This subpart prescribes rules for the compulsory blanket license to make and distribute digital phonorecord deliveries of nondramatic musical works pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d), including rules for digital music providers, significant nonblanket licensees, the mechanical licensing collective, and the digital licensee coordinator.

For purposes of this subpart:

(a) Unless otherwise specified, the terms used have the meanings set forth in 17 U.S.C. 115(e).

(b) The term blanket licensee means a digital music provider operating under a blanket license.

(c) The term DDEX means Digital Data Exchange, LLC.

(d) The term derivative works exception means the limitations contained in 17 U.S.C. 203(b)(1) and 304(c)(6)(A).

(e) The term GAAP means U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, except that if the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission permits or requires entities with securities that are publicly traded in the U.S. to employ International Financial Reporting Standards, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or as accepted by the Securities and Exchange Commission if different from that issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, in lieu of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, then an entity may employ International Financial Reporting Standards as “GAAP” for purposes of this section.

(f) The term historical unmatched royalties means the accrued royalties transferred to the mechanical licensing collective by digital music providers pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(10) and § 210.10.

(g) The term IPI means interested parties information code.

(h) The term ISNI means international standard name identifier.

(i) The term ISRC means international standard recording code.

(j) The term ISWC means international standard musical work code.

(k) The term matched historical royalties means historical unmatched royalties attributable to a musical work (or share thereof) matched after being transferred to the mechanical licensing collective.

(l) The term payee snapshot means the royalty payee information in the mechanical licensing collective's records as of a particular date used for a particular monthly royalty distribution.

(m) The term pre-termination copyright owner means the owner of the relevant copyright immediately prior to:

(1) The effective date of termination for an effective termination under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304; or

(2) The purported effective date of termination for a claimed, disputed, or invalid termination under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304.

(n) The term producer means the primary person(s) contracted by and accountable to the content owner for the task of delivering the sound recording as a finished product.

(o) The term terminating party means:

(1) A party entitled under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304 to terminate a grant, who is seeking to terminate such a grant under such provisions;

(2) A party who has effectuated termination of a grant under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304;

(3) A party to whom rights have reverted or are expected to revert pursuant to the effective termination of a grant under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304; or

(4) A successor in interest to a party identified in paragraph (o)(1), (2), or (3) of this section (e.g., a subsequent publisher or administrator).

(p) The term UPC means universal product code.

[85 FR 58143, Sept. 17, 2020, as amended at 89 FR 56612, July 9, 2024]

The following entities are designated pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(B) and (d)(5)(B). Additional information regarding these entities is available on the Copyright Office's website.

(a) Mechanical Licensing Collective, incorporated in Delaware on March 5, 2019, is designated as the mechanical licensing collective; and

(b) Digital Licensee Coordinator, Inc., incorporated in Delaware on March 20, 2019, is designated as the digital licensee coordinator.

(a) General. This section prescribes rules under which a digital music provider completes and submits a notice of license to the mechanical licensing collective pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(2)(A) for purposes of obtaining a statutory blanket license.

(b) Form and content. A notice of license shall be prepared in accordance with any reasonable formatting instructions established by the mechanical licensing collective, and shall include all of the following information:

(1) The full legal name of the digital music provider and, if different, the trade or consumer-facing brand name(s) of the service(s), including any specific offering(s), through which the digital music provider is engaging, or seeks to engage, in any covered activity.

(2) The full address, including a specific number and street name or rural route, of the place of business of the digital music provider. A post office box or similar designation will not be sufficient except where it is the only address that can be used in that geographic location.

(3) A telephone number and email address for the digital music provider where an individual responsible for managing the blanket license can be reached.

(4) Any website(s), software application(s), or other online locations(s) where the digital music provider's applicable service(s) is/are, or expected to be, made available.

(5) A description sufficient to reasonably establish the digital music provider's eligibility for a blanket license and to provide reasonable notice to the mechanical licensing collective, copyright owners, and songwriters of the manner in which the digital music provider is engaging, or seeks to engage, in any covered activity pursuant to the blanket license. Such description shall be sufficient if it includes at least the following information:

(i) A statement that the digital music provider has a good-faith belief, informed by review of relevant law and regulations, that it:

(A) Satisfies all requirements to be eligible for a blanket license, including that it satisfies the eligibility criteria to be considered a digital music provider pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(e)(8); and

(B) Is, or will be before the date of initial use of musical works pursuant to the blanket license, able to comply with all payments, terms, and responsibilities associated with the blanket license.

(ii) A statement that where the digital music provider seeks or expects to engage in any activity identified in its notice of license, it has a good-faith intention to do so within a reasonable period of time.

(iii) A general description of the digital music provider's service(s), or expected service(s), and the manner in which it uses, or seeks to use, phonorecords of nondramatic musical works.

(iv) Identification of each of the following digital phonorecord delivery configurations the digital music provider is, or seeks to be, making as part of its covered activities:

(A) Permanent downloads.

(B) Limited downloads.

(C) Interactive streams.

(D) Noninteractive streams.

(E) Other configurations, accompanied by a brief description.

(v) Identification of each of the following service types the digital music provider offers, or seeks to offer, as part of its covered activities (the digital music provider may, but is not required to, associate specific service types with specific digital phonorecord delivery configurations or with particular types of activities or offerings that may be defined in part 385 of this title):

(A) Subscriptions.

(B) Bundles.

(C) Lockers.

(D) Services available through discounted pricing plans, such as for families or students.

(E) Free-to-the-user services.

(F) Other applicable services, accompanied by a brief description.

(vi) Any other information the digital music provider wishes to provide.

(6) The date, or expected date, of initial use of musical works pursuant to the blanket license.

(7) Identification of any amendment made pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section, including the submission date of the notice being amended.

(8) A description of any applicable voluntary license the digital music provider is, or expects to be, operating under concurrently with the blanket license that is sufficient for the mechanical licensing collective to fulfill its obligations under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(G)(i)(I)(bb). This description should be provided as an addendum to the rest of the notice of license to help preserve any confidentiality to which it may be entitled. This paragraph (b)(8) does not apply to any authority obtained by a digital music provider from licensors of sound recordings to make and distribute permanent downloads of musical works embodied in such sound recordings pursuant to an individual download license or voluntary license. With respect to any applicable voluntary license executed and in effect before March 31, 2021, the description required by this paragraph (b)(8) must be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective either no later than 10 business days after such license is executed, or at least 90 calendar days before delivering a report of usage covering the first reporting period during which such license is in effect, whichever is later. For any reporting period ending on or before March 31, 2021, the mechanical licensing collective shall not be required to undertake any obligations otherwise imposed on it by this subpart with respect to any voluntary license for which the collective has not received the description required by this paragraph (b)(8) at least 90 calendar days prior to the delivery of a report of usage for such period, but such obligations attach and are ongoing with respect to such license for subsequent periods. The rest of the notice of license may be delivered separately from such description. The description required by this paragraph (b)(8) shall be sufficient if it includes at least the following information:

(i) An identification of each of the digital music provider's services, including by reference to any applicable types of activities or offerings that may be defined in part 385 of this title, through which musical works are, or are expected to be, used pursuant to any such voluntary license. If such a license pertains to all of the digital music provider's applicable services, it may state so without identifying each service.

(ii) The start and end dates.

(iii) The musical work copyright owner, identified by name and any known and appropriate unique identifiers, and appropriate contact information for the musical work copyright owner or for an administrator or other representative who has entered into an applicable license on behalf of the relevant copyright owner.

(iv) A satisfactory identification of any applicable catalog exclusions.

(v) At the digital music provider's option, and in lieu of providing the information listed in paragraph (b)(8)(iv) of this section, a list of all covered musical works, identified by appropriate unique identifiers.

(vi) A unique identifier for each such license.

(9) A description of the extent to which the digital music provider is operating under authority obtained from licensors of sound recordings to make and distribute permanent downloads of musical works embodied in such sound recordings pursuant to an individual download license or voluntary license. Such description may indicate that such authority exists for all permanent downloads. Otherwise, such description shall include a list of all sound recordings for which the digital music provider has obtained such authority from the respective sound recording licensors, or a list of any applicable catalog exclusions where the digital music provider indicates that such authority otherwise exists for all permanent downloads. Such description shall also include an identification of the digital music provider's covered activities operated under such authority.

(c) Certification and signature. The notice of license shall be signed by an appropriate duly authorized officer or representative of the digital music provider. The signature shall be accompanied by the name and title of the person signing the notice and the date of the signature. The notice may be signed electronically. The person signing the notice shall certify that he or she has appropriate authority to submit the notice of license to the mechanical licensing collective on behalf of the digital music provider and that all information submitted as part of the notice is true, accurate, and complete to the best of the signer's knowledge, information, and belief, and is provided in good faith.

(d) Submission, fees, and acceptance. Except as provided by 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(9)(A), to obtain a blanket license, a digital music provider must submit a notice of license to the mechanical licensing collective. Notices of license shall be submitted to the mechanical licensing collective in a manner reasonably determined by the collective. No fee may be charged for submitting notices of license. Upon submitting a notice of license to the mechanical licensing collective, a digital music provider shall be provided with a prompt response from the collective confirming receipt of the notice and the date of receipt. The mechanical licensing collective shall send any rejection of a notice of license to both the street address and email address provided in the notice.

(e) Harmless errors. Errors in the submission or content of a notice of license, including the failure to timely submit an amended notice of license, that do not materially affect the adequacy of the information required to serve the purposes of 17 U.S.C. 115(d) shall be deemed harmless, and shall not render the notice invalid or provide a basis for the mechanical licensing collective to reject a notice or terminate a blanket license. This paragraph (e) shall apply only to errors made in good faith and without any intention to deceive, mislead, or conceal relevant information.

(f) Amendments. A digital music provider may submit an amended notice of license to cure any deficiency in a rejected notice pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(2)(A). A digital music provider operating under a blanket license must submit a new notice of license within 45 calendar days after any of the information required by paragraphs (b)(1) through (6) of this section contained in the notice on file with the mechanical licensing collective has changed. An amended notice shall indicate that it is an amendment and shall contain the submission date of the notice being amended. The mechanical licensing collective shall retain copies of all prior notices of license submitted by a digital music provider. Where the information required by paragraph (b)(8) of this section has changed, instead of submitting an amended notice of license, the digital music provider must promptly deliver updated information to the mechanical licensing collective in an alternative manner reasonably determined by the collective. To the extent commercially reasonable, the digital music provider must deliver such updated information either no later than 10 business days after such license is executed, or at least 30 calendar days before delivering a report of usage covering the first reporting period during which such license is in effect, whichever is later. Except as otherwise provided for by paragraph (b)(8) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall not be required to undertake any obligations otherwise imposed on it by this subpart with respect to any voluntary license for which the collective has not received the description required by paragraph (b)(8) of this section at least 30 calendar days prior to the delivery of a report of usage for such period, but such obligations attach and are ongoing with respect to such license for subsequent periods.

(g) Transition to blanket licenses. Where a digital music provider obtains a blanket license automatically pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(9)(A) and seeks to continue operating under the blanket license, a notice of license must be submitted to the mechanical licensing collective within 45 calendar days after the license availability date and the mechanical licensing collective shall begin accepting such notices at least 30 calendar days before the license availability date, provided, however, that any description required by paragraph (b)(8) of this section must be delivered within the time period described in paragraph (b)(8). In such cases, the blanket license shall be effective as of the license availability date, rather than the date on which the notice is submitted to the collective. Failure to comply with this paragraph (g), including by failing to timely submit the required notice or cure a rejected notice, shall not affect an applicable digital music provider's blanket license, except that such blanket license may become subject to default and termination under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(E). The mechanical licensing collective shall not take any action pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(E) before the conclusion of any proceedings under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(2)(A)(iv) or (v), provided that the digital music provider meets the blanket license's other required terms and conditions.

(h) Additional information. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the mechanical licensing collective from seeking additional information from a digital music provider that is not required by this section, which the digital music provider may voluntarily elect to provide, provided that the collective may not represent that such information is required to comply with the terms of this section.

(i) Public access. The mechanical licensing collective shall maintain a current, free, and publicly accessible and searchable online list of all blanket licenses that, subject to any confidentiality to which they may be entitled, includes:

(1) All information contained in each notice of license, including amended and rejected notices;

(2) Contact information for all blanket licensees;

(3) The effective dates of all blanket licenses;

(4) For any amended or rejected notice, a clear indication of its amended or rejected status and its relationship to other relevant notices;

(5) For any rejected notice, the collective's reason(s) for rejecting it; and

(6) For any terminated blanket license, a clear indication of its terminated status, the date of termination, and the collective's reason(s) for terminating it.

[85 FR 58143, Sept. 17, 2020, as amended at 86 FR 12826, Mar. 5, 2021]

(a) General. This section prescribes rules under which a significant nonblanket licensee completes and submits a notice of nonblanket activity to the mechanical licensing collective pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6)(A) for purposes of notifying the mechanical licensing collective that the licensee has been engaging in covered activities.

(b) Form and content. A notice of nonblanket activity shall be prepared in accordance with any reasonable formatting instructions established by the mechanical licensing collective, and shall include all of the following information:

(1) The full legal name of the significant nonblanket licensee and, if different, the trade or consumer-facing brand name(s) of the service(s), including any specific offering(s), through which the significant nonblanket licensee is engaging, or expects to engage, in any covered activity.

(2) The full address, including a specific number and street name or rural route, of the place of business of the significant nonblanket licensee. A post office box or similar designation will not be sufficient except where it is the only address that can be used in that geographic location.

(3) A telephone number and email address for the significant nonblanket licensee where an individual responsible for managing licenses associated with covered activities can be reached.

(4) Any website(s), software application(s), or other online locations(s) where the significant nonblanket licensee's applicable service(s) is/are, or expected to be, made available.

(5) A description sufficient to reasonably establish the licensee's qualifications as a significant nonblanket licensee and to provide reasonable notice to the mechanical licensing collective, digital licensee coordinator, copyright owners, and songwriters of the manner in which the significant nonblanket licensee is engaging, or expects to engage, in any covered activity. Such description shall be sufficient if it includes at least the following information:

(i) A statement that the significant nonblanket licensee has a good-faith belief, informed by review of relevant law and regulations, that it satisfies all requirements to qualify as a significant nonblanket licensee under 17 U.S.C. 115(e)(31).

(ii) A statement that where the significant nonblanket licensee expects to engage in any activity identified in its notice of nonblanket activity, it has a good-faith intention to do so within a reasonable period of time.

(iii) A general description of the significant nonblanket licensee's service(s), or expected service(s), and the manner in which it uses, or expects to use, phonorecords of nondramatic musical works.

(iv) Identification of each of the following digital phonorecord delivery configurations the significant nonblanket licensee is, or expects to be, making as part of its covered activities:

(A) Permanent downloads.

(B) Limited downloads.

(C) Interactive streams.

(D) Noninteractive streams.

(E) Other configurations, accompanied by a brief description.

(v) Identification of each of the following service types the significant nonblanket licensee offers, or expects to offer, as part of its covered activities (the significant nonblanket licensee may, but is not required to, associate specific service types with specific digital phonorecord delivery configurations or with particular types of activities or offerings that may be defined in part 385 of this title):

(A) Subscriptions.

(B) Bundles.

(C) Lockers.

(D) Services available through discounted pricing plans, such as for families or students.

(E) Free-to-the-user services.

(F) Other applicable services, accompanied by a brief description.

(vi) Any other information the significant nonblanket licensee wishes to provide.

(6) Acknowledgement of whether the significant nonblanket licensee is operating under authority obtained from licensors of sound recordings to make and distribute permanent downloads of musical works embodied in such sound recordings pursuant to an individual download license or voluntary license. Where such authority does not cover all permanent downloads made available on the service, the significant nonblanket licensee shall maintain with the mechanical licensing collective a list of all sound recordings for which it has obtained such authority from the respective sound recording licensors, or a list of any applicable catalog exclusions where the significant nonblanket licensee indicates that such authority otherwise exists for all permanent downloads.

(7) The date of initial use of musical works pursuant to any covered activity.

(8) Identification of any amendment made pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section, including the submission date of the notice being amended.

(c) Certification and signature. The notice of nonblanket activity shall be signed by an appropriate duly authorized officer or representative of the significant nonblanket licensee. The signature shall be accompanied by the name and title of the person signing the notice and the date of the signature. The notice may be signed electronically. The person signing the notice shall certify that he or she has appropriate authority to submit the notice of nonblanket activity to the mechanical licensing collective on behalf of the significant nonblanket licensee and that all information submitted as part of the notice is true, accurate, and complete to the best of the signer's knowledge, information, and belief, and is provided in good faith.

(d) Submission, fees, and acceptance. Notices of nonblanket activity shall be submitted to the mechanical licensing collective in a manner reasonably determined by the collective. No fee may be charged for submitting notices of nonblanket activity. Upon submitting a notice of nonblanket activity to the mechanical licensing collective, a significant nonblanket licensee shall be provided with a prompt response from the collective confirming receipt of the notice and the date of receipt.

(e) Harmless errors. Errors in the submission or content of a notice of nonblanket activity, including the failure to timely submit an amended notice of nonblanket activity, that do not materially affect the adequacy of the information required to serve the purposes of 17 U.S.C. 115(d) shall be deemed harmless, and shall not render the notice invalid or provide a basis for the mechanical licensing collective or digital licensee coordinator to engage in legal enforcement efforts under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6)(C). This paragraph (e) shall apply only to errors made in good faith and without any intention to deceive, mislead, or conceal relevant information.

