The MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective) is the official organization in the United States responsible for collecting and distributing digital mechanical royalties from streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and others.

The MLC was created under the Music Modernization Act of 2018 and is the only source of digital audio mechanical royalties for streams in the United States.

Track removal from The MLC is not straightforward. Due to legal requirements under the Music Modernization Act, The MLC cannot fully remove works data from its database. If you want to remove a work from your catalog, you need to contact Member Support and discuss the specific case. There is no standard documentation or fixed timeline for removal, as full deletion is not allowed.

The MLC distributes royalties on a monthly basis. Payments are typically sent around the 15th of each month, depending on weekends or holidays. When your statement is ready, you will receive an email notification.

There is a delay in reporting and payments. Each monthly distribution usually includes usage data from approximately three months earlier. For example, a March payment will generally include royalties from December usage.

To withdraw membership from The MLC, you need to contact Member Support and request account closure. The team will confirm your request and guide you through the process.

There is no advance withdrawal system or special notice period defined publicly, but once your membership is closed, you will no longer be eligible to receive royalties.

The MLC only pays royalties to active members. If your account is closed, any royalties generated after closure or any previously uncollected royalties will not be paid. This is because their system cannot distribute payments to non-members.

Unmatched royalties are also affected. If royalties remain unmatched and your membership is closed, those royalties will remain unpaid since The MLC cannot assign or distribute them without an active member account.

It is important to note that The MLC is completely free to use. Since it is the only source of US mechanical streaming royalties, withdrawing membership is generally not recommended, as it can result in loss of revenue.

To ensure proper royalty collection, you should keep your catalog updated, ensure accurate metadata, and maintain an active membership with The MLC.

THE SOURCE OF INFORMATION IS US MLC SUPPORT TEAM