What we do
PRS for Music is a world-leading collective management organisation, representing the rights of more than 175,000 members and a repertoire of over 42 million musical works.
We collect and pay royalties when a member’s music is played in public, broadcast, downloaded, streamed, or performed live both in the UK and around the world. Our licensing efforts secure revenue streams for music creators.
Our impact
For 110 years, we have been dedicated to protecting and growing the rights of our songwriter, composer and music publisher community. Our commitment has set a global standard for music royalties, delivering innovative solutions that maximise the value of our members' music.
In 2023, PRS for Music became a billion pound society and our songwriter and composer members received record royalty payouts.
Advocacy
Our collaboration with governments, trade bodies and international collecting societies enables us to advocate for our members and address critical issues affecting the music ecosystem, such as AI, metadata and combating music piracy. Our collaboration with the UK Government, European Commission and international bodies helps shape public policy and legislation in favour of music creators.
How we support our members
We offer comprehensive support to our members beyond royalty collection.
PRS Foundation
Since 2000, our charitable arm has awarded over £47 million in grants to nearly 9,000 music initiatives, fostering new talent and creativity.
PRS Members’ Fund
Provides financial and emotional support to PRS members and their families in times of need.
Opportunities to perform
We provide platforms for our members to perform and network at major events such as Glastonbury, The Great Escape and SXSW. These opportunities allow them to showcase their talents and advance their careers.
Our ambitious licensing strategy
Since 2021, we have secured agreements with major platforms including the BBC, Sky, Channel 4, Netflix, Apple TV, Sony PlayStation, Disney+, Amazon Freevee, Twitch, and more. These agreements ensure that our members' music is licensed and that they receive the royalties they are owed.
PRS and MCPS
PRS for Music encompasses both the Performing Right Society (PRS) and the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS). Together, we offer a comprehensive approach to music rights management.
Thriving through collaboration
Our joint ventures, including PPL-PRS and ICE, optimise royalty payments for music creators and publishers. These collaborations help streamline music licensing and enhance the efficiency of royalty distribution.
When you join PRS, you gain access to:
- ICE
The world’s first integrated music copyright, licensing and processing hub, a joint venture from PRS for Music, GEMA, and STIM which aggregates repertoire to negotiate multi-territory music licences effectively. - PPL-PRS
A streamlined music licensing service that simplifies obtaining licences for businesses to legally play and perform music in public.
Paying royalties
We distribute royalties to members four times a year: in April, July, October, and December. MCPS pays mechanical royalties monthly.
Distribution update
We're putting more money in members' pockets after reducing the admin rate for online royalties.
