Music licensing in the United Kingdom

Music licensing in the United Kingdom

Overview In the United Kingdom, under The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, permission is needed from the relevant copyright holders – those people who create music – in order to play or perform music in public. This is done via TheMusicLicence - which gives you this permission. PPL PRS Ltd collect license fees from UK businesses and organisations on behalf of their parent companies, PPL and PRS for Music. PPL then distributes these music license fees for the use of recorded music on behalf of record companies and performers, while PRS for Music distributes music license fees for the use of musical compositions and lyrics on behalf of songwriters, composers and publishers. This ensures that the people who create music are fairly rewarded for their talent and work. History Originally named The Performing Right Society, PRS for Music was founded in 1914 by a group of music publishers who set out to protect copyright whilst enabling songwriters, publishers and composers to receive an income. Twenty years later, PPL was formed in 1934 by two record labels, Decca Records and EMI, following a notable court case involving a Bristol based cafe who played records to their customers. Despite focussing on different areas of music licensing, the two organisations came together in 2016 to form PPL PRS and with a new offering named TheMusicLicence. This allows companies the opportunity to purchase one overarching license to ensure that music creators are paid for their work, whilst also streamlining the process for businesses. How to get a license in the United Kingdom Various tariffs exist and the license cost is based on the type of business you have, as well as the nature of how music is being played. More information can be found on the website and an accurate quote can be requested online. Once purchased, the license is instantly activated and will last for an entire year.

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