UK Songwriters Missing Millions in Royalties from Live Gigs

In a troubling revelation for the music industry, songwriters in the United Kingdom are reportedly missing out on millions of pounds in royalties due to inadequate tracking of setlists from over 100,000 live performances. The Performing Right Society (PRS) for Music, the agency responsible for collecting and distributing these royalties, has acknowledged that while it collects revenue from ticket sales, it struggles to match this income to the respective songwriters due to insufficient data about the songs performed. This issue has led to a growing pool of unallocated royalties, often referred to as the 'black box', which currently remains undistributed amidst ongoing legal challenges.

According to a report published by The Guardian on July 4, 2025, PRS for Music has accumulated a significant amount of unclaimed revenue, with documents indicating that as of 2019, this figure stood at approximately £2.7 million. The agency, which represents over 180,000 music industry members and manages approximately 45 million musical works, has expressed its commitment to ensuring that songwriters receive their due payments. However, the lack of accurate setlist submissions from venues and promoters complicates this process.

The scale of the problem is underscored by PRS’s public list of 'concerts available for distribution', which includes entries dating back to 2022, where payments have been collected but not allocated. This list primarily comprises performances from lesser-known artists, although prominent names such as Ronan Keating and The Jesus and Mary Chain are also included. Venues like the Jazz Cafe in London and various Academy sites are among those contributing to the growing unclaimed revenue.

Mark Davyd, the CEO of the Music Venue Trust, highlighted the detrimental impact of this situation, stating, 'One of my members described it as a reverse Robin Hood.' He emphasized that PRS’s handling of royalties has resulted in smaller artists being disproportionately affected, with funds collected but not adequately redistributed.

PRS has defended its practices, noting that it employs various methods to match performances with songwriters, including piloting new technologies to convert handwritten setlists to digital formats. A spokesperson from PRS stated, 'We dedicate significant resources to match live performances to works and ensure songwriters and composers receive the royalties they are due.' Furthermore, the agency sends representatives to festivals and events to collect setlists in person, despite maintaining that there exists a contractual obligation on venues and promoters to provide this information.

In a related development, Blur’s drummer Dave Rowntree has initiated legal proceedings against PRS, claiming violations of UK and EU competition rules concerning the management of 'black box' income. Rowntree's lawsuit alleges that the current distribution practices favor music publishers over individual songwriters. PRS has refuted these claims, asserting that they misrepresent the organization’s policies and operations.

The situation raises broader questions about the management of royalties in the live music sector, particularly for independent and emerging artists. As PRS prepares for an alternative dispute resolution meeting scheduled for September 25, 2025, the music community remains watchful, hoping for a resolution that ensures fair compensation for all creators involved. The implications of this ongoing issue extend beyond individual artists, highlighting systemic challenges within the music industry’s revenue distribution mechanisms, and calling into question the efficacy of current management practices in an evolving digital landscape. The future of fair compensation for songwriters hangs in the balance as stakeholders await the outcomes of both the legal challenges and PRS's ongoing efforts to address these critical issues.