Licensing the reproduction of printed music in the UK
Strengthening creator and publisher rights in printed music
Founded in 2012, PMLL licenses and collects royalties on behalf of music creators and publishers in the UK when their works are reproduced in print. This revenue stream is important and growing, bringing publishers a new income to bolster their businesses and better reflect the true impact of their creators’ works.
Why we exist
We license the reproduction of sheet music on behalf of our members. We provide licenses in the education and leisure sectors simplifying the licensing process for users and ensuring that publishers are fairly paid for the copying of their works in print.
The History of PMLL
2012
PMLL was founded to provide a licence for the photocopying and arranging of sheet music within education. This licence was called the Schools Printed Music Licence (SPML).
2013
The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) were employed to administer the SPML and negotiated central agreements with England, Scotland and Northern Ireland on behalf of PMLL.
2016
The first distribution based on data was made to members. The first non-data distribution was in 2013.
2019
The distribution policy was changed to allocate 50% of SPML fees to non-data and 50% to data. The trial Amateur Choir Licence (ACL) was launched.
2020
The trial Higher Education Printed Music Licence (HEPML) was launched.
2021
The contract with the CLA ended and the administration of the business was brought in-house for the first time. The PMLL portal was launched. A new 5-year agreement was negotiated with the Department for Education (England).
MPA Group announces Rachel Lindley (Oxford University Press) as the first woman PMLL chair.
2022
A new 5-year agreement with the Scottish Government and Education Authority (NI) was signed. The Amateur Choir Licence was launched as a full licence. PMLL celebrated its 10-year anniversary.
2023
The HEPML was launched as a full licence. The Amateur Group Singing Licence (AGSL) was launched to cover the copying of music by amateur theatre groups for variety shows.
Our Board
Want to know more?
For more information about PMLL, recent news, and access to the PMLL portal for licensees, visit the PMLL site now.
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