{"id":4295,"date":"2022-02-09T01:16:44","date_gmt":"2022-02-09T01:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/09\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/"},"modified":"2022-02-09T01:16:44","modified_gmt":"2022-02-09T01:16:44","slug":"what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/09\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the MLC, and do I still need a publisher?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/09\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/#What_the_Mechanical_Licensing_Collective_means_for_songwriters\" >What the Mechanical Licensing Collective means for songwriters<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/09\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/#What_is_a_mechanical_royalty\" >What is a mechanical royalty?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/09\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/#How_are_mechanical_streaming_royalties_generated\" >How are mechanical streaming royalties generated?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/09\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/#Does_the_MLC_collect_international_royalties\" >Does the MLC collect international royalties?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/09\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/#How_do_copyright_holders_collect_royalties_from_the_MLC\" >How do copyright holders collect royalties from the MLC?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/09\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/#Do_I_need_to_register_with_the_MLC\" >Do I need to register with the MLC?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/09\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/#What_else_does_the_MLC_do\" >What else does the MLC do?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/09\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/#Do_I_even_need_a_publisher_anymore\" >Do I even need a publisher anymore?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_the_Mechanical_Licensing_Collective_means_for_songwriters\"><\/span><span>What the Mechanical Licensing Collective means for songwriters<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>In official music biz terms, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.themlc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MLC<\/a> is a U.S.-based Mechanical Rights Organization (MRO) designated by the U.S. Copyright Office to issue and administer the digital audio mechanical blanket license in accordance with the Music Modernization Act to DSPs (digital service providers like Spotify and Apple Music) in the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>What this means for you, the independent artist, is that <strong>the MLC was created to help songwriters in the U.S. collect <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-rights\/what-is-a-mechanical-royalty-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">mechanical royalties<\/a> generated from streaming<\/strong>. Since these royalties can be difficult to collect on your own, the MLC is an extremely helpful organization, especially for indie artists.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_mechanical_royalty\"><\/span><span>What is a mechanical royalty?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Every time a song you\u2019ve written is manufactured on a CD, downloaded on a digital music retail site, or streamed through services like Spotify and Apple Music, you\u2019re owed a royalty from that transaction. This is called a mechanical royalty.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_are_mechanical_streaming_royalties_generated\"><\/span><span>How are mechanical streaming royalties generated?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>Mechanical royalties get their name from the <\/span><i><span>mechanical <\/span><\/i><span>recreation of a composition. This dates back to physical media like vinyl and CDs, when <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-rights\/music-publishing-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span>songwriters and publishers<\/span><\/a><span> were owed royalties when compositions they owned were pressed onto media formats.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Nowadays <strong>mechanical royalties are generated whenever a composition is mechanically recreated.<\/strong> This can either be from via either a download purchase or interactive stream. So whenever someone buys a song from a download store like iTunes or presses \u201cplay\u201d on an on-demand streaming platform like Spotify or Apple Music, that will generate a mechanical royalty payable to the composition\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-rights\/copyright-for-musicians\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span>copyright<\/span><\/a><span> holders (songwriters and publishers).<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_the_MLC_collect_international_royalties\"><\/span><span>Does the MLC collect international royalties?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span><strong>The MLC only collects mechanical royalties from streaming platforms in the U.S.<\/strong> This distinction is important, because the MLC does <\/span><i><span>not<\/span><\/i><span> collect mechanical royalties generated by platforms outside the U.S.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The good news for international artists is that you can still collect mechanical royalties from the MLC if you\u2019re in a country outside the U.S., since the MLC pays copyright holders no matter where they\u2019re located.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_copyright_holders_collect_royalties_from_the_MLC\"><\/span><span>How do copyright holders collect royalties from the MLC?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>The owners of composition copyrights must \u201cConnect to Collect\u201d (TM) with the MLC. This means any music publishers and self-administered songwriters (songwriters who retain the right to collect their own mechanical royalties) who wish to collect royalties from the MLC must become a member by registering with them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_I_need_to_register_with_the_MLC\"><\/span><span>Do I need to register with the MLC?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>Not if you\u2019re using <a href=\"https:\/\/cdbaby.com\/publishing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CD Baby Pro Publishing<\/a>! The MLC is working with the Harry Fox Agency (HFA) to build a database of works. That means all <strong>CD Baby Pro members will have their songs transferred to the MLC\u2019s database with all the ownership information<\/strong>. And since CD Baby Pro is a publishing administration service, it already collects mechanical royalties from the MLC. It\u2019s the same agreement we have with other royalty collection agencies like HFA.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>What\u2019s really cool about the MLC\u2019s database is that it\u2019s publicly accessible. This makes it easy for songwriters or other individuals to make sure the ownership information for a song is correct. It also increases transparency as far as who owns what as more platforms like Spotify are making such metadata public.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_else_does_the_MLC_do\"><\/span><span>What else does the MLC do?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>The MLC provides blanket licenses for streaming services. It provides a baseline structure to ensure that rights holders collect all mechanicals from every source. The MLC is responsible for matching those royalties to copyright holders and paying them out.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_I_even_need_a_publisher_anymore\"><\/span><span>Do I even need a publisher anymore?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>Absolutely. <strong>The MLC collects and pays mechanical royalties for downloads and streams. However, it does not replace the job of a publisher.<\/strong> Keep in mind that the MLC does not collect performance royalties from performing rights organizations (PROs) like BMI and ASCAP. The PROs use publishers to collect shares of compositions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>And remember that the MLC only collects in the U.S. <strong>If your songs are bought or streamed internationally, you\u2019ll need a publisher or publishing administrator like <\/strong><\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/news\/publishing-250k-songwriters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CD Baby Pro<\/a> to track down those royalties.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span>Not a Pro member yet?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"co-button\" href=\"https:\/\/members.cdbaby.com\/sign-up\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>Sign up for Pro now<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-rights\/what-is-the-mlc-and-do-i-still-need-a-publisher\/\" target=\"_blank\">What is the MLC, and do I still need a publisher?<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">DIY Musician<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What the Mechanical Licensing Collective means for songwriters In official music biz terms, the MLC is a U.S.-based Mechanical Rights Organization (MRO) designated by the U.S. Copyright Office to issue and administer the digital audio mechanical blanket license in accordance with the Music Modernization Act to DSPs (digital service providers like Spotify and Apple Music) in the United States. What this means for you, the independent artist, is that the MLC was created to help songwriters in the U.S. collect mechanical royalties generated from streaming. Since [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-seo-blogs"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4295"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4295\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}