The MLC Announces $2.5 Billion in Distributed Royalties At Fourth Annual Meeting

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The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) held its fourth annual membership meeting on Tuesday (Oct. 8). During the meeting, The MLC announced the re-selection of Oak Felder as a Songwriter Director for a second three-year term on the Class A Board of Directors along with the re-election of Publisher Representative Rell Lafargue and the newly elected Jason Rys as Publisher Director on the Class B Board of Directors. The organization also announced that the Class C Board of Directors would remain the same in 2025.

Alisa Coleman, Chair of The MLC Board of Directors, provided remarks on the organization’s progress over the past year, and the leadership team shared updates on key metrics. Since April 2021, the organization has enrolled over 47,000 members and completed all of its monthly royalty distributions on time. With over 42 million works in its public database, The MLC has achieved match rates of over 90 percent and totaled royalty distributions of nearly $2.5 billion.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the support we have received from our Members and industry partners,” says The MLC’s CEO, Kris Ahrend. “It is because of their support and partnership that we have been able to fulfill our mission so effectively and achieve these milestones. We remain committed to providing world-class service that empowers our Members, enhances transparency, drives innovation, and transforms the way rights are administered in the music industry. We look forward to continuing our work in the coming year to fulfill our mission of ensuring songwriters, composers, lyricists, and music publishers receive their mechanical royalties from streaming and download services in the United States accurately and on time.”

Additional metrics provided at the meeting include The MLC’s development and enhancement of its growing suite of tools, such as the newly released Overclaims Tool, which allows Members to register works, claim shares of previously registered works, and submit proposed matches for unmatched usage. The MLC has also made significant outreach and educational efforts, hosting over 350 in-person events to engage and educate the rightsholder community.

John Nix Arledge
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