Today PPL has announced that it collected a total of £271.8 million for performers and recording rightsholders in 2019.
Growth was achieved across all three of PPL’s revenue streams. Broadcast and online income grew by two percent to £85.5 million, public performance and dubbing by eight percent to £99.6 million, and international collections by 22 percent to £86.7 million.
In 2019, PPL distributed money at least once to over 108,000 performers and 11,000 recording rightsholders, the first time that PPL has paid more than 100,000 different performers in a single financial year. In 2018, 94,000 performers and 10,000 recording rightsholders were paid.
Payment out of the money collected in 2019 is now helping maintain some crucial cash flow for those whose other income sources have declined due to COVID-19.
Peter Leathem, chief executive officer, PPL, said: ‘2019 was a positive year for PPL as we saw record revenues and paid out performance royalties to more performers and recording rightsholders than ever before. Such success benefits the growing community that we represent both in the UK and internationally.
‘The strength of our collections and business operations meant that PPL has been in a position to take additional steps to help our members and the wider music community during the current crisis. In March, we made a payment of £87.6 million to over 26,000 performers and recording rightsholders, with a further advance payment of £23.9 million in April, to over 15,000 performers and recording rightsholders. In addition, we have made and will continue to make a number of contributions to industry hardship funds in order to bring support to those who need it most during these times.’
