PRS For Music is expanding its use of music usage data to improve the accuracy of royalties paid to songwriters, composers and music publishers when their music is played in businesses across the UK.
The new partnership with Soundtrack (formerly Soundtrack Your Brand) will provide what PRS says is the “next generation of usage data”, detailing what music is being played in shops, bars and public spaces.
By partnering with the music streaming service for businesses, PRS For Music will receive play-by-play data from Soundtrack showing the exact music played across around 7,000 UK premises. Those businesses include Ole & Steen, Uniqlo, Dr Martens, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Kiehl’s, Joe & The Juice and TAG Heuer. The UK Parliament also takes advantage of Soundtrack’s platform.
PRS For Music works with background music providers to incorporate play data from businesses into royalty distributions. The addition of Soundtrack data significantly improves the accuracy of collected usage data, and extends the number of businesses for which PRS for Music has direct information about the music being played.
The partnership additionally reduces reliance on analogous data where actual usage information has historically not been available to the organisation.
“The move forms part of PRS’ commitment to continually improve the accuracy and speed of royalty distributions to songwriters, composers and publishers,” said a statement. PRS will begin incorporating Soundtrack data into its royalty distributions from December 2026.
I want PRS to be market-leading in looking for better data, testing new technology, and working with partners across the industry to drive better outcomes for our members
Ben McOwen Wilson
Ben McOwen Wilson, CEO of PRS For Music, said: “Our focus at PRS is simple: to pay our members as accurately and as quickly as we can. When songwriters’ and composers’ music is being used, we want the information that allows us to recognise that use and get the right royalties paid to them.
“That means taking advantage of the best data and technology available. Where we can know what music has actually been played, and the technology is accurate and cost-effective, we should use it. We’ve been working with partners in this way for years, and our new partnership with Soundtrack gives us actual usage data from thousands more businesses across the UK. It’s another important step towards making our distributions reflect the music that people are really listening to.
“And there is much more we can do. I want PRS to be market-leading in looking for better data, testing new technology, and working with partners across the industry to drive better outcomes for our members. Ultimately, it all comes back to the same goal: identifying music use more accurately, paying members more quickly, and making sure the value created by their music finds its way back to them.”
Ola Sars, founder, CEO & chairman of Soundtrack, said: “Soundtrack research shows that in most countries, public performance royalties are distributed based on proxy data and not actual usage, this partnership proves that there is a better solution available. We're closing the gap with consumer streaming and bringing the same digital accuracy and standards to the music-for-business market.
"Soundtrack is the fastest growing music-for-business provider in the world, and has direct licensing agreements with thousands of rights holders and a direct connection to the digital music value chain. That enables us to give PRS unique and accurate, up-to-date usage and ownership data from Soundtrack’s extensive repertoire of 150 million songs.”
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