PRS for Music and PPL partner to host live music float at the lord mayor’s show

PRS for Music and PPL are proud to celebrate a landmark year for their businesses by hosting UK soul-singer Tony Momrelle on the ‘Championing Music’ float at next weekend’s Lord Mayor’s Show in Central London.

With the theme of this year's Lord Mayor's Show being 'Music', the event takes on special significance for PRS for Music and PPL who welcome respected composer Dr. Andrew Parmley as the new Lord Mayor of the City of London.

This will be the first time in the event’s 801-year history that a composer has been inaugurated as Lord Mayor. Taking place on Saturday 12 November, the Lord Mayor’s show is one of the capital’s longest running cultural institutions.

The PRS for Music and PPL 'Championing Music' float will celebrate the benefits music brings to a host of different UK industries, from big businesses through to small independent start-ups. As the UK’s leading rights collection agencies, PRS for Music and PPL play a crucial role in protecting and supporting the UK music industry, ensuring their members’ rights are safeguarded.

Dr. Andrew Parmley has stated that a key part of the role of Lord Mayor is promoting the cultural value of the City of London both to Londoners and visitors. A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, Trinity College and an Honorary Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Dr. Parmley’s career started as Director of Music at Forest School in Snaresbrook, East London.

This year’s show will involve a parade running from the City of London to Westminster that will include 180 horses, 164 vehicles, jazz bands, steam engines, sports cars and even a replica Blackpool Tower, all of which will make their way through the medieval streets of the capital!

On the float, PRS for Music and PPL member Tony Momrelle will perform hits from his latest BBC Radio 2 playlisted album Keep Pushing. Tony, who has been in the music industry for 27 years, was first discovered by Gloria Estefan at a recording studio in Barnes, South West London. He has since made his name touring with the likes of Sade, Elton John and Janet Jackson and has long been supported by BBC Introducing. Today, he is also one of the lead vocalists in the British acid jazz band Incognito, who released their latest album, In Search of Better Days, in June this year.

In the lead up to their next official release (February 2017), electro folk pop troubadours Coco and the Butterfields will also be performing on the ‘Championing Music’ float. Colourful and energetic, the crowd-pleasing live act express all the fun and vibrancy of a village folk fair, throwing in powerful vocals and a beatbox.

Earlier this year, PRS for Music and PPL announced plans for a joint venture to simplify the licensing process for businesses wanting to play music across the UK. For many business owners, music is an integral part of their set up; the new joint venture will provide businesses with access to over 10 million songs. With royalties often being critical to a successful creative music career, the joint venture will also help creators to continue to make the music we all love, helping to secure the future of great British music. 

We are delighted to join with our partners at PPL to host Tony Momrelle on our float at this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show. There is a musical theme to the show and with Dr. Andrew Parmley holding such impressive musical credentials, the 801st Lord Mayor’s Show felt like the perfect occasion to celebrate our collective successes of the last year.

'Championing Music' continues to be at the heart of both organisations, collecting ever-increasing amounts of revenue on behalf of the creators of music and enabling businesses across the UK to enjoy music. We look forward to celebrating this iconic event and working even more closely with PPL in 2017.

We are honoured to have a presence at this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show and are excited about hosting a joint float in collaboration with PRS for Music to celebrate Dr. Parmley’s inauguration as Lord Mayor. We are also looking forward to some great live music courtesy of Incognito’s Tony Momrelle; it promises to be a great day.

About PPL

PPL is the music licensing company which works on behalf of record companies and performers to license recorded music played in public (at pubs, nightclubs, restaurants, shops, offices and many other business types) and broadcast on TV and radio across the UK. Our members include major record labels and independents as well as globally successful performers and session musicians, ranging from orchestral players to percussionists and singers. PPL also operates an international royalty collection service helping members to get paid when their music is played internationally.

About PRS for Music

PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 165,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers around the globe. Headquartered in the UK, it works diligently on behalf of its members to grow and protect the value of their rights. With a focus on innovation and integrity, PRS for Music is redefining the global standard for music royalties to ensure creators are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public. In 2022, PRS for Music collected £964m and paid out £836.2m in royalties. prsformusic.com