Swedish House Mafia’s Steve Angello joins PPL for international neighbouring rights

Steve Angello

Steve Angello, one third of Swedish House Mafia, has signed with PPL for his international neighbouring rights collections.

UK music licensing company PPL will manage the collection of the Greek-Swedish DJ, record producer, remixer and record label owner’s international neighbouring rights royalties, the UK-headquartered firm said in a statement on Wednesday (August 16).

Established in 1934, PPL is a collective management organization (CMO) for artists and record companies that licenses recorded music in the UK when it is played in public venues like shops, bars, nightclubs, or aired via BBC, commercial radio or TV.

“We are very proud that Steve Angello has chosen PPL to represent his international neighbouring rights. His career has helped to define electronic music over the last two decades and the tracks he has produced, as a solo artist and as a member of Swedish House Mafia, continue to influence it today.”

Peter Leathem, PPL

PPL ensures that rights holders receive revenues from the airing of their licensed music. It also collects performance rights internationally when an artist’s music is played overseas in public and used on TV, radio and some online streaming services.

By signing with PPL, Angello joins a roster of neighbouring rights clients including eight-time Grammy winner Anderson .Paak, Rita Ora and ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus.

“We are very proud that Steve Angello has chosen PPL to represent his international neighbouring rights. His career has helped to define electronic music over the last two decades and the tracks he has produced, as a solo artist and as a member of Swedish House Mafia, continue to influence it today,” PPL CEO Peter Leathem said.

Leathem added: “His records are popular all around the world, making PPL an ideal partner for him. Our large network of agreements with CMOs around the world, coupled with an extensive knowledge of the neighbouring rights sector and a leading technology infrastructure, mean we are well-placed to represent Steve Angello internationally and to maximise his revenue.”

Angello formed Swedish House Mafia, a Swedish house music supergroup in late 2008 alongside Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso. The group released two compilation albums and six singles from 2010 to 2012 including the global hit “Don’t You Worry Child,” which went multi-platinum in five countries.

Since announcing their split in June 2012, the supergroup’s members including Angello went on different paths with Angello working solo and Axwell & Ingrosso performing as a duo. The three reunited in 2018 with a surprise performance at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami and most recently, Swedish House Mafia regrouped to release their debut studio album, Paradise Again, in April 2022.

Paradise Again was released through the group’s new label, New York-based Republic Records.


Swedish House Mafia in March sold their master recordings and publishing catalogs to Swedish entertainment company Pophouse, led by former Universal Music Sweden boss Per Sundin.

Angello has worked with a number of artists in his two-decade career including David Guetta, Pharrell Williams and Tinie Tempah. He has also launched his own record label, Size Records, and a sister label called X, which is more focused on tech house music.

Angello launched his debut solo album, Wild Youth, through Size Records in 2016. The album debuted at No.1 on the iTunes Dance chart in over 42 countries.

PPL has data and technology systems that are able to identify track usage across various mediums and the correct performers and recording rightsholders to be paid. To date, the firm has signed 105 agreements with CMOs in different countries.

The agreement with PPL came six years after Angello signed as a neighbouring rights client of Kobalt.Music Business Worldwide