What we do

Watch our short film voiced by BBC6 Music DJ Lauren Laverne. View the PPL YouTube Channel.

PPL issues licences to hundreds of thousands of businesses and organisations from all sectors across the UK playing recorded music and/or music videos in public. These can range from bars, nightclubs, shops and hotels to offices, factories, gyms, schools, universities and local authorities. PPL also licenses music suppliers to copy recorded music for services such as in-store music systems, jukeboxes, compilations for exercise classes and in-flight entertainment systems.

PPL also licenses TV and radio broadcasters to play recorded music as part of their programming, from the BBC, ITV, Channel4, Five and Sky to commercial radio networks such as Capital, Heart and Absolute Radio, as well as online services. See what happens to the licence fee.

PPL does not retain a profit for its services. Every penny, after administration costs, is passed onto its registered members, thousands of performers and record companies who receive the royalties they deserve for their recorded music. How does PPL distribute the royalties?

PPL members range from session musicians and emerging artists to major record labels and globally successful performers – all of whom are entitled to be fairly paid for the use of their recorded music. Through agreements with over 50 music licensing companies around the world, PPL is also able to collect royalties for its members globally.

PPL is one of several collection societies in the UK that manage the rights and licence different types of copyrighted material. PPL licenses the use of recorded music while others exist to manage rights in musical compositions, newspaper extracts, etc. Each of these organisations enable the user of these materials to obtain a licence, so both users and copyright owners can benefit from increased efficiency.