Using recorded music or music videos
PPL TV and Online Broadcast Licences (for Recorded Music)
Our different licences enable you to broadcast over 28 million recordings for use in and broadcast on:
- TV and online programmes and promotions for those programmes on linear channels
- FAST – (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV)
- On-demand and catch-up services
- Satellite broadcasts of channels from the UK into other countries
Independent TV production companies do not need to be licensed separately for the initial use of commercial music within TV programmes and/or promos commissioned by a PPL-licensed broadcaster. The commissioning broadcaster, however, does need a PPL licence. If your TV programme has not yet been commissioned by a licensed broadcaster, you will need to contact the relevant rightsholder directly to obtain permission to use their music.
VPL TV and Online Broadcast Licences (for Music Videos)
VPL is PPL’s sister company and licenses music videos when they are used in TV programmes and promotions including on music television channels. Although technically a separate company, the day-to-day work of VPL is undertaken by PPL.
Our different VPL licences can give you access to music videos for use in and broadcast on:
- Linear music TV and online channels showing back-to-back music videos
- General entertainment programmes and promotions on linear TV and online channels and on-demand services
- FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV)
- Satellite broadcasts of channels from the UK into other countries
As with recorded music, independent TV production companies do not need to be licensed separately for the initial use of music videos within TV programmes and/or promos commissioned by a VPL-licensed broadcaster. The commissioning broadcaster, however, does need a VPL Licence. If your TV programme has not yet been commissioned by a licensed broadcaster, you will need to contact the relevant rightsholder directly to obtain permission to use their music video.
If you are looking to sell copies of TV programmes containing recorded music or music videos, see information about the Secondary Sales licence below.
Reporting
You will need to report on your usage. We will discuss this with you when we talk to you about your licence.
Costs and application
PPL TV and Online Broadcast Licences
PPL’s TV and online broadcast licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis. We therefore need to speak to you and understand your service and licensing requirements and to discuss the necessary licence fee and terms.
By way of indication, the minimum annual licence fee for a small-scale linear TV channel broadcasting some commercial sound recordings in the UK is £20,985 for 2025. The total licence fee payable may exceed the minimum fee depending on a range of factors, including (but not limited to) the channel’s audience, music usage, and the scope of rights required.
VPL TV and Online Broadcast Licences
The VPL TV and Online Music Video Licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis. The licence fee(s) payable will depend on a range of factors, including (but not limited to) whether the channel is a music TV or general entertainment channel, the nature and amount of music video usage, the revenue of the channel, the channel’s audience, and the scope of rights required.
Please fill in the form to enquire about our PPL or VPL TV and Online Broadcast Licences. A member of our team will get back to you to assess your licence requirements and discuss fees and reporting with you.
Open form
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory
Selling TV programmes – the Secondary Sales Licence
If you wish to sell copies of TV programmes containing recorded music and/or music videos to third parties (i.e. a company that did not make or commission the TV programme, such as another broadcaster), then a Secondary Sales Licence will be required.
We can offer licences to sell TV programmes in the UK, provided those TV programmes have been made for, and previously broadcast on, a PPL or VPL licensed service. PPL may be able to license the international sale of TV programmes containing PPL or VPL repertoire through a Secondary Sales agreement.
Costs and application
The Secondary Sales Licence is based on a share of the TV programme’s sales revenue adjusted by the amount of commercial music and/or music videos contained in the TV programme.
Please fill in the form and a member of our team will get back to you to assess your eligibility for a licence, discuss your licence requirements and set out fees, terms and reporting.
Open form
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory
Reporting
Reporting is required for this licence. We will explain this to you when we discuss your requirements.
Sourcing recorded music and music videos
PPL and VPL’s different licences allow you to use virtually all the tracks and music videos in our databases for use in and broadcast of your TV programmes, promotions for those programmes, and on music TV channels.
Recorded Music
Once you have the relevant PPL TV and Online Broadcast License(s), you will need to source the music you want to use from a reputable provider. We do not provide the music itself.
Visit the PPL Repertoire Search here.
Music Videos
Once you have the relevant VPL licence, you will need to purchase the videos that you want to use – you can do this in the PPL Video Store, which is one of the largest music video archives in Europe, containing over 50,000 Music Videos dating back to 1961. All the videos are stored and made available digitally, with registered users able to search and purchase source music videos online.
Please visit the PPL Video Store to start searching.
Visit the VPL Repertoire Search
Please note: if you are a venue such as a nightclub, gym, shop, office or other commercial premises wanting to show music videos, you will need a Public Performance Licence, called TheMusicLicence, which is supplied by our sister company PPL PRS. Please visit the PPL PRS website for more information.
PRS for Music licences
You will likely also need a PRS for Music licence to use and/or broadcast music on your service.
PPL and PRS for Music are two separate and independent companies. While we both license the use of music and collect royalties for the music industry, we license different sets of rights to use music and have separate licences.
We collect and distribute money for the use of recorded music on behalf of recording rightsholders (e.g. record companies) and performers. PRS for Music collects and distributes money for the use of music and lyrics on behalf of songwriters, composers and music publishers.
Visit PRS for Music for more information and to apply for your licence.