We hope you are all enjoying a great start to summer! In this newsletter, we share the key metrics from this month’s royalty distribution, along with the latest enhancements to The MLC Portal and an upcoming webinar on how to use The MLC’s tools to maximize your earnings.

The MLC completed its sixth royalty distribution of the year on June 13, bringing us to 51 total royalty distributions since we began full operations — all of which were completed on time or early. June’s distribution primarily covered newly reported usage that took place in March 2025. The total of all royalty pools reported to The MLC for this cycle was approximately $77.9 million.

Every month, our team attempts to match the newly reported sound recording uses we receive to the musical works data in our public database and then distributes the resulting matched royalties to our Members. This month, we were able to match more than 85 percent of the total royalty pools reported to us by DSPs for their March 2025 usage to songs registered in our database.

After deducting royalties for usage covered by voluntary licenses maintained by DSPs with rightsholders, we collected approximately $74.9 million in royalties and distributed approximately $56.5 million to our Members. To learn more about our June 2025 distribution, click here:

We continue to process adjustments to blanket usage from the last two years of the Phono 3 rate period (i.e., 2021 and 2022). These adjustments represent the difference between the royalties we initially processed for the usage periods from those two years at the Phono 2 rates and the royalties that are due at the final Phono 3 rates. In the June distribution, we processed blanket royalty adjustments for 2021 and 2022 totaling $30.5 million.

At the same time, we continue to process adjustments for 2023 delivered to us by certain DSPs in connection with their Annual Reports of Usage (ARoU). In the June distribution, we processed blanket royalty adjustments for 2023 that reflected a total net overpayment of $905k. To the extent any of these adjustments pertained to works in your catalog, you will see them identified on your statement by the category type ["Adjustments"], along with the names of the specific DSP for which the adjustment was made.

Here is a tentative schedule showing when we are planning to process the remaining adjustments for 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Since April 2024, we have been distributing matched historical royalties in sets. For each set of royalties from a given DSP (or DSPs), we first distribute matched historical royalties for previously unpaid uses reported by the DSP(s) concerned, then we aim to distribute matched historical royalties for previously partially paid uses from the same DSP(s) the following month. This month, we distributed the first set of royalties for Deezer and Bill Graham in the amount of $174k.

To read more about the historical royalties we have distributed so far, click here:

This month, we’ve introduced new enhancements in The MLC Portal designed to give you greater visibility into the status of your work registrations and overclaims submissions.

Work Registration Updates

We’ve made it easier to understand the outcomes of your work registrations in the Portal. In the Registration History Tool, under the “Completed” tab, you’ll not only see which works have been marked as “Accepted,” but now you’ll also find detailed explanations for any works that have been marked as “Rejected.” This added context is intended to help you take informed next steps and avoid similar issues in the future.

Additionally, we’ve introduced a new CSV export feature. Simply click the “Export” button in the “Completed” tab to download your Registration History. You can also customize your export by filtering results based on submission status or submission source.

Overclaims Tool Updates

In the Overclaims Tool, we’ve added additional context to provide clearer feedback on document submissions. If a document you submit is not accepted, the reason will now appear directly in the “Documents” tab. Just click the arrow next to your submission to view the explanation.

We hope you find these updates helpful. Keep an eye out for more enhancements coming soon!

Joining The MLC is your first step toward collecting the streaming royalties you’ve earned. But what comes next? On Thursday, July 10, we’ll be hosting a webinar called “The MLC Toolbox: Key Tools Every Member Should Know.” This webinar will guide you through the essential next steps — like registering your songs and utilizing our suite of Member tools, including our Claiming and Matching Tools — to make sure you’re getting all the royalties you should be.

Discover how to make the most of The MLC’s resources to maximize your earnings!

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