Wahana Musik Indonesia (WAMI) has officially started the first period of royalty distribution in 2026 on Thursday, March 12.
The Collective Management Institution (LMK) which oversees more than 6,000 music creators and publishers recorded a sharp decline in distribution value compared to the previous year.
Based on the press release received by VOI, WAMI disbursed royalties of IDR 29 billion in this period. This figure is free-fall compared to the same period last year, where it managed to distribute funds up to IDR 94 billion to members.
The decline in the distribution value is the result of the transition period of regulation. The royalties distributed this time include the use of works in the period from August to December 2025. During this period, funds are collected by the National Collective Management Agency (LMKN) in accordance with the mandate of the Minister of Law Regulation (Permenkum) Number 27 of 2025. This new regulation places LMKN as the single door for the management of song use licenses.
In its mechanism, all royalties are first collected by LMKN before being channeled to LMKs such as WAMI. Unfortunately, the process of adapting this system has an impact on weakening the flow of funds into the hands of song creators.
WAMI explained that the period from August to December 2025 was a complex adjustment period, ranging from licensing mechanisms, implementation of fund transfers, to data verification processes that took a long time.
The main obstacle lies in the verification process. According to the rules, LMK is only allowed to distribute royalties that have been fully verified by LMKN. Meanwhile, royalties that have not been validated are forced to be withheld, which ultimately cuts the distribution value drastically in this period.
WAMI emphasized that distribution was still carried out based on the principle of data accuracy and fairness for all members, both from the digital sector, non-digital, and overseas use.
Although this time the number is disappointing, WAMI is committed that the use of works whose data is only validated after this period will be taken into account in the next distribution schedule.
WAMI also maintains its commitment to ensuring that members' royalty rights are protected, that the distribution process is transparent, and that all royalty data is accurately verified before being distributed.
Distribution reports will be sent to royalty recipients according to the schedule that has been set, and the process of transferring funds will be carried out after the official report is published.
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