
Your Morning Coffee Podcast: Challenges facing artists • MLC battles Spotify bundling • Johan Röhr’s 15B streams • More

MLC to audit Spotify, others on behalf of Songwriters & Publishers [Full List]
The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) has put Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and a long list of music streamers on notice that they will be audited for music used between January 1, 2021, and December. Continue reading

Songwriters, publishers must be paid late fees, U.S. Copyright Office confirms, NMPA responds
The U.S. Copyright Office (USCO) has confirmed that late fees must be paid to songwriters and music publishers if digital music services do not make royalty payments by the deadlines. Continue reading

Songwriters demand $700M – $800M in royalties owed [Sign the petition]
The Songwriters of North America, the Music Artists Coalition, and the Black Music Action Coalition have joined in pushing for a decision on the $700-$800 million in mechanical royalties due songwriters. Continue reading

Tax return shows six-figure MLC salaries as songwriters wait for $565M in unpaid royalties
Our friends at The Trichordist found the 2021 tax return for The Mechanical Licensing Collective, including what it pays its executives. Led by $665,307 for CEO Kristopher Ahrend, the staff. Continue reading

Your Morning Coffee Podcast: Spotify’s Q3 • streaming price hikes • musician mental health • MLC holds $500M
Episode 116 of the Jay Gilbert and Mike Etchart hosted Your Morning Coffee: Weekly News for the New Music Business podcast is now live. Learn what they are discussing and. Continue reading

The MLC is sitting on more than $500M due songwriters, rightsholders [Chris Castle]
Chris Castle is not one to minch words and he believes that the ‘non-profit’ Mechanical Licencing Collective is about to be blamed for some “grubby practices” as Congress demands that. Continue reading