Account Number: P818SV
The MLC stands for the Mechanical Licensing Collective. It is a nonprofit organization created in the United States by the Music Modernization Act of 2018. Its job is to collect and pay digital mechanical royalties to songwriters, composers, lyricists, and music publishers when their music is streamed or downloaded on digital services like Spotify or Apple Music.
What The MLC Does
Gives Licenses: Gives blanket mechanical licenses to digital music streaming services in the U.S.
Collects Money: Collects royalty money from those streaming apps.
Pays Creators: Sends the money to the right songwriters, publishers, and self-administered artists.
Runs a Database: Maintains a public database of musical works to help track who owns what song.
Why It Matters
Digital Focus: It handles mechanical royalties from audio streaming and digital downloads in the U.S.
Helps Independent Writers: It makes it easier for self-released and independent songwriters to get paid what they are owed from U.S. streams.
Separate From PROs: It is different from Performing Rights Organizations like ASCAP or BMI. Those organizations pay public performance royalties, while the MLC pays mechanical royalties