PPL & PRS for Music joint venture – PPL PRS Ltd – Marks fifth anniversary

28 February 2023, London – Leicester-based PPL PRS Ltd, the joint venture for public performance licensing from PPL and PRS for Music, is today celebrating its fifth anniversary. On 28 February 2018, after two years of planning and preparation, the first joint venture of its kind in the world opened its doors to make it easier for music to be played and performed in public. Since then, more than £1 billion in public performance royalties has been distributed to music creators and rightsholders via PPL and PRS for Music.

The joint venture saw hundreds of thousands of music users transition from the two parent companies to a new joint licence, ‘TheMusicLicence’, ending the need for customers (including shops, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, live sports and music festivals) to purchase separate PPL and PRS for Music licences. In addition to bringing the respective rights and repertoire together, customers have benefited from a streamlined service and a single point of contact, making it easier for them to use music and create a better experience for their staff and customers.  

The launch of the company in the East Midlands was a significant moment for both PPL and PRS for Music, the wider music industry and the local area. PPL PRS is one of the city’s largest employers and is well established within the business community, working with local colleges, universities and cultural and creative partners such as Curve Theatre.

Reflecting on the anniversary milestone, PPL Chief Executive Peter Leathem OBE said,

“The launch of PPL PRS Ltd in 2018 was a landmark moment for the music industry, after 84 years of PPL and PRS for Music independently licensing the public use of music across the UK. Five years on, both music users and music creators are now reaping the benefits. Despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the joint venture has facilitated the distribution of more than £1 billion in royalties to performers, songwriters, publishers and recording rightsholders. I would like to thank all of those who have been part of this journey over these past five years, and I look forward to continuing to work together to grow this critical revenue stream. As other organisations around the world seek to follow in our footsteps, we will continue to share our expertise and knowledge to further strengthen the global neighbouring rights sector and ensure music is fairly rewarded.” 

 Andrea Czapary Martin, Chief Executive Officer, PRS for Music, said,

“The ground-breaking partnership with PPL which led to the launch of the TheMusicLicence in 2018 is a testament to the shared goal of creating a better experience for our customers. This vision for greater collaboration and innovation has provided over £1 billion in royalties to music creators since its launch, ensuring songwriters, composers, musicians, and performers are paid when their works are played. It also guaranteed unified support for customers during the pandemic and in their recovery over the last year. I look forward to working with Peter Leathem and Andrea Gray to continue to build on the success of the business.”

 PPL PRS Ltd Managing Director, Andrea Gray said:

“Having joined the business late in 2019, I was faced with the unprecedented events of 2020 and 2021 caused by COVID, and the business adapted quickly to support both our customers and the music creators and rightsholders our parent organisations represent. We made the decision to commit to not charging any business which had to close due to the pandemic, or could not play music due to restrictions. This, of course, had an effect on the amount of money we could return to the members of PPL and PRS for Music as royalties, but I am delighted that we have now seen a return to business as usual. PPL PRS is continuing to grow and work with more businesses to bring the benefit of playing music to their customers and employees, and I look forward to building on the successes of 2022 and ensuring that 2023 sees another record year for all the hard working music creators and rightsholders that PPL PRS help to support.”

The joint venture was initially announced in February 2016. Later that year, competition clearance from the Competition and Markets Authority was given and PPL and PRS for Music signed a shareholders’ agreement that set out how the joint venture company would be owned and operated. The Company is equally owned by PPL and PRS for Music and its Board comprises PPL PRS senior management team members as well as representatives from both PPL and PRS for Music.