US Register of Copyrights continues The MLC’s designation as the statutory Mechanical Licensing Collective – as total royalties distributed to songwriters and publishers near $4B
The US Register of Copyrights has continued the designation of The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) as the statutory collective responsible for administering the blanket compulsory mechanical license for eligible streaming and download services in the United States.
The decision follows the Register‘s first periodic review of The MLC‘s initial five-year designation, as required by the Music Modernization Act (MMA).
Since beginning operations in January 2021, The MLC says it has enrolled nearly 90,000 members, built a public database of song ownership information containing data for more than 54 million songs, and reached total royalties distributed of nearly $4 billion to songwriters and music publishers.
In April 2024, The MLC submitted a filing detailing its operations, governance, and performance under the MMA, followed by a public comment and reply period.
The MLC filed a final submission in July 2024.
The MLC said it received “overwhelming support” from songwriters, major and independent publishers, and music industry organizations throughout the review process.
“We are honored that the Register of Copyrights has continued The MLC‘s designation and appreciate the Register‘s thoughtful and thorough review.”
Kris Ahrend, The MLC
“We are honored that the Register of Copyrights has continued The MLC‘s designation and appreciate the Register‘s thoughtful and thorough review,” said Kris Ahrend, CEO of The MLC.
“This continued designation validates our success in carrying out our statutory responsibilities, and it reflects the overwhelming support we have received from songwriters, publishers, and the broader music community over the past six and a half years.
“We are humbled to be able to continue serving this community, and we remain committed to ensuring that every rightsholder receives the mechanical royalties they have earned.”
“On behalf of the Board, I am proud of the organization’s progress and grateful to the songwriters and publishers whose engagement and feedback help ensure The MLC remains effective, efficient, and focused on serving the music community,” said Alisa Coleman, Board Chair of The MLC.
“The Register‘s decision affirms that The MLC‘s governance, operations, and performance continue to meet the standards established by Congress.”
“The Register‘s decision affirms that The MLC‘s governance, operations, and performance continue to meet the standards established by Congress.”
Alisa Coleman
The MLC said it has made education “the cornerstone” of its outreach efforts since launch, and that it has provided “unprecedented transparency” into its operations alongside a growing suite of data and rights management tools for members.
The organization said it remains committed to working closely with the United States Copyright Office, the Digital Licensee Coordinator (DLC), and stakeholders across the music industry to fulfill its statutory responsibilities.
The next periodic review of The MLC‘s designation is expected to begin in January 2029.
Alongside its licensing and distribution work, The MLC has been active in enforcing the royalty obligations of digital music services.
In May 2024, The MLCfiled a lawsuit against Spotify over the streaming platform’s reclassification of its Premium subscription tiers as “bundles” following the addition of audiobook access – a move that resulted in lower mechanical royalty payments to songwriters.
That case remains ongoing after the MLC‘s original claims were dismissed in January 2025 but the court subsequently allowed the collective to file an amended complaint.
The MLC has also been engaged in a legal dispute with Pandora over whether the streaming service’s ad-supported radio tier qualifies as an “interactive service” under the Copyright Act – and is therefore subject to mechanical royalty obligations.Music Business Worldwide
