PRS, MCPS, and PPL are three separate UK rights bodies that collect three different royalty streams. Most UK songwriters and artists need all three, but they serve completely different purposes. This guide explains what each one collects, who can join, and what happens if you are not registered.
What this is
PRS for Music, MCPS (Mechanical Copyright Protection Society), and PPL are the three primary UK music rights bodies. PRS collects performance royalties for songwriters and publishers. MCPS collects mechanical royalties when compositions are reproduced. PPL collects neighbouring rights for performers and record labels. They are separate organisations collecting separate royalties from separate income streams. Joining one does not mean you are covered by the others.
Who needs to read this
This guide is for UK-based songwriters, composers, recording artists, session musicians, and record labels. If you write songs, record music, or release music commercially, at least two of these three organisations are relevant to you. Many artists only join PRS and miss significant income from MCPS and PPL.
PRS for Music: performance royalties
PRS for Music licenses the public performance and broadcast of musical works and distributes the resulting royalties to the writers and publishers of those works. When your song plays on BBC Radio 1, appears in a TV programme, streams on Spotify, or is performed live in a concert, PRS collects a royalty on behalf of the composition's writers and publishers. PRS splits royalties between the writer's share (50%) and the publisher's share (50%). If you have no publisher, you can claim the publisher's share yourself by registering as a self-published writer. PRS membership costs £100 for songwriters (one-time) and £400 for publishers.
MCPS: mechanical royalties
MCPS collects mechanical royalties when compositions are reproduced: pressed onto CDs, encoded into digital downloads, or streamed on subscription platforms. For streaming, MCPS operates the Online Music Licensing Centre (OMLC) and collects mechanicals on behalf of PRS members automatically — if you are a PRS member, your MCPS mechanical royalties from streaming are collected through the same account. For physical manufacture and synchronisation (TV, film, advertising), MCPS operates separately. The key point: if you write songs and are not registered with PRS (and by extension MCPS), you are not receiving mechanical royalties from every stream of your music.
PPL: neighbouring rights for performers and labels
PPL is entirely separate from PRS and MCPS. PPL collects neighbouring rights: royalties that attach to the master recording rather than the composition. When a recording is broadcast on radio or TV, performed publicly in a venue, or played in a shop, PPL collects from the broadcaster or venue and distributes to the featured performers and the owner of the master recording (typically the record label). A songwriter who is also the performer and label owner can collect from both PRS (composition royalties) and PPL (recording royalties) from the same broadcast. These are not the same money. PPL membership is free for performers and labels.
Which ones do you need?
Apply this decision logic to your situation:
- You write songs: join PRS. This automatically gives you MCPS mechanical collection for streaming.
- You perform on recordings: join PPL as a performer. Free to join at ppluk.com.
- You own master recordings (as a label or self-releasing artist): join PPL as a label. Free to join.
- You manufacture physical CDs or vinyl: you need an MCPS licence for the mechanical right to press your compositions onto physical media.
- You license music for TV, film, or advertising: MCPS handles the synchronisation mechanical licence alongside the PRS sync licence.
- Most UK artists with original music need PRS + PPL. The MCPS streaming mechanical is covered via PRS membership.
What you lose by not registering
Every piece of music you release without PRS registration generates royalties that cannot be paid to you. These do not disappear — they accumulate in unclaimed pools (sometimes called black box royalties) and are eventually redistributed to other registered members. The IFPI estimates several hundred million pounds of royalties go unclaimed globally each year, a significant proportion of it from artists who simply did not register in time. For PPL, unregistered performers miss broadcast royalties that accumulate every time a recording airs on UK radio or television. There is no retroactive fix once the distribution window closes.
How the three bodies interact
PRS and MCPS are sister organisations operating under the PRS for Music umbrella. Joining PRS gives you access to both. PPL is completely separate and requires its own registration. When your music is broadcast on BBC Radio 2, PRS collects for the composition and PPL collects for the recording — two separate payments from the same broadcast, going to different rights holders. The two organisations do not share membership data, so registering with one does not automatically register you with the other.
If you are unsure whether your catalogue is correctly registered across PRS and PPL, a Code Group Music catalog assessment will identify the gaps. Start at codegroupmusic.co.uk/#catalog-assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MCPS the same as PRS?
MCPS and PRS are sister organisations that operate together under the PRS for Music brand. Joining PRS as a songwriter automatically gives you MCPS mechanical royalty collection for streaming. However, MCPS operates separately for physical manufacture and synchronisation licences.
Can I join PPL without joining PRS?
Yes. PPL and PRS are completely separate organisations with separate memberships. Many performers join PPL without being PRS members, particularly session musicians who perform but do not write.
Do I need MCPS if I only release digitally?
If you release digitally and are a PRS member, your streaming mechanicals are collected automatically through the PRS/MCPS partnership. You would only need a separate MCPS licence if you are manufacturing physical products (CDs, vinyl) or licensing music for sync.
What if I am both the writer and the performer?
You should join PRS as a songwriter (which covers MCPS mechanicals) and PPL as both a performer and a label if you own the masters. This allows you to collect the full royalty stack from a single broadcast or stream.
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