photo_cameraMark Davyd
Venues
UK Grassroots Venue Study Challenges Music Licensing Model
Only 21% of live music audio measured in UK grassroots venues matched known repertoire, raising questions over licensing costs for venue operators and how royalties are distributed to songwriters.
Music Venue Trust (MVT) and music technology company Audoo have announced a major UK-wide study into music usage at grassroots venues, with potential implications for venue licensing costs, royalty collection and payments to rights holders.
The announcement follows a two-month pilot conducted in August and September 2026, during which Audoo`s audio recognition technology monitored 623 hours of live performance audio.
Of this, 134 hours, equivalent to 21%, matched known songs or musical works. MVT said the findings were broadly consistent with its longstanding estimate that registered repertoire accounts for between 20% and 34% of music performed in grassroots venues.
However, unmatched audio does not necessarily represent unregistered music, as it can also include speech between songs and material that could not be identified.
The findings could strengthen MVT`s position in discussions with PRS for Music, the UK`s performing rights organisation, over how licensing fees for grassroots venues are calculated.
MVT has previously challenged what it describes as the assumption that all music performed in grassroots venues consists of registered repertoire. The organisation argues that licensing arrangements should better reflect actual music usage rather than estimates.
For venue operators, more accurate measurement could potentially influence licensing costs, while improved identification of performed works could help ensure royalties reach the correct songwriters and publishers.
Larger study across 100 venues
The new research project will involve more than 100 grassroots music venues across the UK between October and December 2026.
Audoo will use its Audio Meter technology, which connects directly to venue mixing desks to identify songs performed live or played as recorded music, without requiring venue operators to submit setlists or additional paperwork.
The technology could offer an alternative to existing reporting practices, potentially reducing administrative requirements for venues while providing collecting societies with more detailed data.
During the initial pilot, the system recognised 2,238 live performances, including 23 tribute-band sets covering more than 380 songs.
The research also highlighted the diversity of grassroots venue programming. In September alone, 1,190 different songs were identified during live performances, with 87% played only once.
For recorded music, the system identified 10,943 tracks by 6,248 artists. No individual artist appeared in more than 16 of the 64 venues providing data that month.
According to MVT, this suggests that grassroots venue repertoire differs significantly from radio playlists and major concert programming, which can be used as reference points when distributing royalties.
Implications for venues and rights holders
Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust, said the initial findings supported the organisation`s longstanding concerns about licensing arrangements.
"For years, we`ve challenged the assumption that all music performed in grassroots venues is registered repertoire. These initial findings raise important questions about how accurately the current licensing system reflects what`s actually being played," Davyd said.
Gareth Kelly, responsible for rights management at MVT, said improved data was essential for meaningful discussions about licensing and royalty distribution.
The research could have implications beyond the UK if more detailed monitoring demonstrates that existing methods do not accurately reflect music performed in smaller venues.
However, the pilot does not establish the precise proportion of unregistered music or demonstrate that current licensing fees are excessive.
MVT and Audoo expect to publish the findings of the full study in January 2027. The results could provide a basis for further discussions between venue operators, collecting societies, music publishers and songwriter representatives about licensing structures and royalty distribution.