Performance Rights

Here for music and it’s makers.

— PRS for music.

What is PRS? – Performing Rights Society.

What do they deal with? Royalties, copyrighting, licensing.

Who do they represent? Songwriters, composers and performers/publishers, lyricists.

The Performing Rights Society for Music is a collective management organization for royalty collection and distribution to society. Its members consist mainly of songwriters, composers and publishers. Customers of the PRSfM are music users and streaming companies such as Spotify. PRSfM issues licenses to its customers which allow them to use members music; monies raised from issuing licenses are paid as royalties to members whose works have been used. To join PRSfM, you must make a one-off payment of £100 of which covers a lifetime membership and almost 150 countries around the world.  

If you want to make money from creativity in the music industry, it’s important to understand the copyright process.  Copyright can make you money as anyone who wishes to use your music needs permission and authority to do so through a license usually with a fee. The Performing rights society of music deals in particular with copyright dealing with musical works and publishing rights (music and words). The Phonographic Performances Limited deals with performers on recordings and ownership therefore most issues they handle are to do with sound recording and master rights. Once available in material form it is considered viable from copyright. Whoever owns the equipment or has paid for the recording usually owns it. Copyright lasts throughout the creator’s lifetime +70 years after their death, this also applies to sound recording but copyright doesn’t start till its release. It is also possible for the self-releasing artists, record labels, featured and non-featured artists to join PPL. If someone wishes to use or borrow a piece of from a song or composition that has been copyrighted by me, they must ask for permission of which I have the right to refuse. If they still go on to use my work without my permission, they are liable to be sued, as being a PRS member allows me protection of my work. PRS is important for songwriters as it allows a claim on work created by them while also getting payed for its use.  

As a songwriter the PFRSfM is important to be a part of as if not you will not be paid for your musical contributions when your music is played or streamed. There is also the possibility of someone claiming your music as their own and you will not have copyright on your composition. It is important to keep physical copies of your work and date them with the correct titles just in case of copyright issues. These envelopes can be used in court once still sealed with the proper identification for the tracks in them.  

CASE STUDY- An example of PRS is the Zutons in 2006 who originally penned and recorded the song Valerie under Delta sonic records. Delta sonic is a part of PPL, therefore whenever the song is played on the Radio, the Zutons and the label get paid. However, Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse covered the song a few years later. Every time Ronson’s version is played, all those related to the track, including their record companies, plus the Zutons are payed. However, this does not apply to Mark and Amy when the Zutons version is played as they do not hold original creative credits.