Unit 1 Exeter gives back to music makers

Local club Unit 1 Exeter is taking part in a pilot project that will help make sure artists are getting their fair share of royalties for the music they create.

The club on Summerland Street is taking part in the pilot being led by music industry licensing bodies PRS for Music and PPL. By using the very latest Music Recognition Technology (MRT), it is hoped that the data collated from the tracks played by the club’s DJs could improve the way in which royalties are paid to the right performers, songwriters, producers, record labels and music publishers.

Having initially launched in London nightclubs Ministry of Sound and Fabric, the MRT pilot is being rolled out in a selection of clubs, bars, pubs and hotels with valid music licences in place across the UK.

Unit 1’s general manager Leanne Evans said: “Music is the very heartbeat of our business and it’s in our interest to see that talented artists are rewarded for their creations. With online streaming and other digital technology, it’s increasingly difficult for songwriters and musicians to make a living from their creations, so anything we can do to help and attract and support the latest local talent has to be a good thing.”

Unit 1 is one of six venues owned by the UK’s largest national club and bar operator, The Deltic Group, taking part in the trial. Deltic has spent the last 18 months increasing investment in its venues and music led entertainment, by delivering popular acts for student nights and weekends.

Speaking on behalf of PPL and PRS, Karen Buse, Executive Director, Membership and International, PRS for Music, said: “We are delighted to have the support of Deltic, which is such an influential player in the hospitality business. We look forward to working with Leanne and the other clubs to gain insight into how technology could help ensure the right people are paid for the music that keeps clubbers coming in.”

The MRT features a small, discreet device in the DJ booth that monitors music played and sends results via an internet connection to a secure database, to be matched, analysed and reported back to PRS for Music and PPL.

The Deltic Group employs 3,000 people nationwide across its 59 clubs including brands PRYZM, Bar&Beyond, ATIK, Fiction, Cameo, Kuda and Vinyl.  Six Deltic venues around the UK are taking part in the MRT pilot.