US Royalty Collection
How to Collect Your The MLC Royalties
US statutory mechanical royalty administrator under the Music Modernization Act.
Visit The MLC →The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) is the US statutory body created by the Music Modernization Act to administer mechanical royalties for digital uses of musical compositions — every interactive stream and digital download on US DSPs generates a mechanical royalty paid through The MLC to songwriters and publishers.
Notes registers your compositions with The MLC directly so the mechanical share of every US digital play is matched to the correct songwriter and paid out, instead of sitting in The MLC's unmatched-funds pool.
How Notes works with this platform
What we do on The MLC
- Register. Notes registers your works (recordings or compositions) directly with The MLC, the canonical US body for this royalty stream.
- Register. ISRCs, ISWCs, IPI numbers, and split data are submitted to The MLC so payouts match the correct musician.
- Collect. Royalties The MLC collects on your behalf are reconciled in your Notes account — no percentage taken.
What you earn here
Royalties The MLC generates
- Recording
- Songwriting
The MLC collects these royalties on behalf of rightsholders. Notes registers you so the money it administers actually reaches you — in full, with no percentage taken.
- Mechanical RoyaltiesMechanical royalties are paid to songwriters and publishers each time a composition is reproduced — including every interactive stream and download.
- Digital Performance RoyaltiesDigital performance royalties (neighboring rights) are paid to recording artists and master owners when a recording plays on non-interactive digital radio.
- Unclaimed (Black-Box) RoyaltiesUnclaimed or 'black-box' royalties are royalties that were generated but never matched to their owner — over $1B goes uncollected every year.
Questions musicians ask
Common questions about The MLC
- How do I register with The MLC?
- Notes registers your works directly with The MLC — submitting your ISRCs, ISWCs, IPI numbers, and splits — so payouts match the correct musician.
- What does The MLC collect for me?
- The MLC is the canonical US body for its royalty stream. Notes makes sure your works are registered with it so none of what it collects goes unclaimed.
- Does Notes take a percentage?
- No. Notes is a flat subscription — the royalties The MLC collects on your behalf are paid to you in full.
