Last.fm tells us it has agreed to pay performance royalties to the PPL collection society for songs it streams over its web radio service in the UK. It’s a somewhat different trajectory from Pandora, which finally gave up flirting with licences operated by PPL and the MCPS-PRS in January, protesting the rates are too high.
Last.fm is also signed up with MCPS-PRS. PPL’s licence for interactive, personalised internet radio services – for the record – commands 0.0773 pence per track per stream, which goes back to performers and labels, though Last.fm wouldn’t comment on its financial terms with PPL. Last.fm will get to pay for this out of advertising revenue and subscription fees it plans to add to the recently announced full-track streaming offering.
Also last month, Last.fm announced its own scheme allowing unsigned artists to effectively recoup a kind of royalty when their music gets played at the site, so it is now legitimate with both signed and upcoming bands.