Resources

Resources and Tools

The MLC has developed resources designed to help self-administered songwriters and music publishers learn more about our organization, our work to achieve The MLC's mission, and the tools available to help prepare for The MLC Portal. Click the links below to learn more and check back often for new resources.

Fact Sheets

• Are You A Self-Administered Songwriter? If you're unsure whether you should categorize yourself as a self-administered songwriter, we've got four questions to ask yourself. See the questions here.
   
• Data Quality Initiative: The MLC created the Data Quality Initiative (DQI) to provide a streamlined way for publishers, administrators and collective management organizations (CMOs) outside the United States to compare large schedules of their musical works’ data against The MLC’s data. Through the DQI, The MLC will provide participants with reports that highlight the discrepancies between the two sets of data so that they can more easily correct those discrepancies and improve the quality of The MLC’s data. Learn More about the Data Quality Initiative.
   
• Music Data Organization Worksheet: The MLC created the Music Data Organization Worksheet to help self-administered songwriters, composers and lyricists begin to organize their musical works' data ahead of The MLC’s roll-out of The MLC Portal. The Music Data Organization Worksheet is designed as a tool to help guide self-administered writers through the process of collecting the data they’ll need to register with The MLC. Learn more about the Music Data Organization Worksheet.
   
• Who Connects to Collect: Anyone who wishes to receive digital audio mechanical royalties from The MLC will need to become a “Member” of The MLC. Members of The MLC will also be able to use The MLC’s user portal to register new musical works and review and update their existing musical works data in The MLC’s database.  Learn more about who needs to Connect to Collect with The MLC.

Webinars

• DQI Webinar for Spreadsheet Software Users: This August 2020 webinar is targeted for those who are using Excel, Google Sheets or similar methods to store their data. Watch the webinar.
   
• DQI Webinar for Music Maestro/ Vistex: This August 2020 webinar is targeted for users of Vistex's Music Maestro platform. Watch the webinar. 
   
• DQI Webinar for Proprietary Systems: This July 2020 webinar is targeted for those who are using their own in-house / proprietary IT systems to manage their musical works' data. Watch the webinar.

Video Updates

• VIDEO UPDATE (July 2020 NYC3 Industry Meeting): In July, The MLC CEO Kris Ahrend was a guest speaker at the 2020 NYC3 Industry Meeting. Watch the video recording.
   
• VIDEO UPDATE (June 2020 NMPA Annual Meeting): On June 10, The MLC CEO Kris Ahrend joined the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) for the organization's annual meeting to discuss the progress underway in building The MLC and plans for the months ahead in an interview with NMPA's Executive Vice President and General Counsel Danielle Aguirre. Watch the clip from NMPA's annual meeting.
   
• VIDEO UPDATE (May 2020 MusicBiz Webinar): The MLC's Chief Executive Officer Kris Ahrend joined a Music Biz LIVE webinar to offer an update to the music community on the progress to date building The MLC team and organization. Watch the MusicBiz webinar.