Royalties to be collected on all recordings featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono

The estate of former Beatles star John Lennon has appointed a UK music licensing company to collect royalties on all sound recordings where the late singer or his widowed wife Yoko Ono are listed as a performer.

Music licensing company Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) will collect neighbouring rights royalties for the estate when music from the pair is played in public venues including shops, bars, or aired on commercial radio or TV.

Lennon died in 1980 in New York after he was shot by Mark David Chapman.

The John Lennon estate said in a statement: “PPL has shown they are the leaders in advocating for neighbouring rights globally.

“We have the utmost respect for the team and look forward to working with them.”

PPL analysed radio and TV airplay data from the 21st century to compile a list of most played Lennon recordings – which saw Woman take the top spot.

The 1980 track makes up 24% of Lennon’s total airplay, while his earlier 1971 song titled Imagine took the second spot with a total of 23% of his total airplay.

Peter Leathem, chief executive of PPL, described it as “an honour” to be appointed by the estate for neighbouring rights collections.

“Our team works hard to ensure no stone is left unturned in the collection of neighbouring rights royalties around the world,” he said.

“It is a privilege to advocate for and collect public performance and broadcast rights globally for such a revered catalogue of recorded music.”

It comes after it was announced that Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese will produce a new Beatles documentary exploring the Fab Four storming America 60 years ago.

Beatles ’64 will follow the British band – Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Sir Ringo Starr – touching down at Kennedy Airport in New York City on February 7 1964, leading to Beatlemania sweeping the city and the US.