Last week, PRS created a new license for ticketed livestream events, stating that smaller artists would be required to pay a fee for hosting online shows. This week, they have said that for small events, the fee will not be required.
PRS stated that they had listened to the industry concerns around the new tariff, and would change their ruling. Their statement says that if you are an artist performing your own music, you can obtain a free license during the lockdown period.
If an artist is wanting to perform an online ticketed live concert, where they exclusively performing their own music, they can obtain a license at no cost. However, this free license is only applicable to shows that earn a revenue of less than £500. Their Online Live Concert Royalties article is not clear on the fees that are applicable to shows earning more than £500.
“The popularity of various online events has grown beyond all expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The songwriters, composers and publishers must be able to share in the benefits this change brings. A licence is needed if members are to receive any royalties.” – PRS
If you are live-streaming a free event online, you may still need a licence for the performance. Facebook, Youtube and Instagram are all licensed by PRS’ partner platform ICE, but does not cover all of the rights covered by PRS. To host a non-ticketed event online, on a platform that is not already licensed for live-streaming, PRS offer a Limited Online Music License (LOML).
The PRS rules on licensing are only applicable to events which take place in the United Kingdom, or in UK territories. Furthermore, you do not need to apply for a license for shows that took place before January 27th 2021, as a licence was not yet available.
Artists who are wanting to obtain a free licence can find out more information on the PRS website, or contact the organisation directly.
[…] event online should make sure they are following the PRS rules as they may still require a license. Safe and Sound reports, “To host a non-ticketed event online, on a platform that is not already licensed for […]