Composer Nguyen Van Chung said he received royalties of more than VND 1.2 billion ($50,000) in 2021, up from just VND 9 million when he first joined the Vietnam Center for the Protection of music copyright (VCPMC) in 2006.

Musician Hoai An said the amount of royalties he collects today is hundreds of times higher than it was in the initial phase. Signing a contract with VCPMC allows him to protect his copyrights while feeling confident in his creative endeavors.

“Before, I had to visit companies that played my music to ask for royalties. However, many don’t want to pay me, which irritates me and makes me want to quit being a musician,” Hoai An explained.
Painter Van Thao, son of the late composer Van Cao (1923-1995), said his family had signed with VCMPC since its inception.

Although his father is deceased, his family still regularly receives royalties, as part of his father’s goal to support his family through his music.

The Vietnam Center for Music Copyright Protection (VCPMC) said it has collected more than 1 trillion VND (over $42.2 million) in copyrights since its establishment in 2002.

VCPMC’s revenue rose from VND78 million in 2002 to VND160 billion last year, he said at a press conference on Tuesday. He expects to earn more than 230 billion VND this year.

Dinh Trung Can, general manager of VCPMC, said the groundbreaking music deserved the m

most royalties as it is often used in radio, television and cultural programs.

Next is pop music, which is generally popular with the general public for a brief period before fading away. Classical music comes last because it is only sought by a small number of listeners.

Can said the number of musicians who have joined the VCPMC has grown from 240 in 2002 to 5,300 this year.

Musicians have said that VCPMC also helps them obtain copyright protection. Chung said several Chinese and Thai artists used his song “Vang Trang Khoc” (rough translation: The Crying Moon) in 2008, prompting many to speculate that he plagiarized the track.

He then asked VCPMC to submit a request to the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers to have the song verified and recognized as his own. His honor was restored as a result.

Giang Son said he received legal assistance from VCPMC in his copyright infringement with BH Media on the song “Giac Mo Trua” (rough translation: My Afternoon Dream).

“The center helps me with legal documents and the protection of my works,” she explained.

The center has signed bilateral agreements with approximately 200 countries and territories, licensing more than five million musicians.