PRS for Music Begins Monthly Streaming Royalty Payouts

British music copyright collective PRS for Music is speeding up its online streaming royalty payments.

How it works:

• Previously made quarterly, from August 15 royalty payments for multi-territory online licensing (MTOL) will occur monthly when eligible members’ music is streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and more.

• The shift has been made possible by improvements in data processing and system modernization, including the use of a new copyright system that enables more complete, accurate and timely data across territories.

The figures:

• In 2024, online usage accounted for 28.4% of the total royalties paid out by PRS for Music.

• The switch to monthly payments follows the introduction of a reduced MTOL admin rate last year, which the organization projects will return an additional £47 million to members by 2030.

What they said:

• Andrea Czapary Martin, CEO, PRS for Music: “Monthly payouts is the natural next step for a society focused on getting more members more money – one that not only listens to what our members need but also reflects the pace and scale of today's music industry. This is about giving creators faster access to the money they've earned and the insights they need to understand how their music is performing. We're not just responding to change, we're driving it.”