Brian Eno’s EarthPercent and TuneCore launch nature royalty split for independents

The scheme, launched today by the digital music distribution, publishing and licensing service, allows musicians to list “NATURE” – an official artist page representing the natural world – as a collaborator on a release. By setting up a royalty split, a chosen percentage of distribution earnings is automatically directed to the Sounds Right Fund, which supports small and medium-scale conservation efforts.

Legendary musician and publisher Brian Eno, who co-founded EarthPercent, framed the initiative as an extension of music’s cultural influence. “Music has always been a powerful force for change, not just emotionally but culturally,” he said. “With EarthPercent, our aim is to give artists a simple, direct way to contribute to the health of the planet we all share.”

Funding is already reaching 11 projects in endangered ecosystems, including the Amazon and Congo Basins and the Colombian Tropical Andes. Among the recipients are Yunkawasi, a Peruvian nonprofit working across more than 37,000 hectares of community-managed forests, and the African Marine Mammal Conservation Organisation (AMCO), which protects manatees, cetaceans and other aquatic species along Cameroon’s coast and inland waters. In 2026, new projects focused on ocean conservation in Asia-Pacific will be added.

TuneCore has also pledged £10,000 to EarthPercent, a sum the charity will double to £20,000 through its ‘Big Give’ campaign this month.