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What is MCPS? What is PRS?

What is the difference between PRS and MCPS?

Kirsten Bennett avatar
Written by Kirsten Bennett
Updated over 6 months ago

Explaining MCPS and PRS


Publishing Administration can be overwhelming for musicians, but PRS and MCPS are here to support songwriters, producers and composers to get paid for their contributions towards a song.

Who are MCPS and PRS

Who are PRS? (Performing Right Society)

PRS collects and pays outperforming royalties when works are:

  • performed live

  • broadcast on TV or radio

  • played in public

  • streamed online

  • used in film


Who are MCPS? (Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society)

MCPS collects and distributes mechanical royalties on behalf of its members.

This includes works that are:

  • commercially released by a record company on a CD, DVD or LP

  • recorded and used by a radio or TV programme

  • recorded and used for an audio-visual or multimedia production used online


PRS for Music and MCPS Logos

PRS distributes royalties four times a year, whereas MCPS makes distributions every month. Membership of MCPS is separate from PRS, and if you are not working with a publisher, you may need to consider joining MCPS if your works are used this way.

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