Notes · US mechanical licensing
HFA Royalties
HFA licenses mechanical uses of compositions in the US. Interactive streaming mechanicals are administered by The MLC. Notes registers the composition side so mechanical royalties can be matched to you, with no royalty cut.
The Harry Fox Agency (HFA) is a US mechanical-rights organization. Mechanical royalties are paid when a composition is reproduced. In the United States, The MLC administers the blanket mechanical license for interactive streaming and downloads. HFA remains a mechanical licensing path for other reproductions, including licenses commonly needed to distribute a cover recording.
Best for Notes. Songwriters collecting US mechanicals, and artists distributing covers who need the composition licensed and the writing credits correct.
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How Notes works with this
Notes publishing administration registers compositions with mechanical-rights organizations in the US. Interactive streaming and download mechanicals are administered by The MLC. A cover still needs a mechanical license before distribution — that is on the Notes release checklist. Notes does not take a percentage of mechanical royalties.
The two pools
Where this sits on the royalty ring
- Distribution
- Broadcast
- Publishing
- Performance
Each arc is a /learn royalty type. The ring is the same chart as the glossary hub.
By platform type
Which royalties a play can earn
| Platform type | Recording | Mechanical | Performance | Neighboring | Sync |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive streaming (Spotify, Apple Music) | ● | ● | ● | — | — |
| Non-interactive radio (Pandora, SiriusXM, iHeartRadio) | ● | — | ● | ● | — |
| Download / DJ stores (Bandcamp, Beatport) | ● | ● | — | — | — |
| Short-form & social (TikTok, Meta, Snap) | ● | ● | ● | — | ● |
| Fitness, sync & background (Peloton) | ● | — | ● | — | ● |
| Karaoke & sing-along (Singa, WeSing) | — | ● | ● | — | ● |
Interactive streaming (Spotify, Apple Music) pays recording, mechanical, and performance royalties, not neighboring rights, which come from non-interactive radio via SoundExchange. Karaoke also generates a print (lyric) royalty not shown above. ROXi-style on-demand music-video and karaoke TV is audiovisual, so it leans on sync and master-use licensing rather than the statutory mechanical.
Questions
FAQ
- What are HFA royalties?
- HFA royalties are mechanical royalties associated with Harry Fox Agency licenses — payments to songwriters and publishers when a composition is reproduced. They are composition-side money, not recording royalties.
- Is HFA the same as The MLC?
- No. The MLC administers the US blanket mechanical license for interactive streaming and downloads. HFA is a mechanical-rights organization used for other mechanical licenses, including licensing a cover before you distribute it.
- Does Notes take a percentage of HFA royalties?
- No. Notes is a flat subscription. It does not take a percentage of mechanical royalties.
Built on the record
Sources
Notes is an independent music distribution and publishing administration service. Named platforms and collection societies are independent organizations. This page is not affiliated with, authorized by, or sponsored by them. Apple and Apple Music are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Spotify, YouTube, The MLC, Harry Fox Agency, SoundExchange, ASCAP, BMI, and other named platforms and societies are trademarks of their respective owners. Notes is not affiliated with, authorized by, or sponsored by them.