Mechanical Licensing Collective Offers Early Look Into The MLC Portal
The MLC user portal. Photo: Courtesy The MLC
On Jan. 1, 2021, the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) will begin administering the new blanket license available to interactive streaming and individual download services in the United States. The MLC will then collect mechanical royalties from those services and distribute those royalties to musical works copyright holders. All of this will happen in accordance with the Music Modernization Act (MMA) that was signed into law in 2018. The MLC is unique in that it will distribute 100% of royalties collected directly to publishers and songwriters without deducting an administration fee, as digital audio services are required under the MMA to pay for The MLC’s operational costs.
The nonprofit organization, based in Nashville and led by CEO Kris Ahrend, has been preparing for the Jan. 1 start date by developing ways for songwriters, publishers, and other musical works managers of all scopes to submit their musical works data to be collected and administered, by establishing and maintaining an extensive database of accurate copyright ownership information. The MLC will allow users to view and to update the musical works data that is used to pay them via its new online user portal.
“We recognize that songwriting is a creative exercise, not a data collection exercise,” Ahrend tells MusicRow. “We sought to create a user portal that puts songwriters and publishers in a position to manage and control their data to ensure they get paid properly.”
The MLC, which is governed by a board of songwriters and music publishers, has already been working to allow songwriters and publishers to review songwriter, publishing, splits and other information regarding their catalogs of musical works.
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Marv Green Signs Publishing Deal With Sony/ATV
Marv Green
Songwriter Marv Green, who has penned hits including George Strait’s “It Just Comes Natural,” Carrie Underwood’s “Wasted,” and Lonestar’s “Amazed,” has inked a global publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville.
Sony/ATV Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston said, “Championing the songs of Marv Green is a true honor— he has crafted timeless hits that capture the heart and soul of country music. The way he weaves his West Coast cool into every one of his songs makes each single a notch above the rest. We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Marv to our Sony/ATV Nashville family.”
Green said, “I’m beyond excited to start a new catalog of songs with Sony/ATV and their inspiring creative team.”
Green moved from Southern California to Nashville in 1993 and built a song catalog that includes Tim McGraw’s “Shotgun Rider,” Rodney Atkins’s “Farmer’s Daughter,” Brooks & Dunn’s “Proud of the House We Built,” Eric Church’s “Creepin’,” the Merle Haggard/Willie Nelson collaboration “Live This Long,” Chris Young’s “Who I Am With You,” and the eight-week No. 1 hit “Amazed,” recorded by Lonestar.
Green currently has a Top 10 hit with Tim McGraw’s “I Called Mama.”
Along the way, Green has earned BMI’s Song Of The Year in 2000, BMI’s Songwriter Of The Year in 2001, as well as an ACM Song Of The Year and Grammy nomination for “Amazed.”
Reservoir Nashville Signs Jake Mitchell
Pictured (L-R): Pat Higdon, Jake Mitchell, John Ozier (Reservoir EVP Creative), Greg Gallo (Reservoir VP Creative), Kent Marcus (Partner & Co-Owner, Marcus & Colvin)
Reservoir Nashville has signed country songwriter Jake Mitchell to a global publishing deal. The deal, made together with music publishing veteran Pat Higdon, includes Mitchell’s future works plus his catalog of songs, including “Ain’t A Bad Day” and “One Beer,” both included on HARDY’s latest album A Rock, as well as “Rolling Rock Rolling Stones,” and “Some Girls,” both recorded by Jameson Rodgers.
California native Mitchell currently sits at No. 3 on MusicRow‘s Top Songwriter Chart and at No. 8 on Billboard‘s Country Songwriters Chart.
“John Ozier and Greg Gallo have always been champions of my work and I feel so blessed to have the Reservoir team in my corner, joined by Pat who has been a believer in me for years now,” Mitchell says. “I am as excited and inspired as I’ve ever been because of all this.”
Reservoir EVP of Creative John Ozier says, “Jake is such a naturally gifted songwriter. His thorough understanding of the genre and where it can go has resulted in hit after hit for some of the biggest names in country music today. It’s a pleasure to welcome him to the Reservoir family.”
Higdon adds, “Jake is one of the most talented young writers I’ve ever worked with! He brings excitement and enthusiasm into every co-write. It’s going to be really fun working with John, Greg and the entire Reservoir team. We mean to kick ass!”
Singer-Songwriter Queeva Inks Publishing Deal
Pictured (top row, L-R): Joe Carter (Carter and Company Mgmt), Mike Taliaferro (Songs of New Town); (bottom row, L-R): Queeva, Tim Medlin (Songs of New Town)
Singer-songwriter Queeva has signed a publishing deal with Songs of New Town.
“We are thrilled to add Queeva to our songwriter family,” said the publisher’s Tim Medlin. “Her level of talent is a rarity and we can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”
Queeva has earned more than 1.3 million streams to date. “Above Water,” the first track from her upcoming EP, has been added to Spotify’s “Wild Country,” “Next From Nashville,” and “Fresh Finds” playlists.