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Organisations That We Work With

Influential music organisations that the MU works with in order to protect musicians' rights at work and fight for a fairer music industry.

Last updated: 27 September 2023

Music industry organisations

UK Music

UK Music is an industry-funded body to represent the collective interests of the recorded, published and live arms of the British music industry.

Through collective representation, UK Music promotes the interests of record labels and music publishers (major and independent), songwriters, composers, lyricists, musicians, managers, producers, promoters, venues and collection societies.

AIM

AIM is the not-for-profit trade body exclusively representing the UK’s independent music sector, which makes up a quarter of the recorded music market. AIM’s members range from the largest, most respected record labels and associated music businesses in the world to self-releasing artists and the next generation of entrepreneurs in music. AIM promotes and supports this exciting and diverse sector globally and provides a range of services, commercial opportunities and practical help to members, enabling them to innovate, grow and break into new markets.

The Ivors Academy

The Ivors Academy is the independent professional association for songwriters and composers across all styles.

BPI

British Phonographic Industry (BPI) represents the UK’s recorded music industry, which is one of the most exciting and thriving music sectors in the world.  As a trade body, it champions the interests of its membership which includes more than 400 independent music companies and the UK’s major record companies – Universal Music UK, Sony Music UK, and Warner Music UK. Together, BPI’s members account for 85% of all music sold in the United Kingdom.

BPI organises The annual BRIT Awards with Mastercard show, The Hyundai Mercury Prize for 'Album of the Year' and the Classic BRIT Awards show.

MMF

The Music Managers Forum (MMF) is the world’s largest professional community of music managers. The MMF engages, advises and lobbies industry associates and wider industry on issues that are relevant to managers.

Music Publishers’ Association

The Music Publishers Association is the trade association for music publishers in the UK.  The Music Publishers Association exists to safeguard the interests of music publishers and the writers signed to them. It provides them with a forum and a collective voice, offers them a range of practical services, represents their interests to government, the music industry and the media, and works to inform and to educate the wider public in the importance and value of copyright.

MPG

The Music Producers Guild (MPG) was conceived and is supported by producers, mixers, recording engineers, re-mixers and programmers who are passionate about all aspects of making and recording music. It is a not-for-profit company and is run by volunteers from the membership.

The MPG represents and promotes the interests of all those involved in the production of recorded music, including producers, engineers, mixers, re-mixers, programmers and mastering engineers.

PPL

PPL is the UK’s music licensing company for over 110,000 performers and recording rightsholders. We have been licensing the use of recorded music in the UK since 1934.

PPL licenses radio stations, TV broadcasters and certain digital media services to play recorded music in the UK as part of their programming. They also license music suppliers to copy recorded music for services such as in-store music systems, jukeboxes, compilations for exercise classes and in-flight entertainment systems.

PRS for Music

PRS for Music pay royalties to their members when their work is performed, broadcast, streamed, downloaded, reproduced, played in public or used in film and TV. We support them by influencing policy, supporting and hosting awards and events, and investing in new technology to ensure we’re fit for the digital music age.

Royal Music Association

The Royal Musical Association (RMA) is the foremost society in the UK dedicated to the study of music. Its principal objectives are the advancement of scholarship and scholarly publication.

LIVE

LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment) is the voice of the UK’s live music and entertainment business. LIVE members are a federation of 14 live music industry associations representing 3,150 businesses, over 4,000 artists and 2,000 backstage workers.

LIVE works to ensure that the interests of live music in the UK are understood and communicated to Government, policymakers, regulators, the public and the wider music and entertainment industries. Through collective representation, LIVE promotes the interests of artists, venues, festivals, promoters, booking agents, crew and production suppliers.

The Royal College of Organists

The Royal College of Organists has supported and represented organists and choral directors for more than 150 years.

With members in nearly 40 countries around the world, it works to promote the best in organ playing and choral directing, to encourage anyone who is interested to learn more about this fascinating and versatile musical instrument, and to explore its history and repertoire.

Its aim is to make the College an organisation which supports organists and choral directors of every age and all levels of attainment. 

Organisations we work with to promote equality in music

Black Lives in Music

Black Lives in Music addresses the current inequality of opportunity for black people aspiring to be artists or professionals in the Jazz and Classical music industry. Black Lives in Music believes in real equality for Black people to learn musical instruments at grassroots level and to allow them to pursue and realise their musical ambitions.

The Blues100

The Blues100’s mission is to be a platform that shouts about the best emerging R&B talent and provides a way for that talent to be fairly compensated for their art.

The F-List

The F-List is the first directory of its kind to feature up-to-date information on UK-based female* musicians, songwriters and composers.

Girls I Rate

GIRLS I RATE was founded by Carla Marie Williams, a multi-platinum, A-list songwriter to a role-call of artists, including Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Naughty Boy, Craig David and Sean Paul.

Experiencing first-hand the imbalance and inequality within a very male dominated music industry, Carla was compelled to create a movement that provides females with a voice and platform. Her mission is to unite females though GIR and create opportunities for females within the music & creative industries.

Keychange

Keychange brings underrepresented genders in the music industry to the main stage. They take action to empower talented underrepresented genders with training, mentoring, and network support plus conferences and showcasing opportunities at partner festivals.

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