How It Works

Learn how The MLC helps rightsholders get the royalties they’ve earned.

Learn How
It Works

The MLC helps ensure rightsholders get paid when their songs are streamed or downloaded in the U.S. Here’s a simple look at how royalties flow—from digital services, through The MLC, and into the hands of creators.

Rightsholders

SIGN UP

to become Members of The MLC

Anyone entitled to receive digital audio mechanical royalties for use of their music in the U.S. should become a Member of The MLC.

Take Action

Become A Member

Rightsholders

REGISTER

songs with The MLC

Members can easily register their songs in the Member Hub within The MLC Portal.

The MLC

COLLECTS

data and royalties from DSPs

Each month, digital service providers (DSPs) that operate under the blanket license send usage data and royalties to The MLC for all the music steamed and downloaded on their services.

The MLC

MATCHES

uses of registered songs

The MLC matches the DSP-reported streams and downloads to the songs registered by Members and calculates the royalties owed.

The MLC

PAYS

royalties to Members

The MLC distributes royalties to Members on a monthly basis. It’s that simple!

Where does The MLC fit in?

The Digital Music Royalties Landscape is complex. Copyright law establishes a number of different rights for both musical works and sound recordings, and each of these rights has the potential to produce its own separate royalty stream. The MLC plays a critical role in administering royalties for a specific set of rights for musical works — digital audio mechanical royalties. However, The MLC does not replace other organizations like SoundExchange and the various performing rights organizations (PROs) in the United States, which administer royalties for other rights.

Learn more

Our Commitment to Transparency

The musical works data The MLC collects and maintains in its database is available for all songwriters, publishers, and the general public to view using the Public Work Search. Just click the Public Search button from any page on The MLC’s website.

Public Search