PRS for Music is the primary collection society for UK songwriters and composers — but joining is only the beginning. Here is a clear guide to how PRS royalties work and how to make sure you are collecting everything you are owed.
What PRS for Music actually does
PRS for Music (Performing Right Society) is the UK-based collection society that licenses and collects performance and communication royalties on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers. When your music is played on radio, streamed online, broadcast on TV, or performed live in licensed venues, PRS collects a licence fee from the user and distributes the resulting royalties to the rights holders.
The difference between PRS and PPL
PRS and PPL are often mentioned together but they cover different rights:
- PRS for Music — collects royalties for the musical composition (the song: melody and lyrics). Membership is open to songwriters, composers, and publishers.
- PPL — collects royalties for the sound recording (the master). Membership is for performers and record labels.
Why both matter
If you wrote the song and recorded it yourself, you have rights on both sides. You should be a PRS member for your composition royalties and a PPL member for your recording royalties. Many independent artists only register on one side and miss half their income.
How to register with PRS for Music
Joining PRS involves paying a one-time membership fee (currently £100 for writers, £400 for publishers) and registering your works through their online portal. For each work, you will need:
- The song title
- Your share of the composition (as a percentage)
- Co-writer details if applicable
- ISWC code if one has been issued
- Publisher information if you have a publishing deal
What PRS does not automatically collect for you
Joining PRS and registering your works covers UK performance and broadcast royalties. It does not automatically cover:
- International royalties — PRS has reciprocal agreements with overseas societies, but unregistered works may not be matched correctly in foreign territory distributions
- Mechanical royalties — these are handled by MCPS (which operates under the PRS for Music umbrella) but require separate registration of recordings
- Synchronisation fees — PRS can administer sync on your behalf, but for pro-active sync pitching you typically need a publisher or sync agent
- Historical royalties — PRS holds unclaimed royalties for a limited period; past the deadline, they are distributed to other members
Common reasons PRS royalties go uncollected
Even registered PRS members regularly miss royalties due to administrative gaps:
- Works not registered before release — you must register a work to collect from it
- Incorrect writer splits — if splits are disputed or incorrectly entered, PRS will hold the royalty pending resolution
- International plays not matched — if the foreign society cannot match your work, they cannot pass the royalty back to PRS
- Live performances not logged — for live performance royalties, setlists must be submitted for any performance not covered by blanket licensing
How publishing administration improves on self-managing PRS
Self-managing your PRS registration is entirely feasible for a small catalog with domestic releases. As your catalog grows, your music reaches international audiences, or you add sync placements to the mix, the administrative load quickly exceeds what most artists can manage alongside actually making music. A publishing administrator handles multi-territory registration, monitors your international distributions, pursues unmatched claims, and audits your PRS statements — so nothing is left on the table.
If you are unsure whether your PRS registration is complete and your works are correctly matched across territories, start with our free Catalog Assessment.