PPL pays record number of performers and recording rightsholders in June

UK music licensing company PPL has made its June payment of £103.7 million to a record number of performers and recording rightsholders, with 133,000 performers and recording rightsholders paid. This year’s payment reflects an increase of 6% year-on-year and is the first time the company has surpassed £100 million in a single distribution.

The positive impact for the performers and recording rightsholders is partly driven by the new public performance Specially Featured Entertainment (SFE) tariff launched in January 2023. The SFE tariff, which licenses the use of recorded music in DJ sets and discos in pubs, bars, nightclubs, hotels, restaurants, and cafes, led to a year-on-year increase of 20% in monies distributed from the SFE tariff.

PPL CFO Chris Barton said that it was ‘encouraging’ to reach the £100 million milestone. ‘As we celebrate our 90th year, our commitment to our members and our strategic focus on innovation and collaboration has not waned. We continue to invest in data, technology and partnerships that derive value for our members and partners globally, helping ensure performers and recording rightsholders are compensated when their music is broadcast or used in public places.’

The June payees include direct members of PPL as well as performers and recording rightsholders represented via agreements the company has in place with overseas collective management organisations (CMOs). The company has recent expanded its global reach, with over 110 international agreements, recording a yearly increase of 13% in international monies being distributed including payments from CMOs in the Netherlands, Brazil, Switzerland and the USA.

Founded in 1934, PPL is the UK music industry’s collective management organisation, ensuring revenue flows back to over 130,000 performers and record companies. The company works with PRS for Music to complete public performance licensing. PPL’s revenue is generated when recordings are copied for private use, or broadcast publicly on TV, radio or online and this distribution includes £1.4 million from PPL’s sister company VPL which licenses music videos when they are played in public or broadcast on TV.