UK recorded music collection society PPL saw 6% uplift in its international revenues in 2014 – a £2 million increase on 2013 – to £36.4 million.
PPL said that uplift represented 12% year-on-year growth at constant currency.
PPL is responsible for collecting licensing revenues on behalf of performers and record companies when recorded music is played in public and broadcast in the UK and internationally. This revenue stream is also termed ‘neighbouring rights’.
The top three countries from which revenues were collected by PPL in 2014 were the USA (£9.6m), Belgium (£5.6m) and the Netherlands (£3.9m) and significantly higher year-on-year payments were received from Finland (£1.3m) and Poland (£1m). The majority of the revenue was collected on behalf of the performers (£30.7m), and the remaining amount on behalf of independent record companies. PPL now collects more than 50% of all performer neighbouring rights payments* moving between CMOs throughout the world, meaning that it is the dominant player in International neighbouring rights collections.
PPL said the growth could be attributed to a number of factors. The company has continued to increase the number of record companies and performers for whom it collects internationally. It has also increased the number of CMOs with which it has agreements; in 2014, nine new agreements were signed, bringing the current total up to 75.
PPL has also continued to improve the quality of its data and IT systems that crucially support its operations, leading initiatives with a host of CMOs in other countries to help streamline data exchange and IT systems, to maximise revenues for members in what has historically been a challenging marketplace.
Laurence Oxenbury, Director of International, PPL said: “PPL has really driven this market over the last 8 years, which has caused many people to sit up and take note of the potential of this revenue stream. We are delighted with the progress that we made in 2014 in growing our international collections while remaining at the forefront of addressing the many challenges associated with international rights management so as to ensure growth in the future as well.”
Since 2003, PPL has collected over £230 million in international revenues for performers and record companiesMusic Business Worldwide
