As the UAE’s creative economy gains momentum, the nation is taking decisive steps to strengthen its music and entertainment infrastructure. In a landmark move to advance artists’ rights and support the country’s cultural ambitions, Music Nation Copyrights Management (“Music Nation”) has officially launched operations. The new entity aims to modernize the UAE’s music licensing framework, ensuring faster, more transparent, and equitable royalty payments for artists and rights holders.

Music Nation, the first organization of its kind in the region, will manage public performance and mechanical rights across the UAE through a strategic partnership with Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), the world’s leading performing rights organization. Additionally, SoundExchange, a global leader in digital rights management, will handle neighboring rights administration, establishing a unified platform for licensing, royalty collection, and distribution.

“Today marks the start of a new era for artists in the UAE,” said Rasha Khalifa Al Mubarak, Founder and Chairwoman of Music Nation. “With Music Nation’s technology and a leadership team that understands both the UAE’s cultural fabric and global music operations, we’re delivering a simple, transparent, and modern licensing solution that easily licenses businesses and quickly pays creators.”

Leading the organization are Amer M. Samhoun as Chief Executive Officer, James K. Petrie as Chief Operating Officer, and Ali Dee as Chief Creative Officer. The team will operate from offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

“Music Nation’s mandate is clear: make licensing easy for businesses and ensure artists are paid quickly and fairly,” said Samhoun. “With our ongoing hands-on education for the business and creative communities, an artist-first mentality and best-in-class partnerships and data, Music Nation stands ready to deliver on day one.”

By integrating with BMI and SoundExchange’s global databases, Music Nation will enhance song-matching accuracy, minimize unmatched royalties, and accelerate royalty payouts.

“BMI is proud to partner with Music Nation as it builds the foundation for a thriving, transparent music rights ecosystem in the UAE,” said Michael O’Neill, President & CEO of BMI. “Our shared mission is to ensure that songwriters, composers, and publishers are properly compensated for the use of their music—wherever it’s played.”

“SoundExchange shares Music Nation’s mission to build a fair and efficient rights management system for recording artists and rights holders in the UAE,” added Michael Huppe, President & CEO of SoundExchange.

Music Nation’s unified platform, offering multilingual support, transparent reporting, and timely royalty distribution, positions it as a cornerstone of the UAE’s growing creative economy.