About us
Gramo makes sure that artists, musicians and record labels get paid when recorded music is played in public, for example on radio and TV, or as background music in shops, restaurants, hotels, gyms, workplaces and other public spaces.
What is Gramo?
Gramo was founded on 7 June 1989 by member organisations for performers and producers.
Gramo is a collective management organisation. This means that Gramo manages rights on behalf of its members and other rights holders, and handles the collection and distribution of remuneration collectively.
- Approved by the Ministry of Culture and Equality as a collecting and distributing organisation under sections 21 and 18 of the Norwegian Copyright Act
- Registered with the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (Patentstyret) as a collective management organisation. Patentstyret supervises Gramo.
Gramo and TONO both collect money for the use of music, but we administer different rights.
- Gramo collects for the use of the sound recording itself. The money goes to the artists and musicians who performed on the recording, and to the producers who arranged and paid for it.
- TONO collects for the use of the work, meaning the music and the lyrics. The money goes to composers, lyricists and music publishers.
When a track is played on the radio, the station pays both Gramo and TONO. If you both wrote and recorded the track, you can be a member of both.
- Gramo is a collective management organisation. We manage rights for people who have sung or played on a recording (performers), and for those who have organised and paid for the production of the recording (producers).
- GramArt is an interest organisation. They work to promote the interests of artists and musicians.
Why collective management?
Recorded music is used every day on radio, on TV and in businesses. It would be demanding for each individual musician, artist or producer to follow up all such use on their own.
Collective management makes it possible to coordinate this work. Music users have one common scheme to deal with in the areas Gramo manages, and rights holders get help to safeguard their rights.
Gramo aims to be a source of a rich musical life. Gramo does this by making sure that performers and producers get paid when their music is used. Without functioning rights management, fewer people could make a living from their music, and the diversity of Norwegian musical life would be narrower.
Who Gramo manages rights for
Behind every recording are two groups who both hold rights in recorded music. Gramo manages the rights on behalf of both, and distributes the income equally.
50% to performers
Artists, musicians, conductors and musical directors who contribute to a recording.
50% to producers
Those who finance and organise the production of a recording, for example a record label or artists who release their music themselves.
One person can hold rights in both categories.
What Gramo collects for
- Remuneration under section 21 of the Norwegian Copyright Act (in Norwegian)
A right performers and producers have to payment when recorded music and other sound recordings are used in public, for example on radio and TV or as background music in businesses. - Supplementary remuneration under section 18 of the Norwegian Copyright Act (in Norwegian)
Gives performers who received a one-off payment for taking part in a sound recording the right to annual remuneration from the record label in years 51 to 70 after the recording was released. Gramo collects the remuneration and distributes it to the performers. - Levy to the Fund for Performing Artists (FFUK) (in Norwegian)
For sound recordings that are not protected under the Copyright Act, in accordance with the Fund Act (in Norwegian)
Remuneration and levy are two different things. Remuneration applies to protected sound recordings and is payment for use. The levy applies to sound recordings that are not protected and goes to the Fund for Performing Artists.
For background music, Gramo works with TONO. Businesses enter into an agreement with TONO and pay TONO, which collects for both. Gramo still distributes and pays out the money to performers and producers. Read more about background music.
From music use to payment
Gramo is the link between music users and rights holders. In short, the money flows like this:
- The music is used. A business or broadcaster uses recorded music or other sound recordings.
- Remuneration is collected. Gramo collects payment from music users in line with applicable rules and agreements.
- The music use is registered. Information about which recordings have been used is processed to identify the rights holders.
- The remuneration is distributed. The money is distributed according to the applicable distribution rules.
- The remuneration is paid out. The money is paid out to those who are entitled to it.
Read more in How Gramo works.
International cooperation
Gramo has reciprocal agreements with sister organisations in 21 countries in Europe, the USA, Canada and other parts of the world. This cooperation ensures that Norwegian rights holders receive remuneration when their music is used abroad, and that foreign rights holders receive remuneration when their music is used in Norway. Read more about money from abroad.
Gramo is a member of three international organisations
- IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry), an international industry organisation for record labels and producers of sound recordings
- SCAPR (Societies' Council for the Collective Management of Performers' Rights), which brings together collective management organisations that safeguard performers' rights
- AEPO-ARTIS (Association of European Performers' Organisations), which works for the interests of European organisations in the performers' field
Through these organisations, Gramo contributes to common standards that make it easier to identify recordings and rights holders across borders.
Transparency and supervision
The Norwegian Industrial Property Office (Patentstyret) supervises that Gramo complies with the Collective Management Act. The rules set requirements for organisation, financial management, distribution of remuneration and transparency, among other things.
The remuneration Gramo collects is to be distributed to those who are entitled to it, in line with applicable rules. At the same time, Gramo has costs related to carrying out its mission, including systems, staff, collection and payment.
Every year, Gramo publishes an annual report that accounts for collection, distribution, administrative costs and board matters. From 2022 onwards, a transparency report is also included as part of the annual report.
Reports for the last five years
The reports are in Norwegian.
- Annual report 2025Includes transparancy reportPDF, 2.55 MB
- Annual report 2024Includes transparency reportPDF, 1.9 MB
- Annual report 2023Includes transparency reportPDF, 2.8 MB
- Annual report 2022Includes transparency reportPDF, 1.3 MB
- Annual report 2021Before the transparency report requirement was introducedPDF, 4 MB
The transparency report requirement follows from section 36 of the Collective Management Act (in Norwegian) and applies from the 2022 reporting year onwards.
Gramo as a membership organisation
Gramo is organised as an independent non-profit membership organisation. Members govern Gramo through the Annual General Meeting, where they can submit proposals, attend and vote.
55,000+ members in Gramo.
It is free to join. No registration fee, no membership fee.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting is Gramo's supreme decision-making body, and all members have the right to attend. Members' rights and the organisation's decision-making processes are set out in the articles of association.
The board
The board is elected by the Annual General Meeting and is responsible for the overall governance of Gramo within the framework of the articles of association and applicable regulations. The board consists of:
- Three representatives for performers
- Three representatives for producers
- An independent chair of the board
For performers:
- Daniel Nordgård, deputy Monica Ifejilika
- Marius Øvrebø-Engemoen, deputy AnneLise Frøkedal
- Hans Ole Rian, deputy Ingvild Andrea Tellmann
For producers:
- Eddie Nygren, deputy Ivar Noer
- Marte Thorsby, deputy Lena Midtveit
- Erlend Gjerde, deputy Jenny Victoria Thyrhaug
Independent chair of the board
Elected for two years at the Annual General Meeting in 2025:
- Cathrine Nagell, deputy Nils Petter Hansson
Rules and regulations
Gramo's activities are based on the Norwegian Copyright Act (in Norwegian) and the Collective Management Act (in Norwegian).
In addition to the laws, Gramo has rules adopted by the Annual General Meeting: