The answer depends on your preference, your existing business relationships and any rights or restrictions, on your right to administer your shares of musical work(s).
Please read the answer to the question in this section titled "Who Needs to Join The MLC?" After reading "Who Needs to Join The MLC?", if you are a music publisher, administrator or self-administered songwriter, you should make sure you understand your relationship, if you have one, with a mechanical rights organization (known as a CMO) based in your country. For example, MCPS in the U.K., AMCOS in Australia, or SACM in Mexico may already be authorized to administer and collect your share of mechanical royalties for digital distributions of recordings of your musical works in the United States on your behalf. If you have a relationship with any such CMO, then the CMO will register your share of musical works and collect your share of the digital mechanical royalties payable for those works from The MLC.
If you would prefer to become a Member and collect royalties from The MLC directly, please examine the terms of your agreement with your local CMO, along with any other publishing agreements to which you may be a party to confirm your right to administer the share of musical works you seek to control. If you do not have a relationship with a CMO or other music publishing agent which includes collection of U.S. digital mechanical royalties on your behalf, you should join as a Member of The MLC and register your shares of musical works in order to collect digital mechanical royalties payable to you.
If you are a mechanical rights organization (CMO) based outside of the United States, and you have any questions about joining to become a Member of The MLC, please contact The MLC at international@themlc.com.
