministrationPremises and operationsOther expensesSurplus to membersTotal
2024575,756348,613125,889589,3611,639,620
2023547,934267,25844,5201,319,5362,183,571
2018166,552244,35222,25033,764717,6761,184,594
2017162,349218,62821,60762,042601,4721,066,098

Broadcasting royalties by the station the music played on, in US dollars

US$ 96,100 in local broadcasting royalties in 2024, up 23.3% on 2017. Star FM is the largest part of it, 35.2 of every 100.

Broadcasting royalties by the station the music played on, in US dollars, year by year

ZIMURA, 2017 to 2024, of 2 on record.

Up 23% between 2017 and 2024, from US$ 77,951 to US$ 96,100.Star FM is the largest part in 2024, 35 of every 100, followed by ZBC at 27 and 3Ktv at 6.8. Every other station makes up the remaining 9.4. Star FM held 6.1 of every 100 in 2017. A year is drawn only where its statement lists the stations and they add up to the local broadcasting royalties above them.

The 2024 total, part by part

US$ 96,100 in local broadcasting royalties

  • Star FM35%
  • ZBC27%
  • 3Ktv6.8%
  • ZiFM5.9%
  • Diamond FM5.2%
  • Fairtalk Com3.2%
  • 98.4 FM3.0%
  • Hevoi FM2.6%
  • Pachikomo2.0%
  • Every other station9.4%
Out of every US$ 100 in 2024, US$ 35 is Star FM.ZBC is next at 27 of every 100, then 3Ktv at 6.8. Every other station makes up the remaining 9.4.
The figures behind itDownload CSV
YearStar FMZBC3KtvZiFMDiamond FMFairtalk Com98.4 FMHevoi FMPachikomoEvery other stationTotal
202433,80325,6716,5035,6815,0423,0582,9172,4891,8949,04296,100
20174,73551,11922,097077,951

The same, in the old dollar

ZWL$ 1.00 billion collected in 2022, up 612.4% on 2021. Surplus to members is the largest part of it, 71.2 of every 100.

The same, in the old dollar, year by year

ZIMURA, 2019 to 2022, of 4 on record.

Up 20915% between 2019 and 2022, from ZWL$ 4.8 million to ZWL$ 1.00 billion.Surplus to members is the largest part in 2022, 71 of every 100, followed by Staff at 17 and Administration at 8.4. Not itemised makes up the remaining 3.0. The ZWL$ lost three orders of magnitude between 2019 and 2022, so the early bars are thin against 2022; the share section reads those years on one footing.

The 2022 total, part by part

ZWL$ 1.00 billion collected

  • Staff17%
  • Administration8.4%
  • Premises and operations0.5%
  • Surplus to members71%
  • Not itemised3.0%
Out of every ZWL$ 100 in 2022, ZWL$ 71 is Surplus to members.Staff is next at 17 of every 100, then Administration at 8.4. Not itemised makes up the remaining 3.0.
The figures behind itDownload CSV
YearStaffAdministrationPremises and operationsOther expensesSurplus to membersNot itemisedTotal
2022169,191,04883,952,6984,615,053712,934,61730,002,2081,000,695,624
202119,922,10017,711,960765,4242,494,87499,569,3150140,463,673
20203,102,6806,063,433232,464968,32329,013,378039,380,278
2019539,124818,77028,72330,2113,345,09304,761,921

Questions people ask

How much of what ZIMURA collects reaches the musicians?

35.9% of income left for members in 2024, down 40.5% on 2023.

How much does ZIMURA collect in a year?

US$ 1.6 million collected in 2024, down 24.9% on 2023. Surplus to members is the largest part of it, 35.9 of every 100.

Where do the royalties go?

US$ 598,582 shared out in 2024, down 54.6% on 2023. Local royalties is the largest part of it, 60.8 of every 100.

Which station's airplay pays musicians the most?

US$ 96,100 in local broadcasting royalties in 2024, up 23.3% on 2017. Star FM is the largest part of it, 35.2 of every 100.

What did ZIMURA collect before the currency changed?

ZWL$ 1.00 billion collected in 2022, up 612.4% on 2021. Surplus to members is the largest part of it, 71.2 of every 100.

Where did the royalties go before the currency changed?

ZWL$ 712.9 million shared out in 2022, up 616.0% on 2021. Local royalties is the largest part of it, 79.7 of every 100.

What share of collections goes on running ZIMURA?

ZIMURA's site puts administration at 30% of collections, with 70% paid to members. In the audited accounts, running costs took 64% in 2024, 40% in 2023, and between 26% and 64% across the 8 years on record.

Why do the years switch currency?

The statements are expressed in whatever currency the association kept its books in: US$ from 2017, ZWL$ from 2019. A ZWL$ year is not comparable with a US$ year, so the US$ years share one axis and the ZWL$ years another.

Read from the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association, the audited financial statements, 2017 to 2024. Every source we read

The law it works under

Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act135 sections, each with its own linkAgreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights73 Articles, each with its own linkZIMURA membership rules and regulations18 rules, each with its own link