Musicians ‘missing millions’ in PRO royalties for 100K UK gigs
Musician are suing PRS For Music saying they’re missing millions in PRO royalties for songs performed at UK gigs. The suit claims the PRO failed to track the setlists for more than 100,000 UK gigs.
PRS For Music says it will ‘vigorously defend’ itself again the lawsuit which alleges preferential treatment of major songwriters.
The UK lawsuit comes at a time when the U.S. Copyright Office has opened an investigation into how U.S. PROs operate. Their inquiry into ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Global Music Rights (GMR) and others came at the behest of Congress and organizations representing venues, promoters, songwriters and music publishers.
The US system of multiple PROs has its critics, but PRS has a near-monopoly over the administration of performing rights in the UK and reciprocal agreements with PROs in other countries.
Musicians ‘missing millions’ in PRO royalties
10 songwriters, including Jim and William Reid from the Jesus and Mary Chain and King Crimson’s Robert Fripp brought the UK lawsuit with the help of Pace Rights Management. Pace was founded by artist managers critical of the PRS system and offers direct licensing of live rights.
In a joint statement they said: “The ball is now firmly in PRS’s court. Either they constructively engage with much-needed reforms to empower and benefit writers and publishers, or they continue to resist these necessary changes, and attempt to defend the indefensible by spending yet more of the members’ money on legal costs supporting policies that make the members less money.”
“I am yet to be persuaded that the PRS operates on behalf of the membership’s best interests.” said Robert Fripp.
Dave Rowntree of Blur launched his own similar class action suit against PRS in April.
The scale of the problem is in full view on the PRS website which displays a list of 106,000 performances where it has collected money not distributed it. Most of the shows are in smaller independent venues with a significant portion by “known” artists including Ronan Keating, Jesus and Mary Chain, 10cc, and Alien Ant Farm.
The unclaimed funds are held in a “black box.” PRS does not share how much money is in, but the Guardian was shown a document that for 2019 alone it amounted to £2.7 million / $3.7 USD.
Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, a Berklee College Of Music professor and founder of the Skyline Artists Agency
