What Are Mechanical Royalties?
Mechanical royalties are owed to the songwriter whenever a composition is reproduced, including in streams and downloads. They are separate from performance royalties (collected by a PRO) and from your master streaming royalties (collected by InterSpace).
What the MLC Is
The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) is the US organisation created under the Music Modernization Act to collect and pay digital mechanical royalties from streaming services in the United States. It exists to make sure songwriters get paid the mechanical share they are owed from US streams.
Why Songwriters Should Register
If your music is streamed in the US and you wrote the songs, mechanical royalties are building up for you. If you are not registered with the MLC (directly or through a publishing administrator), that money can go unclaimed. Registration with the MLC is free.
How to Collect Your Mechanicals
- Register as a self-administered songwriter with the MLC, or
- Use a publishing administrator that registers and collects on your behalf across territories.
- Register your works with your ISWC and songwriter details so your compositions are matched correctly.
Beyond the US
The MLC covers US digital mechanicals only. Other countries have their own mechanical societies. A publishing administrator can help you collect globally. This is separate from your InterSpace master royalties.