From NME · · 1m 30s
MVT Study Finds 21% Live Music Registered
MVT pilot study shows only 21 per cent of live music from grassroots venues is registered repertoire amid battle for fairer PRS payments.
In brief
MVT pilot study shows only 21 per cent of live music from grassroots venues is registered repertoire amid battle for fairer PRS payments. A Music Venue Trust pilot study found 21 per cent of live music in grassroots venues is registered with PRS For Music, highlighting gaps in royalty distribution. Originally reported…
MVT Pilot Study
A Music Venue Trust pilot study found only 21 per cent of live music from grassroots venues is registered with PRS For Music.
Study Collaboration
The study was conducted with Audoo, a company that monitors royalty distribution using audio technology.
Data Collection Period
The study ran between August and September 2026 to track live music performances across grassroots venues.
Key Findings
Across 623 hours of live audio, 134 hours (21 per cent) matched registered songs with PRS For Music.
Performance Statistics
2,238 live performances were recorded, including 23 tribute bands with over 380 songs.
Songwriter Impact
Songwriters like James Walsh and Ben Ottewell performed their own material during the study period.
September Data
In September alone, 1,190 different songs were recorded with 87 per cent only heard once.
PRS Response
PRS For Music says technology has not yet proven reliable for identifying live performances in grassroots venues.
Next Steps
MVT and Audoo will run a larger study from October to December 2026 to improve royalty distribution.
The short version
A Music Venue Trust pilot study found 21 per cent of live music in grassroots venues is registered with PRS For Music, highlighting gaps in royalty distribution.
