Fall is here and we’re out spreading the word about The MLC! We hope to see you at one of the outreach and education events we have coming up around the country. Keep an eye on our Instagram to find out where we’ll be.

In this Quarter Note, we’re excited to tell you about our new Unclaimed Accrued Royalties Dashboard, which we’ve launched in advance of the market share distribution process beginning in 2027. We also share updates on our progress distributing historical royalties, our latest micro-course offerings, new content on our YouTube channel, and an upcoming webinar breaking down the different types of royalties generated when music is streamed.

At the beginning of this year, we shared plans to begin distributing the remaining unclaimed accrued blanket royalties from usage that took place in 2021 via the market share distribution process in 2027. As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, we’ve launched a new Unclaimed Accrued Royalties Dashboard, which offers a detailed look at the currently remaining unclaimed accrued royalties associated with 2021 usage.

This dashboard shows current data for each month of usage originally reported to The MLC in 2021, including the total royalty pools reported by DSPs, the current total amounts distributed or in dispute, and the current remaining unclaimed accrued royalties from each month’s usage.

The dashboard also provides a further breakdown of the remaining unclaimed accrued royalties into three categories: unmatched royalties, unclaimed royalties, and other royalties that have not yet been distributed. Together, this information provides greater transparency into The MLC’s ongoing efforts to distribute these remaining unclaimed accrued royalties up to the point at which they may be included in market share distributions.

The MLC has now distributed nearly $239 million — over 60 percent — of the $397 million in previously unmatched historical royalties that DSPs transferred to us in 2021. Broken down by rate period, we have now distributed:

• Nearly 99 percent of the previously unmatched historical royalties for uses that took place during the Phono 1 rate period (2008-2012);

• Nearly 57 percent of the previously unmatched royalties for uses that took place during the Phono 2 rate period (2013-2017); and

• Nearly 61 percent of the previously unmatched royalties for uses that took place during the Phono 3 rate period (2018-2020).

You can track the progress we’ve made so far distributing historical unmatched royalties by accessing our dynamic historical royalties dashboard.

Looking to brush up on your music industry knowledge? The MLC offers two free online micro-courses perfect for creators, current and aspiring industry professionals, or anyone wanting to learn more about the music industry, rights, and royalties.

The MLC 101: Introduction to The MLC provides a foundational understanding of mechanical licensing and The MLC’s role in the licensing landscape. It also covers copyright basics, the Music Modernization Act, terminology, and more.

Music Registration 101: Registering Your Music explains why and how to register your music so you can protect your rights and collect your royalties. It breaks down key steps in the music registration process, including registering with The MLC, a PRO, the U.S. Copyright Office, a distributor, and SoundExchange.

To find more information on both courses and request enrollment, click here.

Have you checked out The MLC’s YouTube channel lately? We’ve recently updated our playlists to make our educational content easier to find, added more videos translated into other languages, and continued adding new episodes of our podcast. 

The MLC’s educational videos are designed to help rightsholders navigate the digital music landscape with confidence. Our new video “How to Get Started with The MLC” walks viewers through the process of signing up with The MLC in a quick, straightforward format that is ideal for sharing with anyone you know who hasn’t connected with The MLC yet. 

With new videos added regularly, make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss any new content!

Did you know that creators can earn four different types of royalties when their music is streamed or downloaded on digital audio services in the United States? Keeping them all straight can feel complicated, but The MLC is here to help. On Thursday, October 1, we’ll be hosting a webinar called “Unlock Four Ways to Get Paid When Your Music is Streamed.” Join us for a breakdown of the digital music landscape, where we’ll explain the different rights involved and royalties due to creators of both musical works and sound recordings. Register here or share with a songwriter or music industry professional you know who could benefit from it.

You can find our full schedule of upcoming webinars here.

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