Music Survives Recession But Partners Don’t

Jan. 27, 2009 - PRLog -- Nearly 90% of people claim to be cutting spending on their partners during the recession compared to just 60% on their own music expenditure, according to a survey conducted by PRS for Music, formerly known as the Performing Right Society.

PRS for Music, the organisation responsible for collecting royalties, which reported a record distribution of £600m last year for its 60,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members, conducted the survey to find out the effects the recession was having on Britain’s spending habits and its effects on music.

Women were 10% more likely to cut expenditure on their partners than men, with 67% of women claiming to be cutting up to 20%, compared to 63% of men.

Top spending cuts

Activity                % of people claiming they were cutting back on
Clothes               91%
Eating Out       91%
Holidays       89%
Partners       88%
DVDs               87%
Pub                       87%
Music               60%
Source: PRS for Music

Steve Porter, chief executive at PRS for Music said: ‘Our research shows the importance of music as a core part of everyday life, even during a recession.  Even though people are cutting back on things like buying clothes, eating out and spending on their other halves, they are far less likely to cut back on their music.’

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PRS for Music exists to help businesses and community groups get access to some of the world’s best loved music, while making sure that songwriters, composers and publishers are rightfully rewarded whenever their musical works are played, performed or reproduced. PRS for Music provides the permissions needed to use music for any product or space, from a TV programme or YouTube video, to the workplace radio and every possibility in between. Through effective, fair and transparent licensing we ensure that creators can keep on creating by delivering vital income to all our 60,000 membership. PRS for Music is proud to keep one of the UK’s most vibrant creative industries working.