In April 2027, The MLC will begin distributing remaining unclaimed accrued blanket royalties through an ongoing, month-by-month market share distribution process, starting with royalties from January 2021.
As market share distributions approach, now is the perfect time for rightsholders — and those who support them — to review and update their data with The MLC. There are several steps rightsholders can take to ensure their catalogs are in order before market share distributions begin:
- Connect with The MLC to gain access to the Member Hub (for songwriters who manage their own royalties) or the Songwriter Hub (for songwriters who work with a publisher or administrator). Connecting with The MLC is the essential first step songwriters should take to ensure they’re set up to receive any royalties their songs have earned.
- Claim their shares of songs that are already in The MLC’s database. Songwriters who manage their own royalties can use The MLC’s Claiming Tool in the Member Hub to check for unclaimed shares and submit claims for shares they own.
- Register their songs that are not already in The MLC’s database. Songwriters who manage their own royalties can use The MLC’s Works Registration Tools in the Member Hub to register new or missing songs.
- Match their songs to unmatched sound recordings. The MLC’s Matching Tool lets both Member Hub and Songwriter Hub users search unmatched sound recordings for uses of their registered songs, then submit a match suggestion. The MLC continuously receives new usage data from DSPs, so checking the Matching Tool regularly helps to identify any missed connections.
Rightsholders who haven’t connected with The MLC yet can click here to get started. The MLC’s Support Team is available to answer any questions about signing up, using The MLC’s tools, and more. They can be reached via phone, chat, or email Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.
