TONO and Gramo coordinate rights management for background music

Over 16,000 businesses are already customers of both TONO and Gramo, and from September 1, they will only need to deal with one player when all customer follow-up, invoicing and guidance are combined into one common function at TONO. From January 1, 2026, customers will also receive one common invoice from both organizations.

– This is efficient and simplifying, both for us who manage rights in the music industry and for businesses that create added value for their customers through the legal use of the music that TONO and Gramo manage. By coordinating our services, we simplify everyday life for users and reduce costs in both organizations. The collaboration also enables a more future-oriented collection of royalty income for both music creators, music publishers, producers, artists and musicians, says CEO of TONO, Karl Vestli.

– Gramo and TONO represent different rights holders in the music industry, but we have common customers where businesses use recorded music in public places, such as restaurants, shops, hotels, fitness centers and hair salons. We are now taking a big and important step to simplify and streamline everyday life, both for our common customers and for our two organizations. It is important for both TONO and Gramo to provide innovative and cost-effective solutions, so that we can strengthen the quality of our work. The collaboration provides clear benefits both for the parts of the music industry that we represent and for our customers, says General Manager of Gramo, Kim Skarning Andersen.

Collective efforts will lead to shared growth

TONO and Gramo have been in dialogue for many years about closer cooperation. Norway is one of the few remaining countries in Europe where services related to the use of recorded music in public places have not been coordinated between companies such as TONO and Gramo.

The new initiative establishes a single joint function within TONO, which will handle sales, customer service, invoicing and follow-up for both organizations. The goal is significant simplification, increased revenues and more effective marketing efforts that highlight the value of legal and easy use of music.

– Gramo and TONO both have the goal of increasing revenue from the background music area. The fact that we are now establishing a joint venture is a move that will contribute concretely to us achieving that goal, says Kim Skarning Andersen.

– TONO is investing in new digital tools and automation that will streamline the entire process, from case processing to payment and control. We are organizing a new department in TONO, where we will also bring on four employees from Gramo. The new environment will be a specialized team with great expertise in the area, which will facilitate growth and value creation in the years ahead, says Karl Vestli.

Among those who will become part of the new organization in TONO are two field consultants, who visit businesses across the country, provide guidance to new and existing customers and enter into agreements with businesses that use recorded music.

Still different areas of rights and prices

Even though TONO and Gramo are now establishing joint services at TONO, Gramo will still retain ownership of its own rights areas, set its own prices and continue to be responsible for the distribution and payment of remuneration and fees to its own rights holders and the Fund for Performing Artists.

About TONO

TONO was founded in 1928 and is a non-profit cooperative owned and controlled by composers, lyricists and music publishers. TONO manages economic rights in musical works and grants licenses for public use against payment. TONO represents over 43,000 Norwegian members and millions of authors from around the world through agreements with sister companies. TONO's vision is to create value for everyone who creates and uses music. TONO's distributable profit in 2024 was NOK 848.8 million.

About Gramo

Gramo is a non-profit membership association, founded in 1989, and its purpose is to monitor, promote and collectively manage the economic related rights of producers of sound recordings and performing artists, in accordance with Section 21 of the Copyright Act. Gramo also collects fees on behalf of the Fund for Performing Artists. Gramo has 52,000 members and the profit for distribution in 2024 was NOK 221.9 million.

For more information:

Kim Skarning Andersen, CEO of Gramo
kimskarning.andersen(at)gramo.no
phone 908 58 000

Karl Vestli, CEO of TONO
karl.vestli(at)tono.no
phone 932 56 020

Rita Mamelund, Communications Manager at Gramo
rita.mamelund(at)gramo.no
phone 907 82 954

Willy Martinsen, Communications Director at TONO
willy.martinsen(at)tono.no
phone 909 65 254