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Swings and roundabouts: Swedish music copyrights 1980–2009

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Abstract

For this study, data from the annual reports of the STIM (the Swedish Performing Right Society) (By Swedes it is read as a word: ‘stim’ and not as four separate initials S.T.I.M.) were collected and analysed. If the general hypothesis that a digital technology shift has resulted in illegal downloading holds true, there should be a decrease in total revenues for composers from record sales. This is what the STIM data show. There has, however, been a simultaneous growth in income from other sources, which compensates for the loss from record royalties. This study also includes a unique data set from the STIM showing revenues for individual music IPR owners. The general finding is that a very small group of composers receives a very large share of the copyright revenues. Music as a ‘winner-takes-all’ arena is apparent.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics and Society, School of Business, Economics, and Law, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Staffan Albinsson

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  1. Staffan Albinsson
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Correspondence to Staffan Albinsson.

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 2.

Table 2 Table of royalty payments from STIM 1980–2009, CPI-adjusted (base 2009), 1,000s of SEKs
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Albinsson, S. Swings and roundabouts: Swedish music copyrights 1980–2009. J Cult Econ 37, 175–184 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-012-9176-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-012-9176-4

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