(f) Amendments. A significant nonblanket licensee must submit a new notice of nonblanket activity with its report of usage that is next due after any of the information required by paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) of this section contained in the notice on file with the mechanical licensing collective has changed. An amended notice shall indicate that it is an amendment and shall contain the submission date of the notice being amended. The mechanical licensing collective shall retain copies of all prior notices of nonblanket activity submitted by a significant nonblanket licensee.

(g) Transition to blanket licenses. Where a digital music provider that would otherwise qualify as a significant nonblanket licensee obtains a blanket license automatically pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(9)(A) and does not seek to operate under the blanket license, if such licensee submits a valid notice of nonblanket activity within 45 calendar days after the license availability date in accordance with 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6)(A)(i), such licensee shall not be considered to have ever operated under the statutory blanket license until such time as the licensee submits a valid notice of license pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(2)(A).

(h) Additional information. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the mechanical licensing collective from seeking additional information from a significant nonblanket licensee that is not required by this section, which the significant nonblanket licensee may voluntarily elect to provide, provided that the collective may not represent that such information is required to comply with the terms of this section.

(i) Public access. The mechanical licensing collective shall maintain a current, free, and publicly accessible and searchable online list of all significant nonblanket licensees that, subject to any confidentiality to which they may be entitled, includes:

(1) All information contained in each notice of nonblanket activity, including amended notices;

(2) Contact information for all significant nonblanket licensees;

(3) The date of receipt of each notice of nonblanket activity; and

(4) For any amended notice, a clear indication of its amended status and its relationship to other relevant notices.

[85 FR 58143, Sept. 17, 2020, as amended at 86 FR 12826, Mar. 5, 2021]

(a) General. This section prescribes rules under which digital music providers and musical work copyright owners shall engage in efforts to collect and provide information to the mechanical licensing collective that may assist the collective in matching musical works to sound recordings embodying those works and identifying and locating the copyright owners of those works.

(b) Digital music providers. (1)(i) Pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(B), in addition to obtaining sound recording names and featured artists and providing them in reports of usage, a digital music provider operating under a blanket license shall engage in good-faith, commercially reasonable efforts to obtain from sound recording copyright owners and other licensors of sound recordings made available through the service(s) of such digital music provider the information belonging to the categories identified in § 210.27(e)(1)(i)(E) and (e)(1)(ii), without regard to any limitations that may apply to the reporting of such information in reports of usage. Such efforts must be undertaken periodically, and be specific and targeted to obtaining information not previously obtained from the applicable owner or other licensor for the specific sound recordings and musical works embodied therein for which the digital music provider lacks such information. Such efforts must also solicit updates for any previously obtained information if reasonably requested by the mechanical licensing collective. The digital music provider shall keep the mechanical licensing collective reasonably informed of the efforts it undertakes pursuant to this section.

(ii) Any information required by paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, including any updates to such information, provided to the digital music provider by sound recording copyright owners or other licensors of sound recordings (or their representatives) shall be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective in reports of usage in accordance with § 210.27(e).

(2)(i) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a digital music provider may satisfy its obligations under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(B) with respect to a particular sound recording by arranging, or collectively arranging with others, for the mechanical licensing collective to receive the information required by paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section from an authoritative source of sound recording information, such as the collective designated by the Copyright Royalty Judges to collect and distribute royalties under the statutory licenses established in 17 U.S.C. 112 and 114, provided that:

(A) Such arrangement requires such source to inform, including through periodic updates, the digital music provider and mechanical licensing collective about any relevant gaps in its repertoire coverage known to such source, including but not limited to particular categories of information identified in § 210.27(e)(1)(i)(E) and (e)(1)(ii), sound recording copyright owners and/or other licensors of sound recordings (e.g., labels, distributors), genres, and/or countries of origin, that are either not covered or materially underrepresented as compared to overall market representation; and

(B) Such digital music provider does not have actual knowledge or has not been notified by the source, the mechanical licensing collective, or a copyright owner, licensor, or author (or their respective representatives, including by an administrator or a collective management organization) of the relevant sound recording or musical work that is embodied in such sound recording, that the source lacks such information for the relevant sound recording or a set of sound recordings encompassing such sound recording.

(ii) Satisfying the requirements of 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(B) in the manner set out in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section does not excuse a digital music provider from having to report sound recording and musical work information in accordance with § 210.27(e).

(3) The requirements of paragraph (b) of this section are without prejudice to what a court of competent jurisdiction may determine constitutes good-faith, commercially reasonable efforts for purposes of eligibility for the limitation on liability described in 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(10).

(c) Musical work copyright owners. (1) Pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(E)(iv), each musical work copyright owner with any musical work listed in the musical works database shall engage in commercially reasonable efforts to deliver to the mechanical licensing collective, including for use in the musical works database, by providing, to the extent a musical work copyright owner becomes aware that such information is not then available in the database and to the extent the musical work copyright owner has such missing information, information regarding the names of the sound recordings in which that copyright owner's musical works (or shares thereof) are embodied, to the extent practicable.

(2) As used in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, “information regarding the names of the sound recordings” shall include, for each applicable sound recording:

(i) Sound recording name(s), including any alternative or parenthetical titles for the sound recording;

(ii) Featured artist(s); and

(iii) ISRC(s).

(a) General. This section prescribes rules for the preparation and delivery of reports of usage and payment of royalties for the making and distribution of phonorecords of nondramatic musical works to the mechanical licensing collective by a digital music provider operating under a blanket license pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d). A blanket licensee shall report and pay royalties to the mechanical licensing collective on a monthly basis in accordance with 17 U.S.C. 115(c)(2)(I), 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(A), and this section. A blanket licensee shall also report to the mechanical licensing collective on an annual basis in accordance with 17 U.S.C. 115(c)(2)(I) and this section. A blanket licensee may make adjustments to its reports of usage and royalty payments in accordance with this section.

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section, in addition to those terms defined in § 210.22:

(1) The term report of usage, unless otherwise specified, refers to all reports of usage required to be delivered by a blanket licensee to the mechanical licensing collective under the blanket license, including reports of adjustment. As used in this section, it does not refer to reports required to be delivered by significant nonblanket licensees under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6)(A)(ii) and § 210.28.

(2) A monthly report of usage is a report of usage accompanying monthly royalty payments identified in 17 U.S.C. 115(c)(2)(I) and 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(A), and required to be delivered by a blanket licensee to the mechanical licensing collective under the blanket license.

(3) An annual report of usage is a statement of account identified in 17 U.S.C. 115(c)(2)(I), and required to be delivered by a blanket licensee annually to the mechanical licensing collective under the blanket license.

(4) A report of adjustment is a report delivered by a blanket licensee to the mechanical licensing collective under the blanket license adjusting one or more previously delivered monthly reports of usage or annual reports of usage, including related royalty payments.

(c) Content of monthly reports of usage. A monthly report of usage shall be clearly and prominently identified as a “Monthly Report of Usage Under Compulsory Blanket License for Making and Distributing Phonorecords,” and shall include a clear statement of the following information:

(1) The period (month and year) covered by the monthly report of usage.

(2) The full legal name of the blanket licensee and, if different, the trade or consumer-facing brand name(s) of the service(s), including any specific offering(s), through which the blanket licensee engages in covered activities. If the blanket licensee has a unique DDEX identifier number, it must also be provided.

(3) The full address, including a specific number and street name or rural route, of the place of business of the blanket licensee. A post office box or similar designation will not be sufficient except where it is the only address that can be used in that geographic location.

(4) For each sound recording embodying a musical work that is used by the blanket licensee in covered activities during the applicable monthly reporting period, a detailed statement, from which the mechanical licensing collective may separate reported information for each applicable activity or offering including as may be defined in part 385 of this title, of all of:

(i) The royalty payment and accounting information required by paragraph (d) of this section; and

(ii) The sound recording and musical work information required by paragraph (e) of this section.

(5)(i) For any voluntary license in effect during the applicable monthly reporting period, the information required under § 210.24(b)(8). If this information has been separately provided to the mechanical licensing collective, it need not be contained in the monthly report of usage, provided the report states that the information has been provided separately and includes the date on which such information was last provided to the mechanical licensing collective. This paragraph (c)(5)(i) does not apply to any authority obtained by a digital music provider from licensors of sound recordings to make and distribute permanent downloads of musical works embodied in such sound recordings pursuant to an individual download license or voluntary license.

(ii) For any authority obtained by a digital music provider from licensors of sound recordings to make and distribute permanent downloads of musical works embodied in such sound recordings pursuant to an individual download license or voluntary license, and where such authority does not cover all permanent downloads made available on the service, a list of all sound recordings for which the digital music provider has obtained such authority from the respective sound recording licensors, or a list of any applicable catalog exclusions where the digital music provider indicates that such authority otherwise exists for all permanent downloads, and an identification of the digital music provider's covered activities operated under such authority. If this information has been separately provided to the mechanical licensing collective, it need not be contained in the monthly report of usage, provided the report states that the information has been provided separately and includes the date on which such information was last provided to the mechanical licensing collective.

(6) Where the blanket licensee will not receive an invoice prior to delivering its royalty payment under paragraph (g)(1) of this section:

(i) The total royalty payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license for the applicable monthly reporting period, computed in accordance with the requirements of this section and part 385 of this title, and including detailed information regarding how the royalty was computed, with such total royalty payable broken down by each applicable activity or offering including as may be defined in part 385 of this title; and

(ii) The amount of late fees, if applicable, included in the payment associated with the monthly report of usage.

(d) Royalty payment and accounting information. The royalty payment and accounting information called for by paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section shall consist of the following:

(1) Calculations. (i) Where the blanket licensee will not receive an invoice prior to delivering its royalty payment under paragraph (g)(1) of this section, a detailed and step-by-step accounting of the calculation of royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license under applicable provisions of this section and part 385 of this title, sufficient to allow the mechanical licensing collective to assess the manner in which the blanket licensee determined the royalty owed and the accuracy of the royalty calculations, including but not limited to the number of payable units, including, as applicable, permanent downloads, plays, and constructive plays, for each reported sound recording, whether pursuant to a blanket license, voluntary license, or individual download license.

(ii) Where the blanket licensee will receive an invoice prior to delivering its royalty payment under paragraph (g)(1) of this section, all information necessary for the mechanical licensing collective to compute, in accordance with the requirements of this section and part 385 of this title, the royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license, and all information necessary to enable the mechanical licensing collective to provide a detailed and step-by-step accounting of the calculation of such royalties under applicable provisions of this section and part 385 of this title, sufficient to allow each applicable copyright owner to assess the manner in which the mechanical licensing collective, using the blanket licensee's information, determined the royalty owed and the accuracy of the royalty calculations, including but not limited to the number of payable units, including, as applicable, permanent downloads, plays, and constructive plays, for each reported sound recording, whether pursuant to a blanket license, voluntary license, or individual download license.

(2) Estimates. (i) Where computation of the royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license depends on an input that is unable to be finally determined at the time the report of usage is delivered to the mechanical licensing collective and where the reason the input cannot be finally determined is outside of the blanket licensee's control (e.g., as applicable, the amount of applicable public performance royalties and the amount of applicable consideration for sound recording copyright rights), a reasonable estimation of such input, determined in accordance with GAAP, may be used or provided by the blanket licensee. Royalty payments based on such estimates shall be adjusted pursuant to paragraph (k) of this section after being finally determined. A report of usage containing an estimate permitted by this paragraph (d)(2)(i) should identify each input that has been estimated, and provide the reason(s) why such input(s) needed to be estimated and an explanation as to the basis for the estimate(s).

(ii) Where the blanket licensee will not receive an invoice prior to delivering its royalty payment under paragraph (g)(1) of this section, and the blanket licensee is dependent upon the mechanical licensing collective to confirm usage subject to applicable voluntary licenses and individual download licenses, the blanket licensee shall compute the royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license using a reasonable estimation of the amount of payment for such non-blanket usage to be deducted from royalties that would otherwise be due under the blanket license, determined in accordance with GAAP. Royalty payments based on such estimates shall be adjusted within 5 calendar days after the mechanical licensing collective confirms such amount to be deducted and notifies the blanket licensee under paragraph (g)(2) of this section. Any overpayment of royalties shall be handled in accordance with paragraph (k)(5) of this section. Where the blanket licensee will receive an invoice prior to delivering its royalty payment under paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the blanket licensee shall not provide an estimate of or deduct such amount in the information delivered to the mechanical licensing collective under paragraph (d)(1)(ii) of this section.

(3) Good faith. All information and calculations provided pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section shall be made in good faith and on the basis of the best knowledge, information, and belief of the blanket licensee at the time the report of usage is delivered to the mechanical licensing collective, and subject to any additional accounting and certification requirements under 17 U.S.C. 115 and this section.

(e) Sound recording and musical work information. (1) The following information must be provided for each sound recording embodying a musical work required to be reported under paragraph (c)(4)(ii) of this section:

(i) Identifying information for the sound recording, including but not limited to:

(A) Sound recording name(s), including all known alternative and parenthetical titles for the sound recording;

(B) Featured artist(s);

(C) Unique identifier(s) assigned by the blanket licensee, including unique identifier(s) (such as, if applicable, Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)) that can be used to locate and listen to the sound recording, accompanied by clear instructions describing how to do so (such audio access may be limited to a preview or sample of the sound recording lasting at least 30 seconds), subject to paragraph (e)(3) of this section;

(D) Actual playing time measured from the sound recording audio file; and

(E) To the extent acquired by the blanket licensee in connection with its use of sound recordings of musical works to engage in covered activities, including pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(B):

(1) Sound recording copyright owner(s);

(2) Producer(s);

(3) ISRC(s);

(4) Any other unique identifier(s) for or associated with the sound recording, including any unique identifier(s) for any associated album, including but not limited to:

(i) Catalog number(s);

(ii) UPC(s); and

(iii) Unique identifier(s) assigned by any distributor;

(5) Version(s);

(6) Release date(s);

(7) Album title(s);

(8) Label name(s);

(9) Distributor(s); and

(10) Other information commonly used in the industry to identify sound recordings and match them to the musical works the sound recordings embody.

(ii) Identifying information for the musical work embodied in the reported sound recording, to the extent acquired by the blanket licensee in the metadata provided by sound recording copyright owners or other licensors of sound recordings in connection with the use of sound recordings of musical works to engage in covered activities, including pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(B):

(A) Information concerning authorship and ownership of the applicable rights in the musical work embodied in the sound recording, including but not limited to:

(1) Songwriter(s);

(2) Publisher(s) with applicable U.S. rights;

(3) Musical work copyright owner(s);

(4) ISNI(s) and IPI(s) for each such songwriter, publisher, and musical work copyright owner; and

(5) Respective ownership shares of each such musical work copyright owner;

(B) ISWC(s) for the musical work embodied in the sound recording; and

(C) Musical work name(s) for the musical work embodied in the sound recording, including any alternative or parenthetical titles for the musical work.

(iii) Whether the blanket licensee, or any corporate parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of the blanket licensee, is a copyright owner of the musical work embodied in the sound recording.

(2) Where any of the information called for by paragraph (e)(1) of this section, except for playing time, is acquired by the blanket licensee from sound recording copyright owners or other licensors of sound recordings (or their representatives), and the blanket licensee revises, re-titles, or otherwise modifies such information (which, for avoidance of doubt, does not include the act of filling in or supplementing empty or blank data fields, to the extent such information is known to the licensee), the blanket licensee shall report as follows:

(i) It shall be sufficient for the blanket licensee to report either the licensor-provided version or the modified version of such information to satisfy its obligations under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, except for the reporting of any information belonging to a category of information that was not periodically modified by that blanket licensee prior to the license availability date, any unique identifier (including but not limited to ISRC and ISWC), or any release date. On and after September 17, 2021, it additionally shall not be sufficient for the blanket licensee to report a modified version of any sound recording name, featured artist, version, or album title.

(ii) Where the blanket licensee must otherwise report the licensor-provided version of such information under paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section, but to the best of its knowledge, information, and belief no longer has possession, custody, or control of the licensor-provided version, reporting the modified version of such information will satisfy its obligations under paragraph (e)(1) of this section if the blanket licensee certifies to the mechanical licensing collective that to the best of the blanket licensee's knowledge, information, and belief: The information at issue belongs to a category of information called for by paragraph (e)(1) of this section (each of which must be identified) that was periodically modified by the particular blanket licensee prior to October 19, 2020; and that despite engaging in good-faith, commercially reasonable efforts, the blanket licensee has not located the licensor-provided version in its records. A certification need not identify specific sound recordings or musical works, and a single certification may encompass all licensor-provided information satisfying the conditions of the preceding sentence. The blanket licensee should deliver this certification prior to or contemporaneously with the first-delivered report of usage containing information to which this paragraph (e)(2)(ii) is applicable and need not provide the same certification to the mechanical licensing collective more than once.

(3) With respect to the obligation under paragraph (e)(1) of this section for blanket licensees to report unique identifiers that can be used to locate and listen to sound recordings accompanied by clear instructions describing how to do so:

(i) On and after the license availability date, blanket licensees providing such unique identifiers may not impose conditions that materially diminish the degree of access to sound recordings in connection with their potential use by the mechanical licensing collective or its registered users in connection with their use of the collective's claiming portal (e.g., if a paid subscription is not required to listen to a sound recording as of the license availability date, the blanket licensee should not later impose a subscription fee for users to access the recording through the portal). Nothing in this paragraph (e)(3)(i) shall be construed as restricting a blanket licensee from otherwise imposing conditions or diminishing access to sound recordings: With respect to other users or methods of access to its service(s), including the general public; if required by a relevant agreement with a sound recording copyright owner or other licensor of sound recordings; or where such sound recordings are no longer made available through its service(s).

(ii) Blanket licensees who do not assign such unique identifiers as of September 17, 2020, may make use of a transition period ending September 17, 2021, during which the requirement to report such unique identifiers accompanied by instructions shall be waived upon notification, including a description of any implementation obstacles, to the mechanical licensing collective.

(iii)(A) By no later than December 16, 2020, and on a quarterly basis for the succeeding year, or as otherwise directed by the Copyright Office, the mechanical licensing collective and digital licensee coordinator shall report to the Copyright Office regarding the ability of users to listen to sound recordings for identification purposes through the collective's claiming portal. In addition to any other information requested, each report shall:

(1) Identify any implementation obstacles preventing the audio of any reported sound recording from being accessed directly or indirectly through the portal without cost to portal users (including any obstacles described by any blanket licensee pursuant to paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, along with such licensee's identity), and any other obstacles to improving the experience of portal users seeking to identify musical works and their owners;

(2) Identify an implementation strategy for addressing any identified obstacles, and, as applicable, what progress has been made in addressing such obstacles; and

(3) Identify any agreements between the mechanical licensing collective and blanket licensee(s) to provide for access to the relevant sound recordings for portal users seeking to identify musical works and their owners through an alternate method rather than by reporting unique identifiers through reports of usage (e.g., separately licensed solutions). If such an alternate method is implemented pursuant to any such agreement, the requirement to report unique identifiers that can be used to locate and listen to sound recordings accompanied by clear instructions describing how to do so is lifted for the relevant blanket licensee(s) for the duration of the agreement.

(B) The mechanical licensing collective and digital licensee coordinator shall cooperate in good faith to produce the reports required under paragraph (e)(3)(iii)(A) of this section, and shall submit joint reports with respect to areas on which they can reach substantial agreement, but which may contain separate report sections on areas where they are unable to reach substantial agreement. Such cooperation may include work through the operations advisory committee.

(4) Any obligation under paragraph (e)(1) of this section concerning information about sound recording copyright owners may be satisfied by reporting the information for applicable sound recordings provided to the blanket licensee by sound recording copyright owners or other licensors of sound recordings (or their representatives) contained in each of the following DDEX fields: LabelName and PLine. Where a blanket licensee acquires this information in addition to other information identifying a relevant sound recording copyright owner, all such information should be reported.

(5) A blanket licensee may make use of a transition period ending September 17, 2021, during which the blanket licensee need not report information that would otherwise be required by paragraph (e)(1)(i)(E) or (e)(1)(ii) of this section, unless:

(i) It belongs to a category of information expressly required by the enumerated list of information contained in 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(A)(ii)(I)(aa) or (bb);

(ii) It belongs to a category of information that is reported by the particular blanket licensee pursuant to any voluntary license or individual download license; or

(iii) It belongs to a category of information that was periodically reported by the particular blanket licensee prior to the license availability date.

(f) Content of annual reports of usage. An annual report of usage, covering the full fiscal year of the blanket licensee, shall be clearly and prominently identified as an “Annual Report of Usage Under Compulsory Blanket License for Making and Distributing Phonorecords,” and shall include a clear statement of the following information:

(1) The fiscal year covered by the annual report of usage.

(2) The full legal name of the blanket licensee and, if different, the trade or consumer-facing brand name(s) of the service(s), including any specific offering(s), through which the blanket licensee engages in covered activities. If the blanket licensee has a unique DDEX identifier number, it must also be provided.

(3) The full address, including a specific number and street name or rural route, of the place of business of the blanket licensee. A post office box or similar designation will not be sufficient except where it is the only address that can be used in that geographic location.

(4) The following information, which may, as appropriate, be calculated using estimates permitted under paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section, cumulative for the applicable annual reporting period, for each month for each applicable activity or offering including as may be defined in part 385 of this title, and broken down by month and by each such applicable activity or offering:

(i) The total royalty payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license, computed in accordance with the requirements of this section and part 385 of this title. Where the blanket licensee will receive an invoice under paragraph (k)(4) of this section with respect to an adjustment made in connection with the annual report of usage as described in paragraph (k)(1) of this section, the reporting of such total royalty payable may exclude non-invoiced amounts related to such adjustment.

(ii) The total sum paid to the mechanical licensing collective under the blanket license, including the amount of any adjustment delivered contemporaneously with the annual report of usage.

(iii) The total adjustment(s) made by any report of adjustment adjusting any monthly report of usage covered by the applicable annual reporting period, including any adjustment made in connection with the annual report of usage as described in paragraph (k)(1) of this section. Where the blanket licensee will receive an invoice under paragraph (k)(4) of this section with respect to an adjustment made in connection with the annual report of usage as described in paragraph (k)(1) of this section, the reporting of such total adjustment(s) may exclude non-invoiced amounts related to such adjustment.

(iv) The total number of payable units, including, as applicable, permanent downloads, plays, and constructive plays, for each sound recording used, whether pursuant to a blanket license, voluntary license, or individual download license.

(v) To the extent applicable to the calculation of royalties owed by the blanket licensee under the blanket license:

(A) Total service provider revenue, as may be defined in part 385 of this title.

(B) Total costs of content, as may be defined in part 385 of this title.

(C) Total deductions of performance royalties, as may be defined in and permitted by part 385 of this title.

(D) Total subscribers, as may be defined in part 385 of this title.

(5) The amount of late fees, if applicable, included in any payment associated with the annual report of usage.

(g) Processing and timing. (1) Each monthly report of usage and related royalty payment must be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective no later than 45 calendar days after the end of the applicable monthly reporting period. Where a monthly report of usage satisfying the requirements of 17 U.S.C. 115 and this section is delivered to the mechanical licensing collective no later than 15 calendar days after the end of the applicable monthly reporting period, the mechanical licensing collective shall deliver an invoice to the blanket licensee no later than 40 calendar days after the end of the applicable monthly reporting period that sets forth the royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license for the applicable monthly reporting period, which shall be broken down by each applicable activity or offering including as may be defined in part 385 of this title.

(2) After receiving a monthly report of usage, the mechanical licensing collective shall engage in the following actions, among any other actions required of it:

(i) The mechanical licensing collective shall engage in efforts to identify the musical works embodied in sound recordings reflected in such report, and the copyright owners of such musical works (and shares thereof).

(ii)(A) The mechanical licensing collective shall engage in efforts to confirm uses of musical works subject to voluntary licenses and individual download licenses, and, if applicable, the corresponding amounts to be deducted from royalties that would otherwise be due under the blanket license. These efforts may include providing copyright owners with information on usage of their respective musical works that was identified by a digital music provider as subject to a voluntary license or individual download license.

(B) To the extent applicable to the mechanical licensing collective's efforts under paragraph (g)(2)(ii)(A) of this section:

(1) The derivative works exception does not apply to any individual download license and no individual or entity may be construed as the copyright owner or royalty payee of a musical work (or share thereof) used pursuant to any such license based on the derivative works exception.

(2) The derivative works exception does not apply to any voluntary license and no individual or entity may be construed as the copyright owner or royalty payee of a musical work (or share thereof) used pursuant to any such license based on the derivative works exception, unless and only to the extent that the mechanical licensing collective is directed otherwise pursuant to:

(i) The resolution of a dispute regarding the application of the derivative works exception to a particular voluntary license or its underlying grant of authority; or

(ii) A notice submitted under § 210.30(c)(1).

(iii) Where the blanket licensee will not receive an invoice prior to delivering its royalty payment under paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall engage in efforts to confirm proper payment of the royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license for the applicable monthly reporting period, computed in accordance with the requirements of this section and part 385 of this title, after accounting for, if applicable, amounts to be deducted under paragraph (g)(2)(ii) of this section.

(iv) Where the blanket licensee will receive an invoice prior to delivering its royalty payment under paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall engage in efforts to compute, in accordance with the requirements of this section and part 385 of this title, the royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license for the applicable monthly reporting period, after accounting for, if applicable, amounts to be deducted under paragraph (g)(2)(ii) of this section.

(v) The mechanical licensing collective shall deliver a response file to the blanket licensee if requested by the blanket licensee, and the blanket licensee may request an invoice even if not entitled to an invoice prior to delivering its royalty payment under paragraph (g)(1) of this section. Such requests may be made in connection with a particular monthly report of usage or via a one-time request that applies to future reporting periods. Where the blanket licensee will receive an invoice prior to delivering its royalty payment under paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall deliver the response file to the blanket licensee contemporaneously with such invoice. The mechanical licensing collective shall otherwise deliver the response file and/or invoice, as applicable, to the blanket licensee in a reasonably timely manner, but no later than 70 calendar days after the end of the applicable monthly reporting period if the blanket licensee has delivered its monthly report of usage and related royalty payment no later than 45 calendar days after the end of the applicable monthly reporting period. In all cases, the response file shall contain such information as is common in the industry to be reported in response files, backup files, and any other similar such files provided to digital music providers by applicable third-party administrators, and shall include the results of the process described in paragraphs (g)(2)(i) through (iv) of this section on a track-by-track and ownership-share basis, with updates to reflect any new results from the previous month. Response files shall include the following minimum information: song title, mechanical licensing collective-assigned song code, composer(s), publisher name, including top publisher, original publisher, and admin publisher, publisher split, mechanical licensing collective-assigned publisher number, publisher/license status (whether each work share is subject to the blanket license or a voluntary license or individual download license), royalties per work share, effective per-play rate, time-adjusted plays, and the unique identifier for each applicable voluntary license or individual download license provided to the mechanical licensing collective pursuant to § 210.24(b)(8)(vi).

(3) Each annual report of usage must be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective no later than the 20th day of the sixth month following the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual report of usage.

(4) The required timing for any report of adjustment shall be as follows:

(i) Where a report of adjustment adjusting a monthly report of usage is not combined with an annual report of usage, as described in paragraph (k)(1) of this section, a report of adjustment adjusting a monthly report of usage must be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective after delivery of the monthly report of usage being adjusted and before delivery of the annual report of usage for the annual period covering such monthly report of usage.

(ii) A report of adjustment adjusting an annual report of usage must be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective no later than 6 months after the occurrence of any of the scenarios specified by paragraph (k)(6) of this section, where such an event necessitates an adjustment. Where more than one scenario applies to the same annual report of usage at different points in time, a separate 6-month period runs for each such triggering event.

(h) Format and delivery. (1) Reports of usage shall be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective in a machine-readable format that is compatible with the information technology systems of the mechanical licensing collective as reasonably determined by the mechanical licensing collective and set forth on its website, taking into consideration relevant industry standards and the potential for different degrees of sophistication among blanket licensees. The mechanical licensing collective must offer at least two options, where one is dedicated to smaller blanket licensees that may not be reasonably capable of complying with the requirements of a reporting or data standard or format that the mechanical licensing collective may see fit to adopt for larger blanket licensees with more sophisticated operations. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the mechanical licensing collective from adopting more than two reporting or data standards or formats.

(2) Royalty payments shall be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective in such manner and form as the mechanical licensing collective may reasonably determine and set forth on its website. A report of usage and its related royalty payment may be delivered together or separately, but if delivered separately, the payment must include information reasonably sufficient to allow the mechanical licensing collective to match the report of usage to the payment.

(3) The mechanical licensing collective may modify the requirements it adopts under paragraphs (h)(1) and (2) of this section at any time, after good-faith consultation with the operations advisory committee and taking into consideration any technological and cost burdens that may reasonably be expected to result and the proportionality of those burdens to any reasonably expected benefits, provided that advance notice of any such change is reflected on its website and delivered to blanket licensees using the contact information provided in each respective licensee's notice of license. A blanket licensee shall not be required to comply with any such change before the first reporting period ending at least 30 calendar days after delivery of such notice, unless such change is a significant change, in which case, compliance shall not be required before the first reporting period ending at least one year after delivery of such notice. For purposes of this paragraph (h)(3), a significant change occurs where the mechanical licensing collective changes any policy requiring information to be provided under particular reporting or data standards or formats. Where delivery of the notice required by this paragraph (h)(3) is attempted but unsuccessful because the contact information in the blanket licensee's notice of license is not current, the grace periods established by this paragraph (h)(3) shall begin to run from the date of attempted delivery. Nothing in this paragraph (h)(3) empowers the mechanical licensing collective to impose reporting requirements that are otherwise inconsistent with the regulations prescribed by this section.

(4) The mechanical licensing collective shall, by no later than the license availability date, establish an appropriate process by which any blanket licensee may voluntarily make advance deposits of funds with the mechanical licensing collective against which future royalty payments may be charged.

(5) A separate monthly report of usage shall be delivered for each month during which there is any activity relevant to the payment of mechanical royalties for covered activities. An annual report of usage shall be delivered for each fiscal year during which at least one monthly report of usage was required to have been delivered. An annual report of usage does not replace any monthly report of usage.

(6)(i) Where a blanket licensee attempts to timely deliver a report of usage and/or related royalty payment to the mechanical licensing collective but cannot because of the fault of the collective or an error, outage, disruption, or other issue with any of the collective's applicable information technology systems (whether or not such issue is within the collective's direct control) the occurrence of which the blanket licensee knew or should have known at the time, if the blanket licensee attempts to contact the collective about the problem within 2 business days, provides a sworn statement detailing the encountered problem to the Copyright Office within 5 business days (emailed to the Office of the General Counsel at [email protected]), and delivers the report of usage and/or related royalty payment to the collective within 5 business days after receiving written notice from the collective that the problem is resolved, then the mechanical licensing collective shall act as follows:

(A) The mechanical licensing collective shall fully credit the blanket licensee for any applicable late fee paid by the blanket licensee as a result of the untimely delivery of the report of usage and/or related royalty payment.

(B) The mechanical licensing collective shall not use the untimely delivery of the report of usage and/or related royalty payment as a basis to terminate the blanket licensee's blanket license.

(ii) In the event of a good-faith dispute regarding whether a blanket licensee knew or should have known of the occurrence of an error, outage, disruption, or other issue with any of the mechanical licensing collective's applicable information technology systems, a blanket licensee that complies with the requirements of paragraph (h)(6)(i) of this section within a reasonable period of time shall receive the protections of paragraphs (h)(6)(i)(A) and (B) of this section.

(7) The mechanical licensing collective shall provide a blanket licensee with written confirmation of receipt no later than 2 business days after receiving a report of usage and no later than 2 business days after receiving any payment.

(i) Certification of monthly reports of usage. Each monthly report of usage shall be accompanied by:

(1) The name of the person who is signing and certifying the monthly report of usage.

(2) A signature, which in the case of a blanket licensee that is a corporation or partnership, shall be the signature of a duly authorized officer of the corporation or of a partner.

(3) The date of signature and certification.

(4) If the blanket licensee is a corporation or partnership, the title or official position held in the partnership or corporation by the person who is signing and certifying the monthly report of usage.

(5) One of the following statements:

(i) Statement one:

I certify that (1) I am duly authorized to sign this monthly report of usage on behalf of the blanket licensee, (2) I have examined this monthly report of usage, and (3) all statements of fact contained herein are true, complete, and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, and are made in good faith.

(ii) Statement two:

I certify that (1) I am duly authorized to sign this monthly report of usage on behalf of the blanket licensee, (2) I have prepared or supervised the preparation of the data used by the blanket licensee and/or its agent to generate this monthly report of usage, (3) such data is true, complete, and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, and was prepared in good faith, and (4) this monthly report of usage was prepared by the blanket licensee and/or its agent using processes and internal controls that were subject to an examination, during the past year, by a licensed certified public accountant in accordance with the attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the opinion of whom was that (A) the processes generated monthly reports of usage that accurately reflect, in all material respects, the blanket licensee's usage of musical works, the statutory royalties applicable thereto (to the extent reported), and any other data that is necessary for the proper calculation of the statutory royalties in accordance with 17 U.S.C. 115 and applicable regulations, and (B) the internal controls relevant to the processes used by or on behalf of the blanket licensee to generate monthly reports of usage were suitably designed and operated effectively during the period covered by the monthly reports of usage.

(6) A certification that the blanket licensee has, for the period covered by the monthly report of usage, engaged in good-faith, commercially reasonable efforts to obtain information about applicable sound recordings and musical works pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(B) and § 210.26.

(j) Certification of annual reports of usage. (1) Each annual report of usage shall be accompanied by:

(i) The name of the person who is signing the annual report of usage on behalf of the blanket licensee.

(ii) A signature, which in the case of a blanket licensee that is a corporation or partnership, shall be the signature of a duly authorized officer of the corporation or of a partner.

(iii) The date of signature.

(iv) If the blanket licensee is a corporation or partnership, the title or official position held in the partnership or corporation by the person signing the annual report of usage.

(v) The following statement: I am duly authorized to sign this annual report of usage on behalf of the blanket licensee.

(vi) A certification that the blanket licensee has, for the period covered by the annual report of usage, engaged in good-faith, commercially reasonable efforts to obtain information about applicable sound recordings and musical works pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(B) and § 210.26.

(2) Each annual report of usage shall also be certified by a licensed certified public accountant. Such certification shall comply with the following requirements:

(i) Except as provided in paragraph (j)(2)(ii) of this section, the accountant shall certify that it has conducted an examination of the annual report of usage prepared by the blanket licensee in accordance with the attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and has rendered an opinion based on such examination that the annual report of usage conforms with the standards in paragraph (j)(2)(iv) of this section.

(ii) If such accountant determines in its professional judgment that the volume of data attributable to a particular blanket licensee renders it impracticable to certify the annual report of usage as required by paragraph (j)(2)(i) of this section, the accountant may instead certify the following:

(A) That the accountant has conducted an examination in accordance with the attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the following assertions by the blanket licensee's management:

(1) That the processes used by or on behalf of the blanket licensee generated annual reports of usage that conform with the standards in paragraph (j)(2)(iv) of this section; and

(2) That the internal controls relevant to the processes used by or on behalf of the blanket licensee to generate annual reports of usage were suitably designed and operated effectively during the period covered by the annual reports of usage.

(B) That such examination included examining, either on a test basis or otherwise as the accountant considered necessary under the circumstances and in its professional judgment, evidence supporting the management assertions in paragraph (j)(2)(ii)(A) of this section, and performing such other procedures as the accountant considered necessary in the circumstances.

(C) That the accountant has rendered an opinion based on such examination that the processes used to generate the annual report of usage generated annual reports of usage that conform with the standards in paragraph (j)(2)(iv) of this section, and that the internal controls relevant to the processes used to generate annual reports of usage were suitably designed and operated effectively during the period covered by the annual reports of usage.

(iii) In the event a third party or third parties acting on behalf of the blanket licensee provided services related to the annual report of usage, the accountant making a certification under either paragraph (j)(2)(i) or (ii) of this section may, as the accountant considers necessary under the circumstances and in its professional judgment, rely on a report and opinion rendered by a licensed certified public accountant in accordance with the attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants that the processes and/or internal controls of the third party or third parties relevant to the generation of the blanket licensee's annual reports of usage were suitably designed and operated effectively during the period covered by the annual reports of usage, if such reliance is disclosed in the certification.

(iv) An annual report of usage conforms with the standards of this paragraph (j) if it presents fairly, in all material respects, the blanket licensee's usage of musical works in covered activities during the period covered by the annual report of usage, the statutory royalties applicable thereto (to the extent reported), and such other data as are relevant to the calculation of statutory royalties in accordance with 17 U.S.C. 115 and applicable regulations.

(v) Each certificate shall be signed by an individual, or in the name of a partnership or a professional corporation with two or more shareholders. The certificate number and jurisdiction are not required if the certificate is signed in the name of a partnership or a professional corporation with two or more shareholders.

(3) If the annual report of usage is delivered electronically, the blanket licensee may deliver an electronic facsimile of the original certification of the annual report of usage signed by the licensed certified public accountant. The blanket licensee shall retain the original certification of the annual report of usage signed by the licensed certified public accountant for the period identified in paragraph (m) of this section, which shall be made available to the mechanical licensing collective upon demand.

(k) Adjustments. (1) A blanket licensee may adjust one or more previously delivered monthly reports of usage or annual reports of usage, including related royalty payments, by delivering to the mechanical licensing collective a report of adjustment. A report of adjustment adjusting one or more monthly reports of usage may, but need not, be combined with the annual report of usage for the annual period covering such monthly reports of usage and related payments. In such cases, such an annual report of usage shall also be considered a report of adjustment, and must satisfy the requirements of both paragraphs (f) and (k) of this section.

(2) A report of adjustment, except when combined with an annual report of usage, shall be clearly and prominently identified as a “Report of Adjustment Under Compulsory Blanket License for Making and Distributing Phonorecords.” A report of adjustment that is combined with an annual report of usage shall be identified in the same manner as any other annual report of usage.

(3) A report of adjustment shall include a clear statement of the following information:

(i) The previously delivered monthly reports of usage or annual reports of usage, including related royalty payments, to which the adjustment applies.

(ii) The specific change(s) to the applicable previously delivered monthly reports of usage or annual reports of usage, including a detailed description of any changes to any of the inputs upon which computation of the royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license depends. Such description shall include all information necessary for the mechanical licensing collective to compute, in accordance with the requirements of this section and part 385 of this title, the adjusted royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license, and all information necessary to enable the mechanical licensing collective to provide a detailed and step-by-step accounting of the calculation of the adjustment under applicable provisions of this section and part 385 of this title, sufficient to allow each applicable copyright owner to assess the manner in which the mechanical licensing collective, using the blanket licensee's information, determined the adjustment and the accuracy of the adjustment. As appropriate, an adjustment may be calculated using estimates permitted under paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section.

(iii) Where applicable, the particular sound recordings and uses to which the adjustment applies.

(iv) A description of the reason(s) for the adjustment.

(4) In the case of an underpayment of royalties, the blanket licensee shall pay the difference to the mechanical licensing collective contemporaneously with delivery of the report of adjustment or promptly after receiving an invoice from the mechanical licensing collective that sets forth the royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license with respect to the adjustment, which shall be broken down by each applicable activity or offering including as may be defined in part 385 of this title. Where the blanket licensee will receive a response file under paragraph (k)(8) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall deliver the invoice to the blanket licensee contemporaneously with such response file. The mechanical licensing collective shall otherwise deliver the invoice to the blanket licensee in a reasonably timely manner. A report of adjustment and its related royalty payment may be delivered together or separately, but if delivered separately, the payment must include information reasonably sufficient to allow the mechanical licensing collective to match the report of adjustment to the payment.

(5) In the case of an overpayment of royalties, the mechanical licensing collective shall appropriately credit or offset the excess payment amount and apply it to the blanket licensee's account, or upon request, issue a refund within a reasonable period of time.

(6) A report of adjustment adjusting an annual report of usage may only be made:

(i) In exceptional circumstances;

(ii) When making an adjustment to a previously estimated input under paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section;

(iii) Following an audit under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(D);

(iv) Following any other audit of a blanket licensee that concludes after the annual report of usage is delivered and that has the result of affecting the computation of the royalties payable by the blanket licensee under the blanket license (e.g., as applicable, an audit by a sound recording copyright owner concerning the amount of applicable consideration paid for sound recording copyright rights); or

(v) In response to a change in applicable rates or terms under part 385 of this title.

(7) A report of adjustment adjusting a monthly report of usage must be certified in the same manner as a monthly report of usage under paragraph (i) of this section. A report of adjustment adjusting an annual report of usage must be certified in the same manner as an annual report of usage under paragraph (j) of this section, except that the examination by a certified public accountant under paragraph (j)(2) of this section may be limited to the adjusted material and related recalculation of royalties payable. Where a report of adjustment is combined with an annual report of usage, its content shall be subject to the certification covering the annual report of usage with which it is combined.

(8) If requested by the blanket licensee, the mechanical licensing collective shall deliver a response file to the blanket licensee that contains the information required by paragraph (g)(2)(v) of this section to the extent applicable to the adjustment. The response file shall be delivered no later than 45 calendar days after receiving the relevant report of adjustment, unless the report of adjustment is combined with an annual report of usage, in which case the response file shall be delivered no later than 60 calendar days after receiving the relevant annual report of usage.

(9) The mechanical licensing collective may make use of a transition period ending 30 calendar days after receiving written notice from the Copyright Office, during which the mechanical licensing collective shall not be required to deliver invoices or response files within the timeframes specified in paragraphs (k)(4) and (8) of this section.

(l) Clear statements. The information required by this section requires intelligible, legible, and unambiguous statements in the reports of usage, without incorporation of facts or information contained in other documents or records.

(m) Documentation and records of use. (1) Each blanket licensee shall, for a period of at least seven years from the date of delivery of a report of usage to the mechanical licensing collective, keep and retain in its possession all records and documents necessary and appropriate to support fully the information set forth in such report of usage (except that such records and documents that relate to an estimated input permitted under paragraph (d)(2) of this section must be kept and retained for a period of at least seven years from the date of delivery of the report of usage containing the final adjustment of such input), including but not limited to the following:

(i) Records and documents accounting for digital phonorecord deliveries that do not constitute plays, constructive plays, or other payable units.

(ii) Records and documents pertaining to any promotional or free trial uses that are required to be maintained under applicable provisions of part 385 of this title.

(iii) Records and documents identifying or describing each of the blanket licensee's applicable activities or offerings including as may be defined in part 385 of this title, including information sufficient to reasonably demonstrate whether the activity or offering qualifies as any particular activity or offering for which specific rates and terms have been established in part 385 of this title, and which specific rates and terms apply to such activity or offering.

(iv) Records and documents with information sufficient to reasonably demonstrate, if applicable, whether service revenue and total cost of content, as those terms may be defined in part 385 of this title, are properly calculated in accordance with part 385 of this title.

(v) Records and documents with information sufficient to reasonably demonstrate whether and how any royalty floor established in part 385 of this title does or does not apply.

(vi) Records and documents containing such other information as is necessary to reasonably support and confirm all usage and calculations (including of any inputs provided to the mechanical licensing collective to enable further calculations) contained in the report of usage, including but not limited to, as applicable, relevant information concerning subscriptions, devices and platforms, discount plans (including how eligibility was assessed), bundled offerings (including their constituent components and pricing information), and numbers of end users and subscribers (including unadjusted numbers and numbers adjusted as may be permitted by part 385 of this title).

(vii) Any other records or documents that may be appropriately examined pursuant to an audit under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(D).

(2) The mechanical licensing collective or its agent shall be entitled to reasonable access to records and documents described in paragraph (m)(1) of this section, which shall be provided promptly and arranged for no later than 30 calendar days after the mechanical licensing collective's reasonable request, subject to any confidentiality to which they may be entitled. The mechanical licensing collective shall be entitled to make one request per quarter covering a period of up to one quarter in the aggregate. With respect to the total cost of content, as that term may be defined in part 385 of this title, the access permitted by this paragraph (m)(2) shall be limited to accessing the aggregated figure kept by the blanket licensee on its books for the relevant reporting period(s). Neither the mechanical licensing collective nor its agent shall be entitled to access any records or documents retained solely pursuant to paragraph (m)(1)(vii) of this section outside of an applicable audit. Each report of usage must include clear instructions on how to request access to records and documents under this paragraph (m).

(3) Each blanket licensee shall, in accordance with paragraph (m)(4) of this section, keep and retain in its possession and report the following information:

(i) With respect to each sound recording, that embodies a musical work, first licensed or obtained for use in covered activities by the blanket licensee on or after the effective date of its blanket license:

(A) Each of the following dates to the extent reasonably available:

(1) The date on which the sound recording was first reproduced by the blanket licensee on its server (“server fixation date”).

(2) The date on which the sound recording was first released on the blanket licensee's service (“street date”).

(B) If neither of the dates specified in paragraph (m)(3)(i)(A) of this section is reasonably available, the date that, in the assessment of the blanket licensee, provides a reasonable estimate of the date the sound recording was first distributed on its service within the United States (“estimated first distribution date”).

(ii) A record of materially all sound recordings embodying musical works in its database or similar electronic system as of a time reasonably approximate to the effective date of its blanket license. For each recording, the record shall include the sound recording name(s), featured artist(s), unique identifier(s) assigned by the blanket licensee, actual playing time, and, to the extent acquired by the blanket licensee in connection with its use of sound recordings of musical works to engage in covered activities, ISRC(s). The blanket licensee shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make this record as accurate and complete as reasonably possible in representing the blanket licensee's repertoire as of immediately prior to the effective date of its blanket license.

(4)(i) Each blanket licensee must deliver the information described in paragraph (m)(3)(i) of this section to the mechanical licensing collective at least annually and keep and retain this information until delivered. Such reporting must include the following:

(A) For each sound recording, the same categories of information described in paragraph (m)(3)(ii) of this section.

(B) For each date, an identification of which type of date it is (i.e., server fixation date, street date, or estimated first distribution date).

(ii) A blanket licensee must deliver the information described in paragraph (m)(3)(ii) of this section to the mechanical licensing collective as soon as commercially reasonable, and no later than contemporaneously with its first reporting under paragraph (m)(4)(i) of this section.

(iii) Prior to being delivered to the mechanical licensing collective, the collective or its agent shall be entitled to reasonable access to the information kept and retained pursuant to paragraphs (m)(4)(i) and (ii) of this section if needed in connection with applicable directions, instructions, or orders concerning the distribution of royalties.

(5) Nothing in paragraph (m)(3) or (4) of this section, nor the collection, maintenance, or delivery of information under paragraphs (m)(3) and (4) of this section, nor the information itself, shall be interpreted or construed:

(i) To alter, limit, or diminish in any way the ability of an author or any other person entitled to exercise rights of termination under section 203 or 304 of title 17 of the United States Code from fully exercising or benefiting from such rights;

(ii) As determinative of the date of the license grant with respect to works as it pertains to sections 203 and 304 of title 17 of the United States Code; or

(iii) To affect in any way the scope or effectiveness of the exercise of termination rights, including as pertaining to derivative works, under section 203 or 304 of title 17 of the United States Code.

(n) Voluntary agreements with mechanical licensing collective to alter process. (1) Subject to the provisions of 17 U.S.C. 115,a,including,provided. The procedures surrounding the certification requirements of paragraphs (i) and (j) of this section may not be altered by agreement. This paragraph (n)(1) does not empower the mechanical licensing collective to agree to alter any substantive requirements described in this section, including but not limited to the required royalty payment and accounting information and sound recording and musical work information.

(2) The mechanical licensing collective shall maintain a current, free, and publicly accessible online list of all agreements made pursuant to paragraph (n)(1) of this section that includes the name of the blanket licensee (and, if different, the trade or consumer-facing brand name(s) of the services(s), including any specific offering(s), through which the blanket licensee engages in covered activities) and the start and end dates of the agreement. Any such agreement shall be considered a record that a copyright owner may access in accordance with 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(M)(ii). Where an agreement made pursuant to paragraph (n)(1) of this section is made pursuant to an agreement to administer a voluntary license or any other agreement, only those portions that vary or supplement the procedures described in this section and that pertain to the administration of a requesting copyright owner's musical works must be made available to that copyright owner.

[85 FR 58143, Sept. 17, 2020, as amended at 86 FR 12826, Mar. 5, 2021; 87 FR 31427, May 24, 2022; 88 FR 6632, Feb. 1, 2023; 89 FR 56612, July 9, 2024]

(a) General. This section prescribes rules for the preparation and delivery of reports of usage for the making and distribution of phonorecords of nondramatic musical works to the mechanical licensing collective by a significant nonblanket licensee pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6)(A)(ii). A significant nonblanket licensee shall report to the mechanical licensing collective on a monthly basis in accordance with 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6)(A)(ii) and this section. A significant nonblanket licensee may make adjustments to its reports of usage in accordance with this section.

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section, in addition to those terms defined in § 210.22:

(1) The term report of usage, unless otherwise specified, refers to all reports of usage required to be delivered by a significant nonblanket licensee to the mechanical licensing collective, including reports of adjustment. As used in this section, it does not refer to reports required to be delivered by blanket licensees under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(A) and § 210.27.

(2) A monthly report of usage is a report of usage identified in 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6)(A)(ii), and required to be delivered by a significant nonblanket licensee to the mechanical licensing collective.

(3) A report of adjustment is a report delivered by a significant nonblanket licensee to the mechanical licensing collective adjusting one or more previously delivered monthly reports of usage.

(c) Content of monthly reports of usage. A monthly report of usage shall be clearly and prominently identified as a “Significant Nonblanket Licensee Monthly Report of Usage for Making and Distributing Phonorecords,” and shall include a clear statement of the following information:

(1) The period (month and year) covered by the monthly report of usage.

(2) The full legal name of the significant nonblanket licensee and, if different, the trade or consumer-facing brand name(s) of the service(s), including any specific offering(s), through which the significant nonblanket licensee engages in covered activities. If the significant nonblanket licensee has a unique DDEX identifier number, it must also be provided.

(3) The full address, including a specific number and street name or rural route, of the place of business of the significant nonblanket licensee. A post office box or similar designation will not be sufficient except where it is the only address that can be used in that geographic location.

(4) For each sound recording embodying a musical work that is used by the significant nonblanket licensee in covered activities during the applicable monthly reporting period, a detailed statement, from which the mechanical licensing collective may separate reported information for each applicable activity or offering including as may be defined in part 385 of this title, of all of:

(i) The royalty payment and accounting information required by paragraph (d) of this section; and

(ii) The sound recording and musical work information required by paragraph (e) of this section.

(5)(i) For each voluntary license in effect during the applicable monthly reporting period, the information required under § 210.24(b)(8). If this information has been separately provided to the mechanical licensing collective, it need not be contained in the monthly report of usage, provided the report states that the information has been provided separately and includes the date on which such information was last provided to the mechanical licensing collective. This paragraph (c)(5)(i) does not apply to any authority obtained by a significant nonblanket licensee from licensors of sound recordings to make and distribute permanent downloads of musical works embodied in such sound recordings pursuant to an individual download license or voluntary license.

(ii) For any authority obtained by a significant nonblanket licensee from licensors of sound recordings to make and distribute permanent downloads of musical works embodied in such sound recordings pursuant to an individual download license or voluntary license, and where such authority does not cover all permanent downloads made available on the service, a list of all sound recordings for which the significant nonblanket licensee has obtained such authority from the respective sound recording licensors, or a list of any applicable catalog exclusions where the significant nonblanket licensee indicates that such authority otherwise exists for all permanent downloads, and identification of the significant nonblanket licensee's covered activities operated under such authority. If this information has been separately provided to the mechanical licensing collective, it need not be contained in the monthly report of usage, provided the report states that the information has been provided separately and includes the date on which such information was last provided to the mechanical licensing collective.

(d) Royalty payment and accounting information. The royalty payment and accounting information called for by paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section shall consist of the following:

(1) The mechanical royalties payable by the significant nonblanket licensee for the applicable monthly reporting period for engaging in covered activities pursuant to each applicable voluntary license and individual download license.

(2) The number of payable units, including, as applicable, permanent downloads, plays, and constructive plays, for each reported sound recording.

(e) Sound recording and musical work information. (1) The following information must be provided for each sound recording embodying a musical work required to be reported under paragraph (c)(4)(ii) of this section:

(i) Identifying information for the sound recording, including but not limited to:

(A) Sound recording name(s), including all known alternative and parenthetical titles for the sound recording;

(B) Featured artist(s);

(C) Unique identifier(s) assigned by the significant nonblanket licensee, if any, including any code(s) that can be used to locate and listen to the sound recording through the significant nonblanket licensee's public-facing service;

(D) Actual playing time measured from the sound recording audio file; and

(E) To the extent acquired by the significant nonblanket licensee in connection with its use of sound recordings of musical works to engage in covered activities:

(1) Sound recording copyright owner(s);

(2) Producer(s);

(3) ISRC(s);

(4) Any other unique identifier(s) for or associated with the sound recording, including any unique identifier(s) for any associated album, including but not limited to:

(i) Catalog number(s);

(ii) UPC(s); and

(iii) Unique identifier(s) assigned by any distributor;

(5) Version(s);

(6) Release date(s);

(7) Album title(s);

(8) Label name(s);

(9) Distributor(s); and

(10) Other information commonly used in the industry to identify sound recordings and match them to the musical works the sound recordings embody.

(ii) Identifying information for the musical work embodied in the reported sound recording, to the extent acquired by the significant nonblanket licensee in the metadata provided by sound recording copyright owners or other licensors of sound recordings in connection with the use of sound recordings of musical works to engage in covered activities:

(A) Information concerning authorship and ownership of the applicable rights in the musical work embodied in the sound recording, including but not limited to:

(1) Songwriter(s);

(2) Publisher(s) with applicable U.S. rights;

(3) Musical work copyright owner(s);

(4) ISNI(s) and IPI(s) for each such songwriter, publisher, and musical work copyright owner; and

(5) Respective ownership shares of each such musical work copyright owner;

(B) ISWC(s) for the musical work embodied in the sound recording; and

(C) Musical work name(s) for the musical work embodied in the sound recording, including any alternative or parenthetical titles for the musical work.

(iii) Whether the significant nonblanket licensee, or any corporate parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of the significant nonblanket licensee, is a copyright owner of the musical work embodied in the sound recording.

(2) Where any of the information called for by paragraph (e)(1) of this section, except for playing time, is acquired by the significant nonblanket licensee from sound recording copyright owners or other licensors of sound recordings (or their representatives), and the significant nonblanket licensee revises, re-titles, or otherwise modifies such information (which, for avoidance of doubt, does not include the act of filling in or supplementing empty or blank data fields, to the extent such information is known to the licensee), the significant nonblanket licensee shall report as follows:

(i) It shall be sufficient for the significant nonblanket licensee to report either the licensor-provided version or the modified version of such information to satisfy its obligations under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, except that it shall not be sufficient for the significant nonblanket licensee to report a modified version of any information belonging to a category of information that was not periodically modified by that significant nonblanket licensee prior to the license availability date, any unique identifier (including but not limited to ISRC and ISWC), or any release date.

(ii) Where the significant nonblanket licensee must otherwise report the licensor-provided version of such information under paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section, but to the best of its knowledge, information, and belief no longer has possession, custody, or control of the licensor-provided version, reporting the modified version of such information will satisfy its obligations under paragraph (e)(1) of this section if the significant nonblanket licensee certifies to the mechanical licensing collective that to the best of the significant nonblanket licensee's knowledge, information, and belief: The information at issue belongs to a category of information called for by paragraph (e)(1) of this section (each of which must be identified) that was periodically modified by the particular significant nonblanket licensee prior to October 19, 2020; and that despite engaging in good-faith, commercially reasonable efforts, the significant nonblanket licensee has not located the licensor-provided version in its records. A certification need not identify specific sound recordings or musical works, and a single certification may encompass all licensor-provided information satisfying the conditions of the preceding sentence. The significant nonblanket licensee should deliver this certification prior to or contemporaneously with the first-delivered report of usage containing information to which this paragraph (e)(2)(ii) is applicable and need not provide the same certification to the mechanical licensing collective more than once.

(3) Any obligation under paragraph (e)(1) of this section concerning information about sound recording copyright owners may be satisfied by reporting the information for applicable sound recordings provided to the significant nonblanket licensee by sound recording copyright owners or other licensors of sound recordings (or their representatives) contained in each of the following DDEX fields: LabelName and PLine. Where a significant nonblanket licensee acquires this information in addition to other information identifying a relevant sound recording copyright owner, all such information should be reported.

(4) A significant nonblanket licensee may make use of a transition period ending September 17, 2021, during which the significant nonblanket licensee need not report information that would otherwise be required by paragraph (e)(1)(i)(E) or (e)(1)(ii) of this section, unless:

(i) It belongs to a category of information expressly required by the enumerated list of information contained in 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(A)(ii)(I)(aa) or (bb);

(ii) It belongs to a category of information that is reported by the particular significant nonblanket licensee pursuant to any voluntary license or individual download license; or

(iii) It belongs to a category of information that was periodically reported by the particular significant nonblanket licensee prior to the license availability date.

(f) Timing. (1) An initial report of usage must be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective contemporaneously with the significant nonblanket licensee's notice of nonblanket activity. Each subsequent monthly report of usage must be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective no later than 45 calendar days after the end of the applicable monthly reporting period.

(2) A report of adjustment may only be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective once annually, between the end of the significant nonblanket licensee's fiscal year and 6 months after the end of its fiscal year. Such report may only adjust one or more previously delivered monthly reports of usage from the applicable fiscal year.

(g) Format and delivery. (1) Reports of usage shall be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective in any format accepted by the mechanical licensing collective for blanket licensees under § 210.27(h). With respect to any modifications to formatting requirements that the mechanical licensing collective adopts, the mechanical licensing collective shall follow the consultation process as under § 210.27(h), and significant nonblanket licensees shall be entitled to the same advance notice and grace periods as apply to blanket licensees under § 210.27(h), except the mechanical licensing collective shall use the contact information provided in each respective significant nonblanket licensee's notice of nonblanket activity. Nothing in this paragraph (g)(1) empowers the mechanical licensing collective to impose reporting requirements that are otherwise inconsistent with the regulations prescribed by this section.

(2) A separate monthly report of usage shall be delivered for each month during which there is any activity relevant to the payment of mechanical royalties for covered activities.

(3) Where a significant nonblanket licensee attempts to timely deliver a report of usage to the mechanical licensing collective but cannot because of the fault of the collective or an error, outage, disruption, or other issue with any of the collective's applicable information technology systems (whether or not such issue is within the collective's direct control) the occurrence of which the significant nonblanket licensee knew or should have known at the time, if the significant nonblanket licensee attempts to contact the collective about the problem within 2 business days, provides a sworn statement detailing the encountered problem to the Copyright Office within 5 business days (emailed to the Office of the General Counsel at [email protected]), and delivers the report of usage to the collective within 5 business days after receiving written notice from the collective that the problem is resolved, then neither the mechanical licensing collective nor the digital licensee coordinator may use the untimely delivery of the report of usage as a basis to engage in legal enforcement efforts under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6)(C). In the event of a good-faith dispute regarding whether a significant nonblanket licensee knew or should have known of the occurrence of an error, outage, disruption, or other issue with any of the mechanical licensing collective's applicable information technology systems, neither the mechanical licensing collective nor the digital licensee coordinator may use the untimely delivery of the report of usage as a basis to engage in legal enforcement efforts under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6)(C) as long as the significant nonblanket licensee complies with the requirements of this paragraph (g)(3) within a reasonable period of time.

(4) The mechanical licensing collective shall provide a significant nonblanket licensee with written confirmation of receipt no later than 2 business days after receiving a report of usage.

(h) Certification of monthly reports of usage. Each monthly report of usage shall be accompanied by:

(1) The name of the person who is signing and certifying the monthly report of usage.

(2) A signature, which in the case of a significant nonblanket licensee that is a corporation or partnership, shall be the signature of a duly authorized officer of the corporation or of a partner.

(3) The date of signature and certification.

(4) If the significant nonblanket licensee is a corporation or partnership, the title or official position held in the partnership or corporation by the person who is signing and certifying the monthly report of usage.

(5) One of the following statements:

(i) Statement one:

I certify that (1) I am duly authorized to sign this monthly report of usage on behalf of the significant nonblanket licensee, (2) I have examined this monthly report of usage, and (3) all statements of fact contained herein are true, complete, and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, and are made in good faith.

(ii) Statement two:

I certify that (1) I am duly authorized to sign this monthly report of usage on behalf of the significant nonblanket licensee, (2) I have prepared or supervised the preparation of the data used by the significant nonblanket licensee and/or its agent to generate this monthly report of usage, (3) such data is true, complete, and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, and was prepared in good faith, and (4) this monthly report of usage was prepared by the significant nonblanket licensee and/or its agent using processes and internal controls that were subject to an examination, during the past year, by a licensed certified public accountant in accordance with the attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the opinion of whom was that (A) the processes generated monthly reports of usage that accurately reflect, in all material respects, the significant nonblanket licensee's usage of musical works and the royalties applicable thereto, and (B) the internal controls relevant to the processes used by or on behalf of the significant nonblanket licensee to generate monthly reports of usage were suitably designed and operated effectively during the period covered by the monthly reports of usage.

(i) Adjustments. (1) A significant nonblanket licensee may adjust one or more previously delivered monthly reports of usage by delivering to the mechanical licensing collective a report of adjustment.

(2) A report of adjustment shall be clearly and prominently identified as a “Significant Nonblanket Licensee Report of Adjustment for Making and Distributing Phonorecords.”

(3) A report of adjustment shall include a clear statement of the following information:

(i) The previously delivered monthly report(s) of usage to which the adjustment applies.

(ii) The specific change(s) to the applicable previously delivered monthly report(s) of usage.

(iii) Where applicable, the particular sound recordings and uses to which the adjustment applies.

(iv) A description of the reason(s) for the adjustment.

(4) A report of adjustment must be certified in the same manner as a monthly report of usage under paragraph (h) of this section.

(j) Clear statements. The information required by this section requires intelligible, legible, and unambiguous statements in the reports of usage, without incorporation of facts or information contained in other documents or records.

(k) Harmless errors. Errors in the delivery or content of a report of usage that do not materially affect the adequacy of the information required to serve the purpose of 17 U.S.C. 115(d) shall be deemed harmless, and shall not render the report invalid or provide a basis for the mechanical licensing collective or digital licensee coordinator to engage in legal enforcement efforts under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6)(C). This paragraph (k) shall apply only to errors made in good faith and without any intention to deceive, mislead, or conceal relevant information.

(l) Voluntary agreements with mechanical licensing collective to alter process. (1) Subject to the provisions of 17 U.S.C. 115,a,including,provided. The procedures surrounding the certification requirements of paragraph (h) of this section may not be altered by agreement. This paragraph (l)(1) does not empower the mechanical licensing collective to agree to alter any substantive requirements described in this section, including but not limited to the required royalty payment and accounting information and sound recording and musical work information.

(2) The mechanical licensing collective shall maintain a current, free, and publicly accessible online list of all agreements made pursuant to paragraph (l)(1) of this section that includes the name of the significant nonblanket licensee (and, if different, the trade or consumer-facing brand name(s) of the services(s), including any specific offering(s), through which the significant nonblanket licensee engages in covered activities) and the start and end dates of the agreement. Any such agreement shall be considered a record that a copyright owner may access in accordance with 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(M)(ii). Where an agreement made pursuant to paragraph (l)(1) of this section is made pursuant to an agreement to administer a voluntary license or any other agreement, only those portions that vary or supplement the procedures described in this section and that pertain to the administration of a requesting copyright owner's musical works must be made available to that copyright owner.

[85 FR 58143, Sept. 17, 2020, as amended at 86 FR 12827, Mar. 5, 2021]

(a) General. This section prescribes reporting and payment obligations of the mechanical licensing collective to copyright owners for the distribution of royalties for musical works, licensed under the blanket license for digital uses prescribed in 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(1), that have been matched, either through the processing by the mechanical licensing collective upon receipt of a report of usage and royalty payment from a digital music provider, or during the holding period for unmatched works as defined in 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(H)(i). This section also prescribes reporting and payment obligations of the mechanical licensing collective to copyright owners for the distribution of matched historical royalties. This section does not apply to distributions of unclaimed accrued royalties under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(J).

(b) Distribution of royalties and royalty statements. (1) Royalty distributions shall be made on a monthly basis and shall include, separately or together:

(i) All royalties payable to a copyright owner for a musical work matched in the ordinary course under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(G)(i)(II); and

(ii) All accrued royalties for any particular musical work that has been matched and a proportionate amount of accrued interest associated with that work.

(2) Royalty distributions based on adjustments to reports of usage by digital music providers in prior periods shall be made by the mechanical licensing collective at least once annually, upon submission of the annual reports of usage by digital music providers reporting total adjustments to the mechanical licensing collective pursuant to § 210.27(f) and (g)(3) and (4).

(3) Royalty distributions shall be accompanied by corresponding royalty statements containing the information set forth in paragraph (c) of this section for the royalties contained in the distribution.

(4)(i)(A) The copyright owner of a musical work (or share thereof) as of the last day of a monthly reporting period in which such musical work is used pursuant to a blanket license is entitled to all royalty payments and other distributable amounts (e.g., accrued interest), including any subsequent adjustments, for the uses of that musical work occurring during that monthly reporting period, unless such entitlement has been transferred to another individual or entity. As used in the previous sentence, the term uses means all covered activities engaged in under blanket licenses as reported by blanket licensees to the mechanical licensing collective.

(B)(1) For the purpose of making any distribution of royalties or other amounts (e.g., accrued interest), as a matter of reasonable administrability, the mechanical licensing collective, in the absence of a dispute or investigation, shall treat the individual or entity identified in its records as of the date of the payee snapshot used by the mechanical licensing collective for the applicable distribution as legally authorized to receive such distribution, unless the mechanical licensing collective is notified otherwise.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (b)(4)(i)(B)(1) of this section shall be construed as absolving the mechanical licensing collective of its responsibility to engage in reasonable verification and antifraud efforts in connection with the registration and claiming of musical works (or shares thereof).

(3) No distribution made by the mechanical licensing collective shall alter or prejudice any party's legal entitlement to any of the distributed funds or such party's ability to collect such funds from someone other than the mechanical licensing collective if such funds were not distributed to such party by the mechanical licensing collective.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, where the mechanical licensing collective distributes royalties to the wrong party and that error is caused by the actions of the mechanical licensing collective, the mechanical licensing collective shall promptly correct its error upon learning of it. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(4)(i)(B)(4), an error is not caused by the mechanical licensing collective where it acts in accordance with paragraph (b)(4)(i)(B)(1) of this section or otherwise reasonably relies on information provided to it by others that turns out to be inaccurate.

(C) The derivative works exception does not apply to any blanket license and no individual or entity may be construed as the copyright owner or royalty payee of a musical work (or share thereof) used pursuant to a blanket license based on the derivative works exception.

(ii) Subject to the requirements of and except to the extent permitted by § 210.30, the mechanical licensing collective shall not distribute royalties in a manner inconsistent with paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section.

(c) Content—(1) General content of royalty statements. Accompanying the distribution of royalties to a copyright owner, the mechanical licensing collective shall provide to the copyright owner a statement that includes, at a minimum, the following information:

(i) The period (month and year) covered by the statement, and the period (month and year) during which the reported activity occurred. For adjustments, the mechanical licensing collective shall report both the period (month and year) during which the original reported activity occurred and the date on which the digital music provider reported the adjustment.

(ii) The name and address of the mechanical licensing collective.

(iii) The name and mechanical licensing collective identification number of the copyright owner.

(iv) ISNI and IPI name and identification number for each songwriter, administrator, and musical work copyright owner, to the extent it has been provided to the mechanical licensing collective by a copyright owner.

(v) The name and mechanical licensing collective identification number of the copyright owner's administrator (if applicable), to the extent one has been provided to the mechanical licensing collective by a copyright owner.

(vi) Payment information, such as check number, automated clearing house (ACH) identification, or wire transfer number.

(vii) The total royalty payable to the relevant copyright owner for the month covered by the royalty statement.

(2) Musical work information. For each matched musical work owned by the copyright owner for which accompanying royalties are being distributed to that copyright owner, the mechanical licensing collective shall report the following information:

(i) The musical work name, including primary and any alternative and parenthetical titles for the musical work known to the mechanical licensing collective.

(ii) ISWC for the musical work, to the extent it is known to the mechanical licensing collective.

(iii) The mechanical licensing collective's standard identification number of the musical work.

(iv) The administrator's unique identifier for the musical work, to the extent one has been provided to the mechanical licensing collective by a copyright owner or its administrator.

(v) The name(s) of the songwriter(s), to the extent they are known to the mechanical licensing collective.

(vi) The percentage share of musical work owned or controlled by the copyright owner.

(vii) For each sound recording embodying the musical work, the identifying information enumerated in paragraph (c)(3) of this section and the royalty information enumerated in paragraph (c)(4) of this section.

(3) Sound recording information. (i) For each sound recording embodying a musical work included in a royalty statement, the mechanical licensing collective shall report the following information:

(A) The sound recording name(s), including all known alternative and parenthetical titles for the sound recording.

(B) The featured artist(s).

(ii) The mechanical licensing collective shall report the following information to the extent it is known to the mechanical licensing collective:

(A) The record label name(s).

(B) ISRC(s).

(C) The sound recording copyright owner(s).

(D) Playing time.

(E) Album title(s) or product name(s).

(F) Album or product featured artist(s), if different from sound recording featured artist(s).

(G) Distributor(s).

(H) UPC(s).

(4) Royalty information. The mechanical licensing collective shall separately report, for each service, offering, or activity reported by a blanket licensee, the following royalty information for each sound recording embodying a musical work included in a royalty statement:

(i) The name of the blanket licensee and, if different, the trade or consumer facing brand name(s) of the service(s), including any specific offering(s), through which the blanket licensee engages in covered activities.

(ii) The service tier or service description.

(iii) The use type (download, limited download, or stream).

(iv) The number of payable units, including, as applicable, permanent downloads, plays, and constructive plays.

(v) A detailed and step-by-step accounting of the calculation of royalties under applicable provisions of part 385 of this title, sufficient to allow the copyright owner to assess the manner in which the royalty owed was determined and the accuracy of the royalty calculations, which shall include details on each of the components used in the calculation of the payable royalty pool.

(vi) The royalty rate and amount.

(vii) The interest amount.

(viii) The distribution amount.

(d) Cumulative statements of account, and adjustments. (1) For royalties reported under paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall provide a cumulative statement of account that includes, in addition to the information in paragraph (c) of this section, a clear identification of the total period covered and the total royalty payable for the period.

(2) For adjustments reported under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall clearly indicate the original reporting period of the royalties being adjusted.

(e) Delivery of royalty statements. (1) Royalty statements may be delivered electronically, including by providing access to statements through an online password protected portal, accompanied by written notification of the availability of the statement in the portal.

(2) The mechanical licensing collective shall provide by request a separate, simplified report containing fewer data fields that may be more understandable for the copyright owner, and may provide royalty information to copyright owners by request in alternative formats.

(3) Upon written request of the copyright owner, the mechanical licensing collective may deliver a physical statement by mail where the statement reports a total royalty payable to the copyright owner for the period covered that is equal or greater than $100. Royalty statements delivered by mail are not required to contain all information identified in paragraph (c) of this section, but may instead provide information in a simplified or summary format.

(f) Clear statements. The information required by paragraph (c) of this section requires intelligible, legible, and unambiguous statements in the royalty statements without incorporation of facts or information contained in other documents or records.

(g) Certification. (1) Each royalty statement in which the total royalty payable to the relevant copyright owner for the month covered is equal to or greater than $100 shall be accompanied by:

(i) The name of the person who is signing and certifying the statement.

(ii) A signature of a duly authorized officer of the mechanical licensing collective.

(iii) The date of signature and certification.

(iv) The title or official position held by the person who is signing and certifying the statement.

(v) The following statement: This statement was prepared by the Mechanical Licensing Collective and/or its agent using processes and internal controls that were suitably designed to generate monthly statements that accurately allocate royalties using usage and royalty information provided by digital music providers and musical works information as reflected in the Mechanical Licensing Collective's musical works database.

(2) Beginning in the first calendar year following the license availability date, the certification must also include a statement establishing that such processes and internal controls were subject to an examination, during the past year, by a licensed Certified Public Accountant in accordance with the attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the opinion of whom was that the processes and internal controls were so suitably designed.

(h) Reporting threshold. (1) Subject to paragraph (h)(2) of this section, a separate royalty statement shall be provided for each month during which there is any activity relevant to the distribution of royalties under the blanket license.

(2) Royalties under the blanket license shall not be considered payable, and no royalty statement shall be required, until the cumulative unpaid royalties collected for the copyright owner equal at least one cent. Moreover, in any case in which the cumulative unpaid royalties under the blanket license that would otherwise be distributed by the mechanical licensing collective to the copyright owner are less than $5 if the copyright owner receives payment by direct deposit, $100 if the copyright owner receives payment by physical check, or $250 if the copyright owner receives payment by wire transfer, the mechanical licensing collective may choose to defer the payment date for such royalties and provide no royalty statements until the earlier of the time for rendering the royalty statement for the month in which the unpaid royalties under the blanket license for the copyright owner exceed the threshold, at which time the mechanical licensing collective may provide one statement and payment covering the entire period for which royalty payments were deferred.

(3) Where the mechanical licensing collective elects to defer the royalty payment and statement to a copyright owner pursuant to paragraph (h)(2) of this section because the accrued royalties did not exceed the applicable threshold, and if a copyright owner submits a written request, the mechanical licensing collective shall make available to that copyright owner information detailing the accrued unpaid royalties processed as of the date of the request.

(4) If the mechanical licensing collective is required, under applicable tax law and regulations, to make backup withholding from its payments required hereunder, the mechanical licensing collective shall indicate the amount of such withholding on the royalty statement or on or with the distribution.

(i) Annual statement. The mechanical license collective shall provide an annual statement by electronic means to any copyright owner who has received at least one royalty statement under paragraph (h)(1) of this section in the calendar year preceding. The annual statement shall include a cumulative statement of the information reported in the monthly royalty statements in the year preceding, as well as a statement of any adjustments to royalty distributions reported in the year preceding.

(j) Matched historical royalties. The mechanical licensing collective shall report and distribute matched historical royalties and related accrued interest and adjustments in the same manner and subject to the same requirements that apply to the reporting and distribution of royalties for musical works licensed under the blanket license, as if such matched historical royalties were royalties payable for musical works licensed under the blanket license, but subject to the following clarifications:

(1) Matched historical royalties shall be treated as accrued royalties distributable under paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section and shall be separately identified in applicable royalty statements.

(2) With respect to the requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section, royalty distributions based on adjustments to matched historical royalties reflected in cumulative statements of account delivered to the mechanical licensing collective by digital music providers pursuant to § 210.10(b)(3)(i) shall be made by the mechanical licensing collective at least once annually, upon submission of one or more statements of adjustment delivered to the mechanical licensing collective by digital music providers pursuant to § 210.10(k), to the extent any such statement of adjustment is delivered to the mechanical licensing collective during such annual period.

(k) Corrective royalty adjustment. Any distribution under paragraph (b) of this section (including any distribution of matched historical royalties, or related accrued interest or adjustments) or deduction under § 210.27(g)(2)(ii) (other than a deduction related to a voluntary license) made by the mechanical licensing collective before August 8, 2024 and based on an application of the derivative works exception that is inconsistent with paragraph (b)(4)(i)(C) of this section (including as such paragraph applies to matched historical royalties through paragraph (j) of this section) or § 210.27(g)(2)(ii)(B)(1), as each of those provisions exist on August 8, 2024, shall be subject to adjustment by the mechanical licensing collective. Any amounts held by the mechanical licensing collective in connection with such application of the derivative works exception as of August 8, 2024 shall also be subject to adjustment. The adjustment process shall be as follows:

(1)(i) To the extent required by this paragraph (k), where a royalty payee (the prior payee) received amounts from the mechanical licensing collective that such prior payee would not have received had the distribution been made in a manner consistent with the application of the derivative works exception embodied in paragraph (b)(4)(i)(C) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall, except as otherwise provided for by this paragraph (k), recover such overpayment from such prior payee and shall distribute it to the royalty payee (the proper payee) who is entitled to such funds under the application of the derivative works exception embodied in paragraph (b)(4)(i)(C) of this section.

(ii) The mechanical licensing collective shall notify each prior payee and proper payee (collectively, the parties) of the overpayment no later than September 9, 2024. Such notice shall contain at least the following information:

(A) A summary of the Copyright Office's conclusions embodied in paragraph (b)(4)(i)(C) of this section and § 210.27(g)(2)(ii)(B);

(B) A description of the adjustment process detailed in this paragraph (k), including the option for the parties to reach a voluntary agreement concerning the overpayment;

(C) For each musical work (or share thereof) at issue, the amount of the overpayment; and

(D) The respective contact information for each of the parties contained in the mechanical licensing collective's records.

(iii) After receiving such notice, the parties may attempt to reach a voluntary agreement with respect to the overpayment. Before October 9, 2024, the parties shall notify the mechanical licensing collective that:

(A) The parties reached a voluntary agreement with respect to the overpayment;

(B) The parties are in the process of attempting to reach a voluntary agreement with respect to the overpayment; or

(C) The parties did not reach a voluntary agreement with respect to the overpayment.

(iv) The mechanical licensing collective shall act as follows in connection with such notice:

(A) If the mechanical licensing collective receives notice that the parties reached a voluntary agreement with respect to the overpayment, it shall not make any adjustment in connection with the overpayment.

(B) If the mechanical licensing collective receives notice that the parties are in the process of attempting to reach a voluntary agreement with respect to the overpayment, it shall not take any action unless and until it receives a subsequent notice. If the subsequent notice states that the parties reached a voluntary agreement with respect to the overpayment, the mechanical licensing collective shall not make any adjustment in connection with the overpayment. If the subsequent notice states that the parties did not reach a voluntary agreement with respect to the overpayment, the mechanical licensing collective shall commence the adjustment process described in paragraph (k)(1)(v) of this section. If such a subsequent notice is received after March 11, 2026, the mechanical licensing collective shall not be required to make any adjustment in connection with the overpayment.

(C) If the mechanical licensing collective receives notice that the parties did not reach a voluntary agreement with respect to the overpayment, it shall commence the adjustment process described in paragraph (k)(1)(v) of this section.

(D) If the mechanical licensing collective does not receive a timely notice under paragraph (k)(1)(iii) of this section, it shall commence the adjustment process described in paragraph (k)(1)(v) of this section.

(v) Where, pursuant to paragraph (k)(1)(iv) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective is required to commence an adjustment process with respect to the overpayment, the following requirements shall apply:

(A) Not later than November 6, 2024 or 30 calendar days after receiving an applicable subsequent notice under paragraph (k)(1)(iv)(B) of this section, whichever is later, the mechanical licensing collective shall notify the prior payee that the adjustment process has commenced and request that the prior payee return the overpayment no later than December 6, 2024 or 30 calendar days after receiving the notice, whichever is later. Any returned amounts shall be distributed, accompanied by an appropriate royalty statement, to the proper payee with the next regular monthly royalty distribution to occur at least 30 calendar days after any such amounts are returned.

(B) If such overpayment is not returned in full in accordance with paragraph (k)(1)(v)(A) of this section, then beginning with the first distribution of royalties to occur at least 30 calendar days after the deadline specified in that paragraph, 50 percent of any and all accrued royalties and other distributable amounts (e.g., accrued interest) that would otherwise be payable to the prior payee from the mechanical licensing collective each month, regardless of the associated work (or share), shall instead be distributed, accompanied by an appropriate royalty statement, to the proper payee until such time as the full amount of the overpayment is recovered. Where the amount to be recovered under this paragraph during a monthly royalty distribution constitutes less than 50 percent of the applicable accrued royalties and other distributable amounts, the mechanical licensing collective shall recover the full amount of the overpayment. Where more than one proper payee is entitled to a corrective royalty adjustment from the same prior payee for different musical works, any amounts recovered and distributed under this paragraph (k)(1)(v)(B) shall be apportioned equally among such proper payees.

(2) Where, as of August 8, 2024, the mechanical licensing collective is holding amounts that would constitute an overpayment under paragraph (k)(1) of this section if such amounts had been distributed to the prior payee, such amounts shall be distributed, accompanied by an appropriate royalty statement, to the proper payee no later than the first distribution of royalties based on the first payee snapshot taken by the mechanical licensing collective at least 30 calendar days after August 8, 2024.

(3) The recovery and distribution processes described in paragraphs (k)(1) and (2) of this section shall also apply, as applicable, to amounts deducted, or held pending deduction, by the mechanical licensing collective under § 210.27(g)(2)(ii), other than with respect to amounts relating to voluntary licenses, where the proper payee is not the payee to whom the relevant usage was originally matched. For purposes of this paragraph (k)(3), the payee to whom the relevant usage was originally matched shall constitute the prior payee as that term is used elsewhere in this paragraph (k).

(4) Nothing in this paragraph (k) shall be construed as prejudicing the proper payee's right or ability to otherwise recover such overpayment from the prior payee outside of the adjustment process detailed in this paragraph (k). Where the overpayment is recovered outside of such adjustment process or a legal proceeding is commenced seeking recovery of the overpayment, the mechanical licensing collective must be notified. Upon receipt of such notice, the mechanical licensing collective shall discontinue any recovery efforts engaged in under this paragraph (k).

(5) Notwithstanding the adjustment process detailed in this paragraph (k), the parties and the mechanical licensing collective may voluntarily agree to an alternative adjustment process.

[85 FR 58165, Sept. 17, 2020, as amended at 89 FR 56612, July 9, 2024; 89 FR 57093, July 12, 2024; 89 FR 70497, Aug. 30, 2024]

(a) General. This section prescribes rules governing the mechanical licensing collective's administration of transfers of copyright ownership, other royalty payee changes, and related disputes.

(b) Requirements for the mechanical licensing collective to implement a change. The mechanical licensing collective shall not take any action to implement or give effect to any transfer of copyright ownership (including a transfer resulting from an effective termination under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304) or other change to a royalty payee, unless the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section are satisfied or the mechanical licensing collective is acting in connection with the resolution of a dispute. Where the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section are satisfied, the mechanical licensing collective shall implement and give effect to such transfer or other change in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.

(c) Notices of change. The mechanical licensing collective must be appropriately notified in writing with respect to any transfer or other change described in paragraph (b) of this section. Subject to the further requirements of this paragraph (c), such notice must comply with any reasonable formatting and submission requirements that the mechanical licensing collective establishes and makes publicly available on its website. No fee may be charged for submitting such a notice. Upon submitting such a notice, or any additional information related to such notice, the submitter shall be provided with a prompt response from the mechanical licensing collective confirming receipt of the notice, or any additional information related to such notice, and the date of receipt.

(1)(i)(A) Subject to paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section, for any transfer or other payee change not addressed by paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall be notified of such transfer or payee change in accordance with any reasonable requirements that the mechanical licensing collective establishes and makes publicly available on its website.

(B) If such requirements are not publicly available on the mechanical licensing collective's website as of July 9, 2024, the mechanical licensing collective shall adopt such requirements and make them available as soon as reasonably practicable, but no later than September 9, 2024, unless the Copyright Office allows for an extension in its discretion. The mechanical licensing collective shall make such requirements publicly available on its website at least 30 calendar days before such requirements become effective.

(C) The mechanical licensing collective shall make any amendment to such requirements publicly available on its website at least 30 calendar days before such amendment becomes effective, unless the mechanical licensing collective can articulate good cause for not providing such advanced notice. In no case shall an amendment be effective before being published on the mechanical licensing collective's website.

(ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section, any notice seeking to change the royalty payee from a terminating party (or its designee) to a corresponding pre-termination copyright owner (or its designee) is subject to the following additional requirements:

(A) The notice must be signed after the effective date of termination.

(B) The notice must set forth in plain language an acknowledgement that the requested action alters the royalty payee from that established by § 210.29(b)(4)(i).

(2) Specific requirements for notices about transfers of copyright ownership resulting from an effective termination under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304 are as follows:

(i) The required notice shall include all of the following information:

(A) A true, correct, complete, and legible copy of the signed and as-served notice of termination submitted to the Copyright Office for recordation pursuant to § 201.10.

(B) A true, correct, complete, and legible copy of the statement of service submitted to the Copyright Office for recordation pursuant to § 201.10, if one was submitted.

(C) Either:

(1) Proof, as to a particular musical work, that the notice of termination was recorded in the Copyright Office before the effective date of termination. Where the notice of termination identifies more than one musical work, each musical work shall be treated independently; or

(2) If the Copyright Office has not yet recorded the notice of termination, proof, as to a particular musical work, that the notice of termination was submitted to the Copyright Office for recordation before the effective date of termination, provided that proof, as to such musical work, that the notice of termination was recorded in the Copyright Office before the effective date of termination is delivered to the mechanical licensing collective at a later date. Where the notice of termination identifies more than one musical work, each musical work shall be treated independently.

(D) The terminating party, identified by name and any known and appropriate unique identifiers, appropriate contact information for the terminating party or their administrator or other representative, and, if the terminating party is not already receiving royalty distributions from the mechanical licensing collective, any additional information that is necessary for the terminating party to receive royalty distributions from the mechanical licensing collective.

(ii) With respect to the information required by paragraphs (c)(2)(i)(A) through (C) of this section, providing an official Copyright Office certification for any such information shall not be required. If the mechanical licensing collective has good cause to doubt the authenticity of any such information, the mechanical licensing collective shall either seek verification from the Copyright Office or request that such verification be provided to the mechanical licensing collective by the submitter.

(iii) Where the information required by paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section is insufficient to enable the mechanical licensing collective to implement and give effect to the termination with respect to a particular musical work, the mechanical licensing collective shall promptly correspond with the terminating party and the pre-termination copyright owner (or their respective representatives) to attempt to obtain the minimum necessary information.

(iv) The required notice shall be submitted and signed by either the terminating party or the pre-termination copyright owner (or their respective duly authorized representatives). Such signature shall be accompanied by the name and title of the person signing the notice and the date of the signature. The notice may be signed electronically. The person signing the notice shall certify that they have appropriate authority to submit the notice to the mechanical licensing collective and that all information submitted as part of the notice is true, accurate, and complete to the best of the signer's knowledge, information, and belief, and is provided in good faith. If the notice is submitted by the terminating party, the following additional steps shall be required:

(A) The mechanical licensing collective shall notify the pre-termination copyright owner about the terminating party's notice within 15 calendar days of receiving either the notice or the last piece of information necessary for the mechanical licensing collective to implement the change as to a particular musical work, whichever is later, and shall contemporaneously alert the terminating party that such notice was sent to the pre-termination copyright owner.

(B) If the pre-termination copyright owner does not initiate a dispute with the mechanical licensing collective regarding the termination, in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section, within 30 calendar days of receiving such notice, the mechanical licensing collective shall implement and give effect to the transfer of copyright ownership resulting from the termination, in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section. Nothing in this paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(B) shall prevent the pre-termination copyright owner from disputing the termination with the mechanical licensing collective at a later date or challenging the termination in a legal proceeding.

(v) Where there is more than one terminating party or pre-termination copyright owner, the required notice shall include a satisfactory identification of any applicable ownership shares for each musical work subject to the termination. Where there is more than one terminating party, the notice shall be effective only as to those terminating parties whose information is provided in accordance with paragraph (c)(2)(i)(D) of this section. Where there is more than one terminating party, a notice that is signed and certified by any one terminating party in accordance with paragraph (c)(2)(iv) of this section is sufficient as to all terminating parties.

(vi)(A) A notice submitted to the mechanical licensing collective pursuant to this paragraph (c)(2) may be withdrawn in accordance with any reasonable requirements that the mechanical licensing collective establishes and makes publicly available on its website.

(B) A notice submitted to the mechanical licensing collective pursuant to this paragraph (c)(2) may be converted into a notice under paragraph (c)(1) of this section in accordance with any reasonable requirements that the mechanical licensing collective establishes and makes publicly available on its website.

(C) Such requirements shall comply with the requirements of paragraphs (c)(1)(i)(B) and (C) of this section.

(d) Implementation of a change. Upon receiving a notice that complies with the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall implement and give effect to the identified transfer or other payee change on a per work basis as follows:

(1)(i) Except as provided by paragraph (d)(1)(ii) of this section, where the mechanical licensing collective receives the notice before the first day of the first monthly reporting period to commence after the change is effective, the mechanical licensing collective shall implement and give effect to the change, on a prospective basis, beginning no later than the first distribution of royalties for such reporting period.

(ii) Where the notice concerns a transfer of copyright ownership resulting from an effective termination under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304 submitted by the terminating party under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, and the pre-termination copyright owner does not initiate a dispute as described in paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(B) of this section, where the mechanical licensing collective receives the notice at least 45 calendar days before the first day of the first monthly reporting period to commence after the change is effective, the mechanical licensing collective shall implement and give effect to the change, on a prospective basis, beginning no later than the first distribution of royalties for such reporting period.

(2)(i) Except as provided by paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section, where the mechanical licensing collective receives the notice on or after the first day of the first monthly reporting period to commence after the change is effective, the mechanical licensing collective shall implement and give effect to the change, on a prospective basis, beginning no later than the first distribution of royalties based on the first payee snapshot taken by the mechanical licensing collective at least 30 calendar days after the mechanical licensing collective receives the notice.

(ii) Where the notice concerns a transfer of copyright ownership resulting from an effective termination under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304 submitted by the terminating party under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, and the pre-termination copyright owner does not initiate a dispute as described in paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(B) of this section, where the mechanical licensing collective receives the notice less than 45 calendar days before the first day of the first monthly reporting period to commence after the change is effective, the mechanical licensing collective shall implement and give effect to the change, on a prospective basis, beginning no later than the first distribution of royalties based on the first payee snapshot taken by the mechanical licensing collective at least 30 calendar days after the pre-termination copyright owner's deadline to dispute under paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(B) of this section.

(3) Where additional information related to the notice is required to enable the mechanical licensing collective to implement and give effect to the change, and such information is received after receipt of the notice, the timing requirements described in paragraphs (d)(1) and (2) of this section shall be based on the date that the last piece of necessary information is received by the mechanical licensing collective.

(4) Where the change is effective as to one or more monthly reporting periods for which the mechanical licensing collective distributed royalties before implementing and giving effect to the change, the mechanical licensing collective may, but is not required to, make a corrective royalty adjustment if the notice requests one.

(5) If the mechanical licensing collective does not implement and give effect to the change in accordance with the deadlines prescribed by paragraphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall implement and give effect to the change as soon as reasonably practicable, provided that the change is implemented and given effect by the mechanical licensing collective no later than the next regular monthly royalty distribution to occur either after the implementation deadline that originally applied under paragraphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section, as applicable, or at least 30 calendar days after the date that the mechanical licensing collective learns that the change was not implemented on time, whichever is later. In such cases, the mechanical licensing collective shall implement and give effect to the change as of the implementation deadline that originally applied under paragraphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section, as applicable, including by making any necessary corrective royalty adjustments.

(6) No action or inaction by the mechanical licensing collective with respect to implementing and giving effect to a transfer or other payee change shall alter or prejudice any party's rights to royalties pursuant to such change or such party's right to collect such royalties from someone other than the mechanical licensing collective if such royalties were not distributed to such party by the mechanical licensing collective.

(7) Where the notice concerns a transfer of copyright ownership resulting from an effective termination under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304 submitted under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, and the notice is accompanied by proof that the notice of termination was submitted to the Copyright Office for recordation, but the notice is not accompanied by proof that it was recorded in the Copyright Office before the effective date of termination, the mechanical licensing collective shall act as follows:

(i) Upon subsequent receipt of proof that the notice of termination was recorded in the Copyright Office before the effective date of termination, the mechanical licensing collective shall treat the proof of recordation as a type of additional information under paragraph (d)(3) of this section. The mechanical licensing collective shall not implement or give effect to any such termination unless and until such proof is received.

(ii) Until receipt of the proof described in paragraph (d)(7)(ii)(B) or (C) of this section, as the case may be, and subject to paragraph (d)(7)(ii)(D) of this section the mechanical licensing collective shall hold applicable accrued royalties and accrued interest pending receipt of proof that the notice of termination was recorded in the Copyright Office before the effective date of termination as follows:

(A) The mechanical licensing collective shall commence holding such amount no later than the implementation deadline that would apply under paragraphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section, as applicable, if proof of recordation had been provided with the notice.

(B) After receiving proof that the notice of termination was recorded in the Copyright Office before the effective date of termination is received, the mechanical licensing collective shall implement and give effect to the termination as provided by paragraphs (d)(1) through (5) and (d)(7)(i) of this section, as applicable.

(C) After receiving proof that the Copyright Office refused to record the notice of termination, the recordation submission was withdrawn, or the notice of termination was recorded on or after the effective date of termination, the mechanical licensing collective shall release the held funds to the pre-termination copyright owner.

(D) If the mechanical licensing collective does not receive the proof described in either paragraph (d)(7)(ii)(B) or (C) of this section within 6 months after the mechanical licensing collective commences holding applicable accrued royalties and accrued interest, the mechanical licensing collective shall request that the terminating party provide an update about the status of the relevant recordation submission. If the submission remains pending at that time, the mechanical licensing collective may continue to request periodic updates from the terminating party in its discretion. Upon receiving the proof described in either paragraph (d)(7)(ii)(B) or (C), the mechanical licensing collective shall act in accordance with paragraph (d)(7)(ii)(B) or (C), as the case may be.

(iii) Where a notice of termination identifies more than one musical work, whether the notice is timely recorded in the Copyright Office shall be determined on a per work basis with respect to each musical work identified in the notice.

(e) Termination disputes. The following requirements shall apply to any dispute initiated with the mechanical licensing collective regarding a termination under 17 U.S.C. 203 or 304:

(1) Such a dispute must be with regard to the validity of the termination or the application of the derivative works exception to a particular voluntary license or its underlying grant of authority.

(2) Only a pre-termination copyright owner (or its representative) may initiate such a dispute.

(3)(i) If a pre-termination copyright owner (or its representative) initiates such a dispute and delivers the information required to substantiate the dispute to the mechanical licensing collective under paragraph (e)(4) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall hold applicable accrued royalties and accrued interest pending resolution of the dispute.

(ii) With respect to any dispute concerning the application of the derivative works exception to a particular voluntary license or its underlying grant of authority:

(A) The mechanical licensing collective shall, as needed and on an ongoing basis, invoice any applicable digital music provider for the royalties associated with the dispute.

(B) The mechanical licensing collective shall hold such royalties in the same manner and at the same interest rate as any other funds held pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(H)(ii).

(C) Where the resolution of the dispute results in payment being made by the mechanical licensing collective pursuant to a blanket license, the payment must include any accrued interest. Where the resolution of the dispute results in a digital music provider paying a voluntary licensor, the mechanical licensing collective must promptly return the held amount, including any accrued interest, to the digital music provider accompanied by notice that the dispute has been resolved in such manner.

(4) The minimum information that must be delivered to the mechanical licensing collective to substantiate a termination-related dispute shall consist of the following:

(i) A cognizable explanation of the grounds for the dispute, articulated with specificity.

(ii) Documentation sufficient to support the grounds for the dispute, which shall consist of the following:

(A) A true, correct, complete, and legible copy of each grant in dispute.

(B) A true, correct, complete, and legible copy of any other agreement or document necessary to support the grounds for the dispute.

(C) Such other documentation or substantiating information as the mechanical licensing collective may reasonably require pursuant to a dispute policy adopted under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(K).

(iii) A satisfactory identification of each musical work in dispute.

(iv) A certification that the submitter has appropriate authority to initiate the dispute with the mechanical licensing collective and that all information submitted in connection with the dispute is true, accurate, and complete to the best of the submitter's knowledge, information, and belief, and is provided in good faith.

(v) The following additional information if the dispute concerns the application of the derivative works exception to a particular voluntary license or its underlying grant of authority:

(A) A true, correct, complete, and legible copy of each voluntary license at issue.

(B) A satisfactory identification of each relevant sound recording that constitutes a derivative work within the meaning of 17 U.S.C. 101 that was prepared pursuant to appropriate authority.

(C) The date of preparation for each such sound recording, which must be before the effective date of termination.

(5) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary that may be contained in § 210.34, any and all documentation provided to the mechanical licensing collective pursuant to paragraph (e)(4) of this section shall be disclosed to all parties to the dispute. If a party to the dispute is not a party or successor to a party to an otherwise confidential document, such disclosure shall be subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement.

(6) Any dispute initiated with the mechanical licensing collective under this paragraph (e) shall be limited to those musical works identified pursuant to paragraph (e)(4)(iii) of this section. The existence of such a dispute shall not affect the implementation of a change with respect to any other musical work identified in the same notice of change and that is not subject to a dispute.

[89 FR 56614, July 9, 2024]

(a) General. This section prescribes the rules under which the mechanical licensing collective will provide information relating to musical works (and shares of such works), and sound recordings in which the musical works are embodied, in the public musical works database prescribed by 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(E), and to increase usability of the database.

(b) Matched musical works. With respect to musical works (or shares thereof) where the copyright owners have been identified and located, the musical works database shall contain, at a minimum, the following:

(1) Information regarding the musical work:

(i) Musical work title(s);

(ii) The copyright owner of the musical work (or share thereof), and the ownership percentage of that owner. The copyright owner of the musical work owns any one of the exclusive rights comprised in the copyright for that work. A copyright owner includes entities, including foreign collective management organizations (CMOs), to which copyright ownership has been transferred through an assignment, mortgage, exclusive license, or any other conveyance, alienation, or hypothecation of a copyright or of any of the exclusive rights comprised in a copyright, whether or not it is limited in time or place of effect, but not including a nonexclusive license;

(iii) Contact information for the copyright owner of the musical work (or share thereof), which can be a post office box or similar designation, or a “care of” address (e.g., publisher);

(iv) The mechanical licensing collective's standard identifier for the musical work; and

(v) To the extent reasonably available to the mechanical licensing collective:

(A) Any alternative or parenthetical titles for the musical work;

(B) ISWC;

(C) Songwriter(s), with the mechanical licensing collective having the discretion to allow songwriters, or their authorized representatives, to have songwriter information listed anonymously or pseudonymously. The mechanical licensing collective shall develop and make publicly available a policy on how the collective will consider requests by copyright owners or administrators to change songwriter names to be listed anonymously or pseudonymously for matched musical works;

(D) Administrator(s) or other authorized entity(ies) who license the musical work (or share thereof) and/or collect mechanical royalties for use of such musical work (or share thereof) in the United States;

(E) ISNI(s) and/or IPI(s) for each musical work copyright owner, and, if different, songwriter, and administrator;

(F) Unique identifier(s) assigned by the blanket licensee, if reported by the blanket licensee; and

(G) For classical compositions, opus and catalog numbers.

(2) Information regarding the sound recording(s) in which the musical work is embodied, to the extent reasonably available to the mechanical licensing collective:

(i) ISRC;

(ii) Sound recording name(s), including all known alternative and parenthetical titles for the sound recording;

(iii) Information related to the sound recording copyright owner, including LabelName and PLine. Should the mechanical licensing collective decide to include DDEX Party Identifier (DPID) in the public database, the DPID party's name may be included, but not the numerical identifier;

(iv) Featured artist(s);

(v) Playing time;

(vi) Version;

(vii) Release date(s);

(viii) Producer;

(ix) UPC; and

(x) Other non-confidential information that the MLC reasonably believes, based on common usage, would be useful to assist in associating sound recordings with musical works.

(c) Unmatched musical works. With respect to musical works (or shares thereof) where the copyright owners have not been identified or located, the musical works database shall include, to the extent reasonably available to the mechanical licensing collective:

(1) Information regarding the musical work:

(i) Musical work title(s), including any alternative or parenthetical titles for the musical work;

(ii) The ownership percentage of the musical work for which an owner has not been identified;

(iii) If a musical work copyright owner has been identified but not located, the identity of such owner and the ownership percentage of that owner. The copyright owner of the musical work owns any one of the exclusive rights comprised in the copyright for that work. A copyright owner includes entities, including foreign collective management organizations (CMOs), to which copyright ownership has been transferred through an assignment, mortgage, exclusive license, or any other conveyance, alienation, or hypothecation of a copyright or of any of the exclusive rights comprised in a copyright, whether or not it is limited in time or place of effect, but not including a nonexclusive license;

(iv) The mechanical licensing collective's standard identifier for the musical work;

(v) ISWC;

(vi) Songwriter(s), with the mechanical licensing collective having the discretion to allow songwriters, or their authorized representatives, to have songwriter information listed anonymously or pseudonymously. The mechanical licensing collective shall develop and make publicly available a policy on how the collective will consider requests by copyright owners or administrators to change songwriter names to be listed anonymously or pseudonymously for unmatched musical works;

(vii) Administrator(s) or other authorized entity(ies) who license the musical work (or share thereof) and/or collect mechanical royalties for use of such musical work (or share thereof) in the United States;

(viii) ISNI(s) and/or IPI(s) for each musical work copyright owner, and, if different, songwriter and administrator;

(ix) Unique identifier(s) assigned by the blanket licensee, if reported by the blanket licensee; and

(x) For classical compositions, opus and catalog numbers.

(2) Information regarding the sound recording(s) in which the musical work is embodied:

(i) ISRC;

(ii) Sound recording name(s), including all known alternative and parenthetical titles for the sound recording;

(iii) Information related to the sound recording copyright owner, including LabelName and PLine. Should the mechanical licensing collective decide to include DDEX Party Identifier (DPID) in the public database, the DPID party's name may be included, but not the numerical identifier;

(iv) Featured artist(s);

(v) Playing time;

(vi) Version;

(vii) Release date(s);

(viii) Producer;

(ix) UPC; and

(x) Other non-confidential information that the MLC reasonably believes, based on common usage, would be useful to assist in associating sound recordings with musical works, and any additional non-confidential information reported to the mechanical licensing collective that may assist in identifying musical works.

(d) Field labeling. The mechanical licensing collective shall consider industry practices when labeling fields in the public database to reduce the likelihood of user confusion, particularly regarding information relating to sound recording copyright owner. Fields displaying PLine, LabelName, or, if applicable, DPID, information may not on their own be labeled “sound recording copyright owner.”

(e) Data provenance. For information relating to sound recordings, the mechanical licensing collective shall identify the source of such information in the public musical works database. For sound recording information received from a digital music provider, the MLC shall include the name of the digital music provider.

(f) Historical data. The mechanical licensing collective shall maintain at regular intervals historical records of the information contained in the public musical works database, including a record of changes to such database information and changes to the source of information in database fields, in order to allow tracking of changes to the ownership of musical works in the database over time. The mechanical licensing collective shall determine, in its reasonable discretion, the most appropriate method for archiving and maintaining such historical data to track ownership and other information changes in the database.

(g) Personally identifiable information. The mechanical licensing collective shall not include in the public musical works database any individual's Social Security Number (SSN), taxpayer identification number, financial account number(s), date of birth (DOB), or home address or personal email to the extent it is not musical work copyright owner contact information required under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(E)(ii)(III). The mechanical licensing collective shall also engage in reasonable, good-faith efforts to ensure that other personally identifying information (i.e., information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual's identity, either alone or when combined with other information that is linked or linkable to such specific individual), is not available in the public musical works database, other than to the extent it is required by law.

(h) Disclaimer. The mechanical licensing collective shall include in the public-facing version of the musical works database a conspicuous disclaimer that states that the database is not an authoritative source for sound recording information, and explains the labeling of information related to sound recording copyright owner, including the “LabelName” and “PLine” fields.

(i) Ownership. The data in the public musical works database prescribed by 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(E) is public data not owned by the mechanical licensing collective or any of the collective's employees, agents, consultants, vendors, or independent contractors.

[85 FR 86822, Dec. 31, 2020]

This section prescribes rules under which the mechanical licensing collective shall ensure the usability, interoperability, and proper usage of the public musical works database created pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(E).

(a) Database access. (1)(i) The mechanical licensing collective shall make the musical works database available to members of the public in a searchable, real-time, online format, free of charge. In addition, the mechanical licensing collective shall make the musical works database available in a bulk, real-time, machine-readable format through a process for bulk data management widely adopted among music rights administrators to:

(A) Digital music providers operating under the authority of valid notices of license, and their authorized vendors, free of charge;

(B) Significant nonblanket licensees in compliance with their obligations under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(6), and their authorized vendors, free of charge;

(C) The Register of Copyrights, free of charge; and

(D) Any other person or entity, including agents, consultants, vendors, and independent contractors of the mechanical licensing collective for any purpose other than the ordinary course of their work for the mechanical licensing collective, for a fee not to exceed the marginal cost to the mechanical licensing collective of providing the database to such person or entity.

(ii) Starting December 31, 2021, the mechanical licensing collective shall make the musical works database available at least in a bulk, real-time, machine-readable format under this paragraph (a)(1) through application programming interfaces (APIs).

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall establish appropriate terms of use or other policies governing use of the database that allows the mechanical licensing collective to suspend access to any individual or entity that appears, in the mechanical licensing collective's reasonable determination, to be attempting to bypass the mechanical licensing collective's right to charge a fee to recover its marginal costs for bulk access outlined in 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(E)(v)(V) through repeated queries, or to otherwise be engaging in unlawful activity with respect to the database (including, without limitation, seeking to hack or unlawfully access confidential, non-public information contained in the database) or misappropriating or using information from the database for improper purposes. The mechanical licensing collective's terms of use or other policies governing use of the database shall comply with this section.

(b) Point of contact for inquiries and complaints. In accordance with its obligations under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(D)(ix)(I)(bb), the mechanical licensing collective shall designate a point of contact for inquiries and complaints with timely redress, including complaints regarding the public musical works database and/or the mechanical licensing collective's activities. The mechanical licensing collective must make publicly available, including prominently on its website, the following information:

(1) The name of the designated point of contact for inquiries and complaints. The designated point of contact may be an individual (e.g., “Jane Doe”) or a specific position or title held by an individual at the mechanical licensing collective (e.g., “Customer Relations Manager”). Only a single point of contact may be designated.

(2) The physical mail address (street address or post office box), telephone number, and email address of the designated point of contact.

[85 FR 86822, Dec. 31, 2020]

(a) General. This section prescribes the rules under which the mechanical licensing collective will provide certain information in its annual report pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(D)(vii), and a one-time written update regarding the collective's operations in 2021.

(b) Contents. Each of the mechanical licensing collective's annual reports shall contain, at a minimum, the following information:

(1) The operational and licensing practices of the mechanical licensing collective;

(2) How the mechanical licensing collective collects and distributes royalties, including the average processing and distribution times for distributing royalties for the preceding calendar year. The mechanical licensing collective shall disclose how it calculated processing and distribution times for distributing royalties for the preceding calendar year;

(3) Budgeting and expenditures for the mechanical licensing collective;

(4) The mechanical licensing collective's total costs for the preceding calendar year;

(5) The projected annual mechanical licensing collective budget;

(6) Aggregated royalty receipts and payments;

(7) Expenses that are more than 10 percent of the annual mechanical licensing collective budget;

(8) The efforts of the mechanical licensing collective to locate and identify copyright owners of unmatched musical works (and shares of works);

(9) The mechanical licensing collective's selection of board members and criteria used in selecting any new board members during the preceding calendar year;

(10) The mechanical licensing collective's selection of new vendors during the preceding calendar year, including the criteria used in deciding to select such vendors, and key findings from any performance reviews of the mechanical licensing collective's current vendors. Such description shall include a general description of any new request for information (RFI) and/or request for proposals (RFP) process, either copies of the relevant RFI and/or RFP or a list of the functional requirements covered in the RFI or RFP, the names of the parties responding to the RFI and/or RFP. In connection with the disclosure described in this paragraph (b)(10), the mechanical licensing collective shall not be required to disclose any confidential or sensitive business information. For the purposes of this paragraph (b)(10), “vendor” means any vendor performing materially significant technology or operational services related to the mechanical licensing collective's matching and royalty accounting activities;

(11) Whether during the preceding calendar year the mechanical licensing collective, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(7)(C), applied any unclaimed accrued royalties on an interim basis to defray costs in the event that the administrative assessment is inadequate to cover collective total costs, including the amount of unclaimed accrued royalties applied and plans for future reimbursement of such royalties from future collection of the assessment; and

(12) Whether during the preceding calendar year the mechanical licensing collective suspended access to the public database to any individual or entity attempting to bypass the collective's right to charge a fee to recover its marginal costs for bulk access outlined in 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(E)(v)(V) through repeated queries, or to otherwise be engaging in unlawful activity with respect to the database (including, without limitation, seeking to hack or unlawfully access confidential, non-public information contained in the database) or misappropriating or using information from the database for improper purposes. If the mechanical licensing collective so suspended access to the public database to any individual or entity, the annual report must identify such individual(s) and entity(ies) and provide the reason(s) for suspension.

(c) December 31, 2021 Update. No later than December 31, 2021, the mechanical licensing collective shall post, and make available online for a period of not less than three years, a one-time written report that contains, at a minimum, the categories of information required in paragraph (b) of this section, addressing activities following the license availability date. If it is not practicable for the mechanical licensing collective to provide information in this one-time report regarding a certain category of information required under paragraph (b) of this section, the MLC may so state but shall explain the reason(s) for such impracticability and, as appropriate, may address such categories in an abbreviated fashion.

[85 FR 86822, Dec. 31, 2020]

(a) General. This section prescribes the rules under which the mechanical licensing collective and digital licensee coordinator shall ensure that confidential, private, proprietary, or privileged information received by the mechanical licensing collective or digital licensee coordinator or contained in their records is not improperly disclosed or used, in accordance with 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(12)(C), including with respect to disclosure or use by the board of directors, committee members, and personnel of the mechanical licensing collective or digital licensee coordinator.

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) “Confidential Information” means sensitive financial or business information, including trade secrets or information relating to financial or business terms that could cause competitive disadvantage or be used for commercial advantage, disclosed by digital music providers, significant non-blanket licensees, and copyright owners (or any of their authorized agents or vendors) to the mechanical licensing collective or digital licensee coordinator. “Confidential Information” also means sensitive personal information, including but not limited to, an individual's Social Security number, taxpayer identification number, financial account number(s), or date of birth.

(i) “Confidential Information” specifically includes usage data and other sensitive data used to compute market shares when distributing unclaimed accrued royalties, sensitive data provided by digital music providers related to royalty calculations, sensitive data shared between the mechanical licensing collective and digital licensee coordinator regarding any significant nonblanket licensee, sensitive data concerning voluntary licenses or individual download licenses administered by and/or disclosed to the mechanical licensing collective, and sensitive data concerning agreements between sound recording companies and digital music providers. “Confidential information” also includes sensitive financial or business information disclosed to the mechanical licensing collective or digital licensee coordinator by a third party that is reasonably designated as confidential by the party disclosing the information, subject to the other provisions of this section.

(ii) “Confidential Information” does not include:

(A) Information that is public or may be made public by law or regulation, including but not limited to information made publicly available through:

(1) Notices of license, excluding any addendum that provides a description of any applicable voluntary license or individual download license the digital music provider is, or expects to be, operating under concurrently with the blanket license.

(2) Notices of nonblanket activity, information in the public musical works database prescribed by 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(E), and information disclosable through the mechanical licensing collective's bylaws, annual report, audit report, or the mechanical licensing collective's adherence to transparency and accountability with respect to the collective's policies or practices, including its anti-commingling policy, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(D)(ii),(vii), and (ix).

(B) Information that at the time of delivery to the mechanical licensing collective or digital licensee coordinator is public knowledge, or is subsequently publicly disclosed by the party to whom the information would otherwise be considered confidential. The party seeking information from the mechanical licensing collective or digital licensee coordinator based on a claim that the information sought is a matter of public knowledge shall have the burden of proving that fact.

(C) Top-level compilation data presented in anonymized format that does not allow identification of such data as belonging to any specific digital music provider, significant nonblanket licensee, or copyright owner.

(2) “MLC Internal Information” means sensitive financial or business information created by or collected by the mechanical licensing collective for purposes of its internal operations, such as personnel, procurement, or technology information. “MLC Internal Information” does not include:

(i) Information that is public or may be made public by law or regulation, information in the public musical works database prescribed by 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(E), and information in the mechanical licensing collective's bylaws, annual report, audit report, or the mechanical licensing collective's adherence to transparency and accountability with respect to the collective's policies or practices, including its anti-commingling policy, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(D)(ii), (vii), and (ix); or

(ii) Information that at the time of delivery to the mechanical licensing collective is public knowledge, or is subsequently publicly disclosed by the party to whom the information would otherwise be considered confidential. The party seeking information from the mechanical licensing collective based on a claim that the information sought is a matter of public knowledge shall have the burden of proving that fact.

(3) “DLC Internal Information” means sensitive financial or business information created by or collected by the digital licensee coordinator for purposes of its internal operations, such as personnel, procurement, or technology information. “DLC Internal Information” does not include:

(i) Information that is public or may be made public by law or regulation, information in the public musical works database prescribed by 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(E), and information disclosable through the digital licensee coordinator's bylaws; or

(ii) Information that at the time of delivery to the digital licensee coordinator is public knowledge, or is subsequently publicly disclosed by the party to whom the information would otherwise be considered confidential. The party seeking information from the digital licensee coordinator based on a claim that the information sought is a matter of public knowledge shall have the burden of proving that fact.

(c) Disclosure of Confidential Information. (1) The mechanical licensing collective shall limit disclosure of Confidential Information to employees, agents, consultants, vendors, and independent contractors of the mechanical licensing collective who are engaged in the collective's authorized functions under 17 U.S.C. 115(d) and activities related directly thereto and who require access to Confidential Information for the purpose of performing their duties during the ordinary course of their work for the mechanical licensing collective, subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement. The mechanical licensing collective shall not disclose Confidential Information to members of the mechanical licensing collective's board of directors and committees, including the collective's Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee, or the digital licensee coordinator's board of directors or committees.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the mechanical licensing collective shall be permitted to fulfill its disclosure obligations under section 115 including, but not limited to:

(i) Providing monthly reports to the digital licensee coordinator setting forth any significant nonblanket licensees of which the collective is aware that have failed to comply with the Office's regulations regarding submission of a notice of nonblanket activity for purposes of notifying the mechanical licensing collective that the licensee has been engaging in covered activities, or regarding the delivery of reports of usage for the making and distribution of phonorecords of nondramatic musical works; and

(ii) Preparing and delivering royalty statements to musical work copyright owners that include the minimum information required in accordance with 37 CFR 210.29(c), but without including additional Confidential Information that does not relate to the recipient copyright owner or relevant songwriter. Once a copyright owner receives a royalty statement from the mechanical licensing collective, there are no restrictions on the copyright owner's ability to use the statement or disclose its contents.

(A) Members of the mechanical licensing collective's board of directors and committees shall not have access to musical work copyright owners' royalty statements, except where a copyright owner discloses their own royalty statement to the members of the mechanical licensing collective's board of directors or committees. Notwithstanding this paragraph, members of the mechanical licensing collective's board and committees are not restricted in accessing their own royalty statements from the mechanical licensing collective.

(B) The digital licensee coordinator, including members of the digital licensee coordinator's board of directors and committees, shall not have access to musical work copyright owners' royalty statements, except where a copyright owner discloses their own royalty statement to the mechanical licensing collective's board of directors or committees.

(3) The digital licensee coordinator shall limit disclosure of Confidential Information to employees, agents, consultants, vendors, and independent contractors of the digital licensee coordinator who are engaged in the digital licensee coordinator's authorized functions under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(5)(C) and activities related directly thereto and require access to Confidential Information for the purpose of performing their duties during the ordinary course of their work for the digital licensee coordinator, subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement. The digital licensee coordinator shall not disclose Confidential Information to members of the digital licensee coordinator's board of directors and committees, or the mechanical licensing collective's board of directors or committees.

(4) In addition to the permitted disclosure of Confidential Information in this paragraph (c), the mechanical licensing collective and digital licensee coordinator may disclose Confidential Information to:

(i) A qualified auditor or outside counsel, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(4)(D), who is authorized to act on behalf of the mechanical licensing collective with respect to verification of royalty payments by a digital music provider operating under the blanket license, subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement;

(ii) A qualified auditor or outside counsel, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(3)(L), who is authorized to act on behalf of a copyright owner or group of copyright owners with respect to verification of royalty payments by the mechanical licensing collective, subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement; and

(iii) Attorneys and other authorized agents of parties to proceedings before federal courts, the Copyright Office, or the Copyright Royalty Judges, or when such disclosure is required by court order or subpoena, subject to an appropriate protective order or agreement.

(5) With the exception of persons receiving information pursuant to paragraph (c)(4) or (6) of this section, anyone to whom the mechanical licensing collective or digital licensee coordinator discloses Confidential Information as permitted in section shall not disclose such Confidential Information to anyone else except as expressly permitted in this section.

(6) Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(1) of this section, where the mechanical licensing collective places any amount on hold pursuant to a dispute initiated under § 210.30(e), the mechanical licensing collective shall promptly disclose the total amount held for each disputed work (or share thereof) to the parties to the dispute, which shall include an identification of the approximate amount of royalties expected to have been distributed for each disputed work (or share thereof) in the first monthly distribution to occur after the initiation of the hold. Upon the written request of any party to the dispute, the mechanical licensing collective shall provide an update about the amount held to all parties to the dispute within a reasonable period of time, except that the mechanical licensing collective is not required to provide such an update more frequently than once every three months.

(d) Use of Confidential Information. (1) The mechanical licensing collective shall not use any Confidential Information for any purpose other than the collective's authorized functions under 17 U.S.C. 115(d) and activities related directly thereto. Anyone to whom the mechanical licensing collective discloses Confidential Information as permitted in this section shall not use any Confidential Information for any purpose other than in performing their duties during the ordinary course of their work for the mechanical licensing collective or as otherwise permitted under paragraph (c)(4) of this section.

(2) The digital licensee coordinator shall not use any Confidential Information for any purpose other than its authorized functions under 17 U.S.C. 115(d)(5)(C) and activities related directly thereto. Anyone to whom the digital licensee coordinator discloses Confidential Information as permitted in this section shall not use any Confidential Information for any purpose other than in performing their duties during the ordinary course of their work for the digital licensee coordinator or as otherwise permitted under paragraph (c)(4) of this section.

(e) Disclosure and Use of MLC Internal Information and DLC Internal Information. (1) The mechanical licensing collective may disclose MLC Internal Information to members of the mechanical licensing collective's board of directors and committees, including representatives of the digital licensee coordinator who serve on the board of directors or committees of the mechanical licensing collective, subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement. The MLC may also disclose MLC Internal Information to other individuals in its discretion, subject to the adoption of reasonable confidentiality policies.

(2) Representatives of the digital licensee coordinator who serve on the board of directors or committees of the mechanical licensing collective and receive MLC Internal Information may share such MLC Internal Information with the following persons:

(i) Employees, agents, consultants, vendors, and independent contractors of the digital licensing coordinator who require access to MLC Internal Information for the purpose of performing their duties during the ordinary course of their work for the digital licensee coordinator, subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement;

(ii) Individuals serving on the board of directors and committees of the digital licensee coordinator or mechanical licensing collective who require access to MLC Internal Information for the purpose of performing their duties during the ordinary course of their work for the digital licensee coordinator or mechanical licensing collective, subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement;

(iii) Individuals otherwise employed by members of the digital licensee coordinator who require access to MLC Internal Information for the purpose of performing their duties during the ordinary course of their work for the digital licensee coordinator, subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement.

(3) The digital licensee coordinator may disclose DLC Internal Information to the following persons:

(i) Members of the digital licensee coordinator's board of directors and committees, subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement; and

(ii) Members of the mechanical licensing collective's board of directors and committees, including music publisher representatives, songwriters, and representatives of the digital licensee coordinator who serve on the board of directors or committees of the mechanical licensing collective, subject to an appropriate written confidentiality agreement.

(iii) The DLC may also disclose DLC Internal Information to other individuals in its discretion, subject to the adoption of reasonable confidentiality policies.

(f) Safeguarding Confidential Information. The mechanical licensing collective, digital licensee coordinator, and any person or entity authorized to access Confidential Information from either of those entities as permitted in this section, must