What is PRS?
The Performing Rights Society is a non-profit organisation for music composers, publishers and artists. PRS is known as a collecting society because its primary role is collecting royalties from music users in the UK who every day publicly perform, broadcast and include music in public performances. PRS also collects royalties from around the world for its members through reciprocal agreements with collecting societies overseas. PRS collects the royalties by issuing a licence to the music user (usually charged on an annual basis). In order to then make royalty payments to its members, PRS needs to know what music is being played. Major users, such as the BBC and large concert venues, give PRS detailed reports of the music they play. For many other venues including commercial discos, clubs and pubs, PRS sends researchers to obtain first hand information. They give out licenses to pubs, clubs, hotels, bars and restaurants who play music to the public, whether it is via radio, CD or other
