Working for performers
In 2022, we paid 150,167 performers, the highest annual total to date. These figures are driven by our growing membership, as well as the significant technology and operational investments we have made in recent years.
The legal framework
The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 gives performers the right to receive a fair payment, known as equitable remuneration, when commercially released recordings of their performances are played in public or broadcast on TV and radio. Performers’ rights in their recorded performances are also protected, to varying degrees, under the copyright laws of other countries around the world.
Continually improving our service
Throughout 2022, our Member Services department continued to evolve to ensure we remain the leading organisation in an increasingly competitive international neighbouring rights market. PPL’s membership continues to grow year-on-year, and 2022 was no exception, with 5,259 new performer members.
The appointment of Kate Reilly to the role of Chief Membership and People Officer was augmented by Titania Altius taking on the role of Head of Member Services and Dan Millington becoming SVP/Head of Client Services. The restructure saw a number of new people come into the department with a wide range of diverse skills and experience, with a focus on developing and maintaining productive working relationships with PPL’s members, key stakeholders and industry partners.
The team put a renewed focus on operational efficiencies to drive improvements in the service for our members. We continued to assist members, both new and old, processing 28% more claims in 2022 than in 2021 ― where performers wanted to be added to a recording line-up ― reaching over a million performer claims processed in the year. We made improvements to myPPL and ran more campaigns to collect any information necessary to maximise international revenue. We also worked to enable as many performers as possible to benefit from our Qualified Intermediary status in the US, which allows PPL to pay through US royalties, up to the full tax amount, depending on the relevant tax treaty.
What you can do as a performer to benefit from PPL’s work
Below are five simple steps that you can take to make sure you are earning the most from your recorded performances.
1. Register as a performer with PPL to get access to our secure online account management portal, myPPL, and the services that we provide.
2. Sign up for PPL’s market-leading international collections service so we can collect royalties on your behalf when your recordings are played overseas.
3. Check PPL’s Repertoire Database to make sure you are linked to all of the recordings on which you have performed.
4. Make claims against tracks on which you have performed and are not currently linked to but should be.
5. Keep your personal details, such as your bank account and contact information, up to date in myPPL so we know how best to contact and pay you.