UK music licensing firm PPL has reported that it paid out GBP £244.9 million (USD $301.97m) to 165,000 performers and recording rightsholders in 2022.

These monies have been collected by PPL for the usage of recorded music within the UK and internationally and have been paid out throughout the corporate’s 4 quarterly distributions in 2022, in March, June, September and December.

That complete payout determine, of £244.9 million, marked a 7.1% YoY improve versus the £228.7 million that was paid out in 2021.

The 165,000 performers and recording rightsholders who have been paid in 2022 marked a 12.2% YoY improve from the 147,000 who have been paid in 2021.

PPL says that 2022 noticed the best variety of performers and recording rightsholders ever paid by PPL in a calendar 12 months, and it additionally marks the second-highest complete of monies paid out by PPL in a calendar 12 months.

The best was £260.2 million, in 2020, a complete achieved after report collections of £271.8 million the earlier 12 months in 2019, earlier than the influence of the COVID pandemic.

PPL says that the report variety of performers and recording rightsholders being paid final 12 months “displays each the vital technological and operational investments made by PPL and the neighbouring rights business during the last decade, in addition to the rising membership of PPL”.

The music licensing firm claims to have “one of the vital complete repertoire databases of its variety on the earth”, which it says holds “detailed” performer and recording rightsholder info on greater than 20 million recordings.

Over the past 3 years, in accordance with PPL, on common 45,000 new recording particulars have been acquired every week.

PPL additionally notes that it really works “intently with companion organisations throughout the music business to develop the know-how and operations that underpin the neighbouring rights sector”.

This contains constructing after which working IFPI and WIN’s RDx information change portal (to assist the dissemination of recording information from report firms to neighbouring rights CMOs all over the world) and being a key participant in SCAPR’s Digital Recording Database (VRDB). PPL says VRDB is enhancing the standard, use and sharing of performer line-ups on recordings.

PPL’s newest payout announcement comes a month after the corporate’s  CEO Peter Leathem, a 20-year veteran of the organisation, was granted an OBE within the UK for companies to the music business.

“Not solely can we gather tons of of thousands and thousands of kilos from the UK and all over the world, however every year we distribute this cash to increasingly performers and recording rightsholders than earlier than.”

Peter Leathem OBE, PPL

Peter Leathem OBE, PPL Chief Govt Officer, mentioned: “Over the past decade PPL has grow to be one of many world’s most profitable neighbouring rights firms.

“Not solely can we gather tons of of thousands and thousands of kilos from the UK and all over the world, however every year we distribute this cash to increasingly performers and recording rightsholders than earlier than.

“It is a testomony to each the skilled group we have now at PPL but in addition to the efforts of the sector as a complete. Initiatives corresponding to SCAPR’s VRDB and IFPI and WIN’s RDx are enhancing the know-how and information which assist the worldwide distribution of neighbouring rights, so making certain the correct folks and organisations are paid when their recordings are performed.

“It’s also constructive to have the ability to pay out extra money to performers and recording rightsholders than we did in 2021. Neighbouring rights was naturally impacted by COVID-19 however the sector continues to get well properly, with extra development anticipated in 2023.”Music Enterprise Worldwide