This record total reflects the important technological and operational investments made by PPL and the neighbouring rights industry over the last decade. PPL has one of the most comprehensive repertoire databases in the world, holding detailed performer and recording rightsholder information on more than 20 million recordings, supporting PPL in maximising the royalty revenue it collects and distributes.
Also included in this Q4 payment is £0.3 million from PPL’s sister company VPL which licenses music videos when they are played in public or broadcast on TV.
This is also the seventh year that non-featured performers active in the 1960s have received supplementary remuneration administered by PPL for Copyright Term Extension (see notes below). Over 8,000 performers from the UK and around the world received supplementary remuneration allocations in this distribution.
Peter Leathem, PPL Chief Executive Officer, said: “It is fantastic to see PPL pay so many performers and recording rightsholders in a calendar year. For years we have constantly improved our systems and technology, ensuring royalty payments to our members are maximised. Today’s announcement is a testament to this hard work and the industry-leading operation we have here at PPL. As we continue to navigate the pandemic and its impacts, we will keep on representing and fighting for the rights of those that create recorded music, helping them to get paid when their music is played.”
