Summary for self-administered composers (without a publisher)
The MMA is now effective. If you are a songwriter, you need to get your songs into the now effective national database. It is the database that it intended to act as the U.S. universal database and for copyright mechanical licensing purposes.
Here is a quick to do list if you self-administer your compositions. If you have a publisher, you should contact it to see if they are actively registering your songs in the MLC database.
- Watch video here: https://vimeo.com/487019593. This is a good overview of music business and copyright law and How the MLC works.
- All Songwriters should join the MLC. Link here: https://www.themlc.com/membership
- Register your compositions and/or review the MLC database for accuracy.
- Also, make sure you have registered all of your sound recordings with SoundExchange here: soundexchange.com. If you are registered with a company such as TuneCore, they may have already registered your master recordings. Check with all services you may be associated with such as TuneCore, The Orchard, etc.
The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) is a nonprofit organization designated by the U.S. Copyright Office pursuant to the historic Music Modernization Act of 2018. Starting in January 2021, The MLC will administer blanket mechanical licenses to eligible streaming and download services (digital service providers or DSPs) in the United States. The MLC will then collect the royalties due under those licenses from the DSPs and pay self-administered songwriters, composers, lyricists and music publishers.
