PRS for Music is a UK-based collective rights management organization representing the rights of over 165,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers globally. Established more than a century ago, it functions to ensure music creators are fairly compensated whenever their musical works are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, or publicly performed. Headquartered in London, PRS for Music has evolved into a leading advocate for transparency and cooperation in music rights management and royalty collection. It has been innovating industry standards with initiatives like creating the Nexus works metadata portal that enables more accurate crediting on streaming p
The organization operates extensively in the European market, where the music sector has shown significant recovery led by live touring and major concerts. PRS for Music collaborates closely with other European collective management organizations, such as STIM (Sweden) and GEMA (Germany), having established the world’s first fully integrated multi-territory music licensing and processing hub in 2015. This strategic alliance streamlines licensing across European territories, speeding up royalty payments and reducing commission rates, thereby benefiting rightsholders and digital music service providers alike.
PRS for Music’s financial performance reflects its pivotal role in the global music industry. In 2022, the society collected £964 million and paid out £836 million in royalties. By 2024, the gross income further rose to over £1.16 billion, with royalty distributions exceeding £1 billion, marking a substantial milestone. The organization is governed by a Members’ Council composed of elected songwriters, composers, and publishers, ensuring members can scrutinize royalty flows and organisational costs effectively.
Operating within the EU Transparency Register since January 2013 under registration number 798071410461-65, PRS for Music lobbies to protect and promote the interests of its members within the EU’s legislative and regulatory frameworks, especially concerning copyright policy, digital licensing, and data transparency.
