PRS for Music has partnered with Soundtrack to use play data from 7,000 UK businesses when distributing royalties for music heard in bars, shops and other public spaces. PRS plans to begin payments based on the data in December 2026.
Tracking music played in businesses
Soundtrack is a business-to-business streaming service. The partnership adds to PRS for Music’s existing work with background music providers and will reduce its reliance on estimates of music use. background music providers
Businesses using Soundtrack include:
- Ole & Steen
- Uniqlo
- Dr. Martens
- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
- Kiehl’s
- Joe & The Juice
- TAG Heuer
What the partners said
Ola Sars, Soundtrack’s founder, CEO and chairman, said:
“Soundtrack research shows that in most countries, public performance royalties are distributed based on proxy data and not actual usage, this partnership proves that there is a better solution available. We’re closing the gap with consumer streaming and bringing the same digital accuracy and standards to the music-for-business market.”
Ben McOwen Wilson, CEO of PRS for Music, said:
“Our focus at PRS is simple: to pay our members as accurately and as quickly as we can. When songwriters’ and composers’ music is being used, we want the information that allows us to recognize that use and get the right royalties paid to them. We’ve been working with partners in this way for years, and our new partnership with Soundtrack gives us actual usage data from thousands more businesses across the UK. It’s another important step toward making our distributions reflect the music that people are really listening to.”
