Ecad estimates a 62% drop in revenue during Brazil Carnival 2022

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The report What Brazil hears, prepared by the Central Bureau of Collection and Distribution (Ecad), reveals that the suspension of events and carnival blocks will have a strong impact on the music industry, resulting in a drop of more than 60% in copyright revenue.

Ecad’s forecast is to collect R$6 million during the carnival period, which represents a 62% reduction in the amount collected in 2020, before the covid-19 pandemic. By the end of January, were collected 41% of this estimate, which refers to events already licensed and paid in advance.

Read also: Check out our coverage on Brazil

According to Ecad, the financial and cultural damage will also be great for the music industry, especially for those who live off music and copyrights. In the 2020 carnival, were paid R$24 million in royalties to more than 14,000 composers and other artists, for the songs played during the period.

Isabel Amorim, Ecad’s executive superintendent, reminds us that this year carnival will not be back in full swing: “Several capitals have already announced the cancellation of shows and events, which will impact the collection and distribution of music copyrights. The instability of the scenario may lead to an even lower collection than the one predicted at the beginning of the year,” she said.

STATES

There has also been a big drop in the number of events and concerts planned for this year. Until the first week of February, 94 shows and carnival events were registered in Ecad, with expected to take place in this period. The retraction reaches 98%¨ in comparison with the year 2020, when the events were liberated.

The three states that stood out in the collection of copyright royalties during carnival, due to the quantity of events held, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, were greatly affected. Bahia had an 89% drop in revenue, followed by Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, with a retraction of 81% each.

DISTRIBUTION

Similar to what happened last year, the covid-19 pandemic will have a negative impact on the income of composers, performers, and musicians in carnival 2022. The forecast is that there will be a decrease, this year, of at least 50% in the distribution of royalties, in relation to last year’s values, when the events were also not held in the country.

In 2021, in order to minimize the negative effects for composers, performers and musicians, the music associations that manage Ecad made an advance of R$10 million to the carnival budget. Without this measure, the transfer would be R$2.6 million, 87% less than the amount distributed in 2020.

RANKING

The survey conducted by Ecad of the most played songs in Brazil in the last five carnivals, between 2016 and 2020, highlights the traditional marchinhas. The first places were taken by the songs “Me dá um dinheiro aí”, authored by Ivan Ferreira, Glauco Ferreira and Homero Ferreira; “Cachaça”, by Marinósio Filho, Heber Lobato, Lúcio de Castro and Mirabeau; and “Maria sapatão”, by João Roberto Kelly, Carlos, Chacrinha and Leleco.

The ranking of the ten most played songs also includes “O teu cabelo não nega”, by Raul do Rego Valença, Lamartine Babo and Joao Valença; “Sassaricando”, by Mario Gusmão Antunes, Luiz Antonio, Castelo and Candeias Jota Jr. ; “Mamãe eu quero” by Jararaca and Vicente Paiva; “Marcha da cueca” by Celso Teixeira, Carlos Mendes and Livardo Alves da Costa; “Saca-rolha” by Zé da Zilda, Zilda do Zé and Waldir Machado; “Peguei um ita no Norte” by Arizão, Bala, Guaracy, Dema Chagas, Celso Trindade; and “A jardineira” by Humberto Carlos Porto and Benedito Lacerda.