Quick answer: The MLC administers the U.S. blanket mechanical license for eligible interactive streaming and digital download activity and distributes related royalties for musical works.
U.S. digital audio mechanical royalties. The example is fictional and covers administration of a composition share, not ownership of the recording or a promised royalty amount.
What a mechanical royalty is
A mechanical royalty is tied to reproduction and distribution of a composition. Eligible U.S. interactive streams and digital downloads can generate digital audio mechanical royalties.
This is composition income, separate from the sound-recording payment a distributor or label receives. A songwriter who also owns the master may have interests on both sides, with separate collection arrangements.
Which royalties The MLC handles
The MLC administers the U.S. blanket mechanical license for eligible digital audio uses, including interactive streams, limited downloads, and permanent downloads. Not every download's mechanical royalty necessarily follows that route; a service can use a pass-through licensing arrangement for permanent downloads.
The MLC receives usage data, matches recordings to compositions, and pays the relevant Members. It does not replace a PRO's composition performance collection, collect your distributor's master revenue, or clear a song for film and advertising. See its official scope and licensing FAQs.
Who should become a Member
A Member is the person or entity authorized to administer works and receive these royalties. A portal login and a payable Member setup are different steps. The MLC membership guidance explains verification and tax and banking setup.
- You administer the relevant rights: establish the appropriate Member and manage the works you administer.
- An administrator handles your entire catalog: ask it to confirm the works, shares, territory, and collection coverage before duplicating claims.
- Only part is administered: identify what remains yours to administer. Do not claim shares already assigned to someone else's collection arrangement.
A 60/40 song does not mean you should claim 100%
Fictional example: “Daylight on the Platform”
Iris Lane owns 60% of the composition and Owen Price owns 40%. Their agreement gives each the full corresponding mechanical interest. An administrator collects Iris's 60% for U.S. digital audio mechanical uses; Owen administers his own 40%. There are no other grants affecting these example shares.
| Writer | Ownership | Collects through | Collection share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iris Lane | 60% | Iris’s administrator | 60% |
| Owen Price | 40% | Owen’s self-administered Member | 40% |
Owen should represent his authorized 40% collection interest, not claim the full song because he is uploading the information. Listing Iris as a co-writer is different from claiming her share. If the work is already present with the administrator's 60% claim, Owen should check the existing record and the available claim process.
Do not halve Owen's 40% to 20% merely because a PRO statement elsewhere separates writer and publisher portions. The MLC form asks for the share the publisher or administrator is responsible for collecting. Confirm that authority against the actual agreement.
Search, then register or claim the appropriate share
Use The MLC's current registration instructions alongside the portal:
- Search by title and writer information before creating a work.
- If the correct work exists, review it and use the share-claiming route where appropriate. If it is absent, follow the new-work process.
- Identify all known writers and the publishers or administrators involved; enter the collection share you are authorized to represent.
- Add accurate recording details to support matching. This is optional in the individual registration process.
- Review, submit, and keep the reference so you can follow the submission status.
A self-administered writer without a publishing entity name can use the current Member as publisher under the guide's instructions. A submitted registration is not a guarantee that every recording use has matched or that a payment is already due.
Prepare one consistent work record
A signed split sheet gives collaborators a shared starting point for names, composition ownership, and publishing contacts. It does not automatically establish every administrator's collection authority or send the work to The MLC.
- Agreement: composition shares, relevant publishing or administration grants, and who handles registration.
- People: legal and professional names, writer roles, confirmed IPIs where available, and contact details.
- Work: title, genuine alternate titles, ISWC when assigned, and any existing registration reference.
- Recordings: artist, recording title, and known ISRCs for the released versions.
An IPI identifies a party, an ISWC a musical work, and an ISRC a recording. One composition may have several recordings. Use confirmed identifiers rather than inventing a missing number or treating the recording code as the song's ownership record.
If the record exists but the money does not line up
Start by identifying the problem. Unmatched means a reported recording use has not been connected to a work; unclaimed means a matched work has an ownership share that no Member has claimed. Those require different follow-up.
- Recording not connected: check the title, artist, recording identifiers, and work details against the actual release.
- Your authorized share is missing: review the work and claim process rather than creating a duplicate composition.
- Existing claims leave no room for your share: review the conflicting-share instructions linked from the registration guide and contact The MLC with the relevant records. Do not change the percentage just to fit.
- Registration appears correct: check Member payment details, statements, and administrator reporting before assuming all income is missing.
The MLC does not decide copyright ownership disputes. Its dispute guidance distinguishes holding affected royalties from deciding who owns the work.
Keep the collection responsibilities visible
An independent setup may include a distributor for recording revenue, a PRO for composition performance royalties, and The MLC or an administrator for eligible U.S. digital audio mechanicals. Other rights and territories may require other arrangements.
For each service, write down the rights, territory, catalog, responsible person, and reference number. Keep registration confirmations beside the agreement. That gives you a concrete question when a statement is missing: which right and which share was this service supposed to collect?
Frequently asked questions
Should every songwriter create a separate MLC Member?
Not necessarily. Identify who administers the relevant rights first. A fully administered writer should confirm the administrator’s coverage; a self-administered writer may need a payable Member.
Do I claim the whole song if I wrote only part of it?
Only claim the share you are authorized to collect. Identifying all known co-writers does not authorize you to collect their shares.
Does an ISRC register my composition?
No. An ISRC identifies a recording. Recording details can help connect usage to the underlying musical work.
Is The MLC a PRO or a copyright registration office?
No. MLC work data supports digital audio mechanical collection. PRO registration and U.S. Copyright Office registration are separate activities.
Will registering guarantee payment for every stream?
No. Coverage, claims, matching, usage reporting, and payment requirements matter. Keep the reference and review the work and account status.