The Mechanical Licensing Collective held its Annual Membership Meeting on Oct. 1, marking another year of growth, progress, and impact including more than $3 Billion in royalties distributed.

The MLC’s Class A Members re-selected Kara DioGuardi to serve another three-year term as a Songwriter Director of the Board, and the MLC’s Class B Members re-elected Tim Cohan of peermusic to serve another term as a Publisher Director and elected Lidia Kim of Concord Music Publishing as a new Publisher Director. The makeup of the Class C Members will remain unchanged in 2026.

“The MLC has become the largest single source of U.S. digital revenue for songwriters and publishers—distributing more than $3 billion in royalties since launching operations, at no cost to our Members,” says Alisa Coleman, Board Chair of The MLC. “With pride comes responsibility. Our job now is to sustain this success, keep improving, and ensure every songwriter and publisher—no matter their size or background—can rely on The MLC as a trusted partner in their creative journey.”

Over its first four years of operations, The MLC has continued to efficiently administer the mechanical license for more than 50 digital service providers across the U.S. In 2025, membership has grown to more than 68,000 members worldwide. The MLC has also continued to see a steady increase in the volume of musical works data added to its public database, which now contains data for more than 50 million songs. As a result, The MLC has surpassed a major milestone, distributing more than $3 billion in total royalties to rightsholders.

The MLC has distributed more than $225 million in historical royalties, more than 57% of the total amount of historical unmatched royalties DSPs were unable to match and distribute before transferring them to The MLC. The MLC’s current match rate for all royalties processed through September’s royalty distribution is nearly 92%. The MLC has also made extensive efforts to conduct outreach and educational activities aimed at reaching the full cross-section of the rightsholder community, with nearly 200 outreach and education events in 2025, contributing to a total of more than 1,000 outreach and education activities to reach and educate rightsholders.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the support of our Members and partners,” shares Kris Ahrend, CEO of The MLC. “Together, we’ve built an organization that is committed to providing world-class service that empowers our Members, enhances transparency, drives innovation, and transforms the way rights and royalties are administered in the music business. We look forward to achieving more milestones in the coming year, all while remaining laser-focused on fulfilling our mission to ensure that songwriters, composers, lyricists, and their music publishing and administration partners receive their mechanical royalties from streaming and download services in the United States accurately and on time.”

Pictured (L-R): Eleonore Hoffman, Shannon Crowley and Madison Smith.

Alchemy Artist Services has expanded its team.

Eleonore Hoffman has stepped into the role of Fan Engagement Manager, executing short-form content and engagement campaigns. Shannon Crowley joins as Digital Strategy & Marketing Coordinator, leading direct-to-fan and tour marketing initiatives.

Longtime team member Madison Smith will continue in her role, leading creative vision, shaping campaign visuals, advertising assets and online branding.

“While social platforms can boost visibility, they’re rented space — not owned audiences,” shares Jeremy Gold, Co-Founder of Alchemy Artist Services. “KP and I see a major opportunity in helping artists reduce platform dependency and build direct fan ownership. Artist managers today juggle an ever-expanding set of responsibilities while chasing constantly shifting algorithms — too often, teams overlook the range of tools that let artists monetize directly. That means leaving serious money on the table. At Alchemy, we craft direct-to-fan strategies that generate real revenue and long-term resilience — so more artists can stay in business, stay on tour, and stay focused on making great music. This starts by bridging the gap between traditional management companies and the narrow focus of social-only digital agencies — a space Alchemy uniquely fills.”

“Many of our clients come to us with extensive catalogs, and we’ve found that promoting legacy material alongside new releases isn’t just smart — it’s essential,” adds KP, Co-founder of Alchemy Artist Services. “Fans discover music non-linearly, and every new campaign is a gateway into the larger body of work. Recognizing this, we developed a dedicated catalog marketing service designed specifically for music rights holders. Our mission is to partner with those who share our commitment to honoring and preserving artists’ legacies while building enduring residual value. We see catalog not as history, but as living equity that deserves the same creative care as any new album.”

Alchemy Artist Services current roster includes All Time Low, Larkin Poe, PVRIS, Billy Idol, Warner Records, Photo Finish Records, Virgin Music, Fueled By Ramen, Thirty Tigers, Hard 8 Working Group, and Red Light Management, among others.

Samantha Saturn. Photo: Anthony Romano

SESAC Music Group Chief Marketing Officer Samantha Saturn has exited the company after seven years of leadership.

During her time at SESAC, she elevated the company’s profile by overseeing brand transformation, strengthning communications strategy, and driving digital growth. Her work reached songwriters, composers, artists and the broader music community.

“Samantha has provided tremendous value and leadership to SESAC Music Group, guiding our brand and communications with vision, creativity, and impact,” says SESAC Music Group Chairman & CEO John Josephson. “Her leadership was instrumental in our digital growth and in strengthening our relationships across the music industry. While we will miss her greatly, I am excited to see Samantha begin a new chapter, one she is excited about.”

“My time at SESAC Music Group has been one of the most rewarding professional experiences of my career, and I am grateful to have worked alongside such a talented global team of passionate music fans, dedicated to driving value for songwriters, composers, and artists as well as music publishers and record labels,” adds Saturn. “My passion as a creative leader focused on driving innovation and revenue will continue to be my focus as I move into my next chapter in the music industry.”

Pictured (L-R): Jessi Vaughn Stevenson (WCM), Parker McCollum and Austen Adams. Photo: Courtesy of WCM

Parker McCollum has renewed his global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music Nashville.

McCollum’s hits have included his RIAA Platinum certified “Pretty Heart” and “Burn It Down.” His most recent album release reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. In 2022, McCollum earned the win as ACM’s New Male Artist of the Year, and was nominated for CMA Song of the Year with “Burn It Down” the following year.

“Writing songs is where I’m myself the most,” shares McCollum. “I’m a songwriter first, and getting to do what I love, alongside a team that has fully supported my journey since the very beginning makes all the difference. I’m proud and grateful to have Jessi, Austen, and the entire Warner Chappell team on my side. The best is yet to come.”

“Having the privilege to work with Parker has been one of the most creatively fulfilling and rewarding facets of my career,” says Jessi Vaughn Stevenson, VP, A&R, WCM Nashville. “We’re thrilled to continue our creative partnership with Parker, and excited for his current and upcoming chapters.”

“Parker embodies the drive, authenticity, and talent it takes to become a hitmaker in Nashville, and a force well beyond it.” adds Austen Adams, President, WCM Nashville. “Jessi and the team have done incredible work supporting him, and I’m excited to build on that momentum as we continue this journey.”