UK songwriters are missing royalties from over 100,000 live performances across the country. The findings have sparked outrage across the music industry. Many artists claim they haven’t been paid properly for live performances of their songs at gigs, clubs, and festivals.
Music rights bodies and advocacy groups say the current tracking and reporting systems are outdated and leave thousands of creators out of pocket every year. The issue highlights growing concerns over royalty transparency in the UK’s live music economy.
Why Are UK Songwriters Missing Royalties?
The core of the issue lies in poor reporting and incomplete setlists from live venues. Many small-to-medium event organizers fail to submit accurate records of the songs performed, leaving performance rights organizations unable to distribute the correct payments.
As a result, UK songwriters missing royalties has become a systemic problem—especially for emerging artists who rely on every penny. Some artists say major events have played their music live without ever paying them a single royalty.
The Scale of the Losses for Music Creators
According to estimates, the unpaid royalties could total tens of millions of pounds annually. This disproportionately affects songwriters rather than performers, since performance royalties are based on song usage—not who sings them on stage.
PRS for Music and other licensing bodies admit they struggle with overwhelmed and underreported systems. They have promised to introduce reforms. However, critics argue that the industry must act urgently to fix the problem now, not years later.
Industry Voices Call for Reform and Fairness
Musicians, publishers, and songwriters’ unions are demanding swift action. Several well-known British artists have taken to social media to raise awareness about the issue, using hashtags like #PaySongwriters and #FixTheRoyalties.
They insist that UK songwriters missing royalties is not just a financial issue—but one of fairness and respect for creative labor. Proposals include better gig reporting tools, automated tracking systems, and increased audits of live events.
