Digital DJ License

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The age of legal digital DJing has arrived

After years of procrastinating, the UK’s broadcast royalties collection society, Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL), have created a licence for DJs wishing to play digital music files in public.

The Digital DJ license costs £200 per year and legally allows DJs to make up to 20,000 digital recordings onto a laptop or a computer to play out in clubs and pubs.

However, the license only covers DJs that play directly off laptops or computers.

It does not cover those that burn legally downloaded music onto CD, and even those that own a PPL Digital DJ license still face prosecution if caught doing so.

Peter Leathem from PPL said: “Before this license it was technically illegal to play mp3s in a club, but this digital license finally allows DJs to play off laptops or computers.”

“We will give DJs adequate time to purchase the license, and then will start regulating venues in the near future.”

He continued: “We’re also in talks with many big pub and club chains, and many of them are keen to have only licensed digital DJs playing in their venues.”

PPL’s Digital DJ license also allows DJs to keep back-ups of all their music files on a separate hard drive.

“This was something that we included in the scheme after having discussions with hundreds of professional DJs,” says Leathem.

“Originally, we were only going to allow 10,000 tracks to be downloaded per year with the license, but this has now been increased to 20,000 after many DJs suggested this figure was not high enough.”

Many will point out that policing DJs that play digital downloads off CD will be difficult.

After all, DJs have been doing this for years.

In response Leathem said: “There was a real need to establish a legal framework in regards to playing digital music in public.

“This has now been done, and soon we will make spot checks at clubs, and prosecute any digital DJs who don’t have the license.”

But how will PPL be able to tell if a digital music file has been legally, or illegally downloaded?

“Of course, this would be very difficult,” said Leathem.

“But we’ve given digital DJs a lifeline with this license, and we’re more concerned about those that continue to play digital music in public without it.”

Currently, only a handful of sites are offering PPL’s Digital DJ license, but the scheme will be available across the UK soon.

One such site – digitaldj.co.uk – has been set-up specifically to cater for the growing numbers of jocks going digital.

James Hudson, Marketing Manager at digitaldj.co.uk, said: “This is one of the most important industry developments in recent years.”

“Finally, digital DJs can play off their laptops without fear of being prosecuted.”

Digitaldj.co.uk is offering the PPL license on its own for £200, but for an extra £50 per year, DJs can gain full access to their website, which carries news, reviews, and features specifically written for DJs that have made the digital transition.

-DJ Magazine-