What Is the Music Modernization Act (MMA)?

It’s part of a broader plan to improve digital royalty payouts.

The Music Modernization Act (MMA) was signed into law on October 11, 2018. In short, it changed mechanical rates and the way those royalties are paid out to copyright owners. It also overhauled how the statutory boards and courts regulate collective licensing in the United States, and led to the creation of The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC).

Arguably the most impactful MMA provision, The MLC is a nonprofit organization that administers blanket mechanical licenses to eligible streaming services and passes any subsequent royalties onto songwriters, composers, lyricists, and publishers.

Check out our webinar on The MLC here, and more information about how Songtrust works with The MLC, as well as FAQs, here.

Here is the timeline of the Music Modernization Act.

(Click to enlarge)

Interested in learning more? Check out our blog post on Songtrust: The Music Modernization Act and You.

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