Be the CEO of Your Songwriting Career: Take Control of Your Royalties — and Your Future

As a songwriter, you’re doing more than creating music — you’re building a business. And that makes you the CEO.

Every successful business needs a leader who understands both the creative side and the bottom line. You’re steering your career forward and part of that means making sure you’re collecting every dollar you’ve earned.

That’s where The MLC comes in. Our mission is to ensure that songwriters and publishers get the U.S. digital mechanical royalties they’re owed, accurately and on time. To date, we’ve distributed more than $3 billion in total royalties, but there’s still money being left on the table by songwriters who haven’t joined yet.

If you’re ready to take control of your career, now’s the time.

Know Your Revenue Streams

Your songs can earn multiple types of royalties and each one flows through a different organization. Understanding where your royalties come from helps you make sure nothing gets missed.

To help you see the full picture, The MLC created:

The Digital Royalties Landscape – A visual map that shows who pays what, and which organizations handle each royalty type
The Songwriter Checklist – A simple, step-by-step guide to help you claim every dollar you’re owed

By using these tools (and many more available on our website), you can spot gaps, stay organized, and make sure your royalties find their way to you.

Take Control with The MLC Portal

There are two ways to take control of your data with The MLC: by becoming a Member and using the tools available in the Member Hub, or by accessing the Songwriter Hub.

If your songs are streaming in the U.S. and you don’t have a publisher or administrator collecting royalties on your behalf, you may be missing out on digital mechanical royalties.
The only way to collect those royalties is by becoming a Member of The MLC — and it’s completely free.

Here’s how to get started:

Become a Member of The MLC (it’s free!) – Create your account in The MLC Portal and access the Member Hub to track your royalties, manage your songs, and view your statements.
Register Your Songs – Make sure your catalog is complete and accurate so royalties flow directly to you.
Use Our Tools – From the Matching Tool to the Claiming Tool, our tools will help you identify gaps, resolve issues, and keep your data clean — ensuring no royalties slip through the cracks.

Even if you have a publisher or administrator collecting your royalties on your behalf, you can still sign up for The MLC’s Songwriter Hub. It gives you access to tools that let you organize and export your song catalog, suggest matches for unmatched recordings, and keep your data accurate and up to date.

Start Thinking Like a CEO

Running your songwriting career like a business doesn’t mean doing it all alone. It means taking ownership and making sure you have the right tools and partners to succeed.

Here’s how to think — and act — like a CEO:

Know Your Income Streams – Understand where each type of royalty comes from and who pays them.
Keep Your Data Clean – Regularly check your registrations in The MLC Portal to avoid delays or missed payments.
Invest in Your Knowledge – Explore The MLC’s free resources — like our webinars, videos, and guides — to stay informed and confident.

Your Music. Your Royalties.

You’ve poured your creativity into your songs. Now it’s time to make sure your business is just as strong as your art.

The MLC is your partner in that process. We’re here to help you understand the digital royalties landscape, register your songs, and collect what you’ve earned. And if you ever need support, our team is just a click away.

👉 Click Here to Get Started with The MLC

Get Started

MEmbership is always free

Our mission is to support creators like you with full transparency into the performance of your music. Our member portal helps you see which of your songs have earned royalties, which ones are still being matched, and when payments are made. This openness helps you trust the process and know that your songs are being tracked and paid for fairly.

Become A Member

Resources

Resources to help you maximize your earnings

ARTICLES

DURP Informational Webinar

If you’re an independent music distributor, aggregator, or sound recording distributor interested in accessing all the unmatched recordings you’ve

ARTICLES

Data Programs

Data Programs at The MLC The MLC’s data programs support the efforts of dozens of digital media and technology companies around the world to gain insight

FAQs

What are the regulations and where can one find the full text of the rates and terms for Phono 4?

The CRB published a Final Rule in the U.S. Federal Register setting the blanket license mechanical royalty rates for permanent digital downloads.

FAQs

Where can I find answers about The MLC portal?

After you have established a login to the Portal, you will find helpful information in our Knowledge Base.

FAQs

I want to read the regulation myself. Where can I find it?

The regulation outlining this entire process is found in 37 CFR 210.10(c)(5). You can also reference the regulation along with supplementary information as