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

HEAD// US Register of Copyrights continues The MLC’s designation as the statutory Mechanical Licensing Collective – as total royalties distributed to songwriters and publishers near $4 billion

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 designation, as required by the Music Modernization Act (MMA).

The rule, signed by Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter on Friday (May 29) and published in the Federal Register on Wednesday (June 3), determined that The MLC “continues to meet each of its statutory criteria for redesignation”.

The same decision also continued the designation of the Digital Licensee Coordinator (DLC), the nonprofit entity that represents digital music providers in the administration of the blanket license.

“Overall, the administration of the MMA‘s blanket mechanical license has been a great success for publishers, songwriters, and DMPs,” the Copyright Office said in its decision.

Since beginning operations in January 2021, The MLC has enrolled nearly 90,000 members, built a public database containing data for more than 54 million songs, and reached total royalties distributed of nearly $4 billion.

The Office described The MLC‘s royalty distributions as “a reliable and significant income source for songwriters and publishers”.

The Register initiated the periodic review process in January 2024 through a public notice published in the Federal Register.

In April 2024, The MLC submitted a filing detailing its operations, governance, and performance under the MMA, followed by a public comment period during which the Office received more than 60 comments.

The MLC filed a final submission in July 2024.

“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.”

“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

“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

While continuing the designation, the Office also made several recommendations for improvement, covering The MLC‘s database tools, the disclosure of match-rate data, and greater transparency around its investment practices.

The Register originally designated The MLC in July 2019, and the collective made its first royalty distribution in April 2021.

In October 2025, The MLC confirmed that it had exceeded $3 billion in royalties distributed to publishers and songwriters since launching full operations.

Alongside its licensing and distribution work, The MLC has been active in enforcing the royalty obligations of digital music services.

In May 2024, The MLC filed a lawsuit against Spotify over the streaming platform’s reclassification of its Premium subscription tiers as “bundles” following the addition of audiobook access.

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.

The next periodic review of The MLC‘s designation is expected to begin in January 2029.Music Business Worldwide