How to Maximise Music Royalties

Understand the importance of MU recording agreements

Your right to receive royalties from secondary use fees and subsequent payments will be dependent on the agreement you recorded under, so ensure you become familiar with how these agreements work and speak to the Sessions Official if you require guidance.

Capture your session data

Ensure you complete an MU session form (such as an MU/BPI form or a PACT form) when you record your session.  Your form is your recording agreement, and the data captured here is crucial, as it may be needed in future to protect your rights. Forms need to be counter-signed by the commissioning record label or producer. Scan and email clear copies of these forms to session.agreements@themu.org and we will digitise the data and archive the forms safely for you. 

Keep your PPL Repertoire Data up to date

The MU and PPL have an agreement to share repertoire data to benefit our respective members. The MU sends session data to PPL and they use this information as part of their line-up research.  The MU have access to line-up information on the PPL repertoire database, and we use this as part of our own line-up research.  We recommend you ensure your PPL repertoire information (performer claims and rightsholder track registrations) are up-to-date to ensure both The MU and PPL can find your line-up information if required.

Keep your MU Royalty account up to date

If we receive royalties that are due to you, we need to be able to contact you, and we need to be able to pay you. We ask that you please provide us with a postal address and an email address, as well as your payee bank details, and that you let us know as soon as possible if any of these details change. Contact us at royalties@themu.org.

If your music being used but you haven’t been paid

Typically, royalties are paid in retrospect, so it’s likely that you’ll be paid after you see your music has been used. However, if you’re concerned about any music use, or simply want to check whether the use has been picked up by our team, please get in touch. We have ongoing relationships with key music users in the UK, and conduct our own additional research, but it’s possible for occasional uses to be missed.  Please let us know if you suspect your music has been used and that you have not been paid, and we will be happy to investigate this for you.

Contact royalties@themu.org.