PRS for Music consulting on 'live music' tariff

PRS for Music has launched a consultation on the terms of Tariff LP (LP stands for ‘Light and Popular') which is used to license the use of copyright music, controlled by PRS for Music, at live popular music events such as concerts and festivals. Tariff LP currently charges 3% of gross receipts per event.

According to the consultation, around 30,000 events with several hundred thousand copyrighted songs performed are licensed under Tariff LP each year, from stadium tours to concerts in small venues and from huge rock festivals to village folk festivals. The full tariff is included at Appendix 2. Tariff LP is a Tribunal tariff that was set in 1988 by order of the Performing Right Tribunal, which later became the Copyright Tribunal.

The purpose of this consultation is "to outline and seek views on PRS for Music's provisional findings to ensure that PRS for Music operates an appropriate tariff which is fit for the purpose of licensing live popular music events now and in the future. The consultation will apply to all music usage licensed under PRS for Music's Tariff LP. Concerts and festivals are both in the scope of the consultation."

The consultation, which expires on 8 June 2015, can be found here. 

The ALMR confirms that an industry body representing licensed hospitality businesses will be chaired by Chief Executive Kate Nicholls and is expected to lobby on behalf of the trade, but this should not preclude individual operators who may be affected from engaging in the consultation.