The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) presented JUNIOR MUSIC RIGHTS WEEK on October 11-15, 2021, an initiative aimed at helping young music creators between 13 and 18 years old – and their parents or guardians – learn more about the business side of the music industry and specifically, the mechanical licensing process.
Developed by Dae Bogan, The MLC’s Head of Third-Party Partnerships, in collaboration with Save The Music, “Junior Music Rights Week” was designed to address a surge in recent years of young aspiring artists taking advantage of economical tools to produce new music on their own and utilizing user-generated content (UGC) platforms to release that music out into the world.
The initiative is centered around two webinars hosted by The MLC and a fun, virtual pop-quiz for participants with questions covering the music business and mechanical licensing, as well as the release of both a series of FAQs for teens and their parents or guardians and an animated explainer video on The MLC. At the conclusion of the week, participants gained a basic understanding of music copyright, their entitlements as young copyright owners, and the numerous ways teenage music creators just like them utilize social media apps and websites to create revenue streams.
“Junior Music Rights Week” resources empower and inspire young music creators with the insight to explore beyond their talent as musicians and vocalists and into the world of the music business.
“Thousands of songs are being uploaded every month to traditional digital music services and other online platforms created by promising teenage artists, and virtually all of the music these songwriters are releasing has the potential to earn royalties when it becomes available on digital music services,” said Bogan, who teaches music business courses at several prominent universities in addition to his role on The MLC’s leadership team. “As a result, it is important to provide these teen music creators with a basic understanding of music copyright law early in their careers so they are prepared to move forward as knowledgeable and empowered professional music creators in the future.”
“Music, Rights and Money for Teen Artists”
This free webinar is one no teenage music creator should miss, hosted by Dae Bogan, The MLC’s Head of Third-Party Partnerships. The informative session covers the basics of music copyrights, digital music royalties, and the use of music for the internet, social media, film, and TV, providing participants with an important functional understanding of music business concepts and rightsholder entitlements.
“Teens in Music Roundtable”
The MLC’s Head of Educational Partnerships Serona Elton hosts a virtual roundtable with up-and-coming teenage music creators, each of whom will talk about their musical journey to-date, share their experiences with creating and releasing new music, discuss some of the challenges young creators face, and much more.
Resources from The MLC
The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) was designated by the U.S. Register of Copyrights in July 2019 pursuant to the Music Modernization Act of 2018. The MLC is responsible for administering the new blanket compulsory license for the use of musical works by digital music services. As of January 2021, mechanical royalties from streaming in the U.S. will be processed and paid out by The MLC at no cost to songwriters or music publishers.
The MLC is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of songwriters and representatives of music publishers. For more background on The MLC and its Board and Committee members, go to www.TheMLC.com.