In 1914, the Performing Rights Society was founded. They were collecting fees for live performance from sheet music. Initially, the MCPS had completely different distinct activities. The Mechanical Copyright Protection Society were originally founded in 1911 and renamed in 1924. Phonographic Performance Limited were founded by Decca and EMI in 1934, which collected fees for playing gramophone recordings. The Mechanical Copyright Protection Society began as MECOLICO, the Mechanical Copyright Licenses Co. in 1911 in anticipation of the Copyright Act of 1911, and merged with the Copyright Protection Society in 1924.The PRS for Music is the company that ensures that organisations pay to play music and distribute the royalties to the singes/bands/artists fairly and efficiently. The MCPS make sure that the companies who play music have the right licence to do so, and fine them if not. The PRS for Music distribute a certain amount of money to an artist every time a song is played, but obviously give it in a lump-sum usually at the end of each month rather than giving the artist or band 23p, for example, every single time.
The PRS work with the UK Government, Parliament, the European Commission, European Parliament and international bodies to actively engage on public policy and legislative developments. The main things that the PRS and MCPS work with/on are:
- Copyright
- Small businesses
- Collective rights management
- Digital networks, enforcement and consumer education
- Metadata and data tools
- International trade and fiscal policy
- The CRM Directive.