PRO retitling – what’s going on here then?

[b1nrybl0ke]

Let’s say a composer has two works registered with a PRO under the same title and assigned to the same publisher:

Work A. “Last Xmas” (Alt title “Guilty”) was registered in 2017 and is split 50/50 on performance with 100% mechanical going to the publisher. Work B. “Last Xmas” (Alt title “Feet”) was registered in 2018 and is split 50/50 with the publisher/writer on both performance and mechanicals.

Does this simply look like retitling due to a renegotiated deal in favour of the composer, or might something else be going on?

[Advice]

Not sure I understand your post since you mention “mechanicals” with respect to PRO. PROs don’t handle mechanicals, only public performances (radio, TV, stage, etc.). At least, that’s how it is in the US, not sure if it’s different in other countries. Please clarify to help us better answer. Thanks.

[b1nrybl0ke]

Apologies, I should have used collection society instead of PRO. In the UK the two main collection societies handle performing rights and sync licenses pretty much under one roof (PRS). I was trying to understand why a track would be re-registered with a collection society, changing only the “alt title” and moving to a 50/50 split on the sync license? I’m guessing some kind of buyout deal was done by the publisher and they shared a one-time sync fee.

[Author]

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