The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) is a U.S. rights organization that collects mechanical royalties from streaming services. When you opt into MLC via CDB Boost, CD Baby can register and collect those royalties on your behalf. For example, if someone streams your song in the U.S., the MLC helps ensure you receive mechanical royalties.

How MLC via CDB Boost works

• The MLC issues and administers digital streaming mechanical blanket licenses in the U.S.

• It matches royalties from streaming services to songwriters and publishers

• The MLC maintains a public database where you can search registered works

• Changes to your registration made via CDB Boost require canceling and re-submitting the release

Who is eligible? When should I opt in?

• Only original songs are eligible (not covers, public domain, or tracks with non-exclusive samples/loops)

• For standard CD Baby releases, you can opt into MLC via CDB Boost

• If you already distribute via CD Baby Pro Publishing, your works are already registered; you don’t need to opt into MLC via Boost

• If some songs are already registered with MLC, you can choose which tracks to register during Boost sign-up

Payment timing

• Royalties collected in a given quarter are paid out two quarters later

  • For example: earnings from Q1 (Jan–Mar) show up in your account in Q3

• The MLC also collects and holds historical or unmatched royalties and attempts to match them over at least 3 years

Does the MLC take a cut?

• No — the MLC doesn't deduct any fees from the royalties it collects

• It's funded by digital service providers, and remits 100% of collected royalties to rights holders

Things to note

• MLC only handles mechanical royalties, not performance royalties (that’s handled by PROs)

• Opting into MLC via Boost is optional — but it allows CD Baby to collect those royalties for you

• If your registration is changed incorrectly, you must cancel and re-submit via CD Baby

• If a track is already registered elsewhere (e.g. via Songtrust), you shouldn't opt it into MLC via Boost