Music Publishers Association UK: What It Is and How It Works

What the MPA is

The Music Publishers Association (MPA) is the UK trade body for music publishers. Founded in 1881, it is one of the oldest music industry organisations in the world and represents publishers of all sizes - from major publishers like Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing, and Warner Chappell, to small independent publishers and self-publishing songwriters. Its primary functions are advocacy, copyright protection, licensing oversight, and education within the music publishing sector.

What the MPA does

The MPA operates across several areas that directly affect the UK music publishing landscape:

• Copyright advocacy: the MPA lobbies government and regulatory bodies on copyright law, including streaming royalty rates, AI and music rights, and the interaction between UK law and international treaties following Brexit.
• Licensing administration: the MPA is involved in negotiating blanket licensing terms with organisations such as the BBC and educational institutions (through the MCPS-PRS Music Alliance).
• Industry standards: the MPA publishes guidance on contracts, royalty accounting, and ethical business practices for publishers dealing with songwriters.
• Education and resources: the MPA runs training programmes, publishes reports on the UK publishing market, and provides members with guidance on royalty collection and registration.
• Data and research: the MPA publishes an annual market data report covering UK publishing income, streaming trends, and sync licensing growth.

Who can join the MPA

MPA membership is open to any music publisher operating in the UK, including independent publishers, self-publishing songwriters who have set up their own publishing company, and publishing administrators. There are different membership tiers based on turnover. A self-publishing songwriter with a UK Ltd company registered as a PRS publisher can apply for MPA membership at the associate or full member level depending on annual publishing income.

MPA vs PRS vs PPL - what is the difference

These three organisations are often confused but serve distinct roles:

• PRS for Music: a collection society. It licenses music users and distributes performance and broadcast royalties to songwriters and publishers. All songwriters and publishers collect through PRS; membership is for rights holders.
• PPL: a collection society. It licenses music users and distributes recording royalties to record labels and performers. Separate from PRS and the composition right.
• MPA: a trade association. It does not collect or distribute royalties. Its role is advocacy, education, and representing the interests of publishers. Membership is optional.
• In short: you must join PRS (and PPL for recordings) to collect royalties. Joining the MPA is a business decision about trade body representation, not a collection requirement.

How the MPA affects independent songwriters

Even if you never join the MPA, its work affects you as an independent rights holder. MPA lobbying on streaming royalty rates, AI copyright protections, and educational licensing directly shapes the commercial terms under which your music is used. The MPA's model contracts and ethical guidelines also set the industry benchmark that reputable publishing administrators and publishers are expected to follow - making them a useful reference when reviewing any publishing agreement you are offered.

If you are weighing whether to set up your own publishing company, join a publishing administrator, or take a publishing deal, Code Group Music's catalog assessment can map the right structure for your catalog. Start at codegroupmusic.co.uk/#catalog-assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions