The MLC (The Mechanical Licensing Collective)

The Mechanical Licensing Collective

Established by the Music Modernization Act (MMA) of 2018, The MLC is a statutory non-profit organization designated by the U.S. Register of Copyrights to act as the single nationwide collection society for digital interactive streaming mechanical royalties.

Core Mission The MLC collections are funded entirely by digital service providers (DSPs like Spotify, Apple Music), meaning registration and services are 100% free for songwriters and publishers.

Its main objectives are: 1. Issuing and administering the statutory Blanket Mechanical License covering all interactive streaming DSPs in the U.S. 2. Collecting streaming mechanical royalties from DSPs (calculating them under the complex 37 C.F.R. § 385 pool rules). 3. Maintaining an authoritative public database of musical works and their owners. 4. Distributing mechanical royalties directly to publishers, self-published writers, and foreign collective management organizations (CMOs).

Scope Limitation The MLC only collects interactive digital mechanical royalties inside the United States. It does not collect performance royalties (ASCAP/BMI), physical mechanicals (HFA), master recording royalties (distributors), non-interactive digital royalties (SoundExchange), or foreign royalties.