What PRS Covers — Performing Rights
PRS (Performing Right Society) collects royalties when your music is performed publicly. "Performed" has a broad legal meaning — it includes:
- Broadcast — BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, radio stations
- Streaming — the performing right component of Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube plays
- Live performance — concerts, festivals, gigs where your music is played
- Public playback — shops, restaurants, gyms, hotels, hairdressers
- Online use — websites, podcasts, social media
If someone plays your music where others can hear it, that's a performing right use. PRS licenses the users and distributes the collected fees to the composers and publishers whose music was played.
What MCPS Covers — Mechanical Rights
MCPS (Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society) collects royalties when your music is reproduced — when a copy is made. This includes:
- Physical products — CDs, vinyl, DVDs
- Downloads — iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp purchases
- Streaming — the mechanical right component (the "copy" made to deliver the stream)
- Sync in broadcast — when music is embedded in a TV programme or film
- Online video — YouTube, social media video where music is incorporated
Why the Distinction Matters
The two rights are separate income streams. A single use of your music can trigger both:
- A BBC broadcast pays PRS (performing right for the public broadcast) AND potentially MCPS (mechanical right if the music was copied into the programme)
- A Spotify stream pays PRS (performing right for the listen) AND MCPS (mechanical right for the server-side copy)
If you're only a PRS member and not an MCPS member, you might be missing out on mechanical royalties. It's worth checking whether MCPS membership makes sense for your catalogue.
How They Appear in Your Statements
PRS and MCPS royalties may appear on separate statements or be distinguished by distribution type codes within the same download. The amounts and timing can differ — a BBC broadcast might show a PRS performing right payment in one quarter and an MCPS mechanical payment in another.
RoyaltyPro reads both PRS and MCPS statement formats, so you can see your complete royalty picture in one place.
For a full walkthrough of what your statements contain, see our guide to understanding PRS royalty statements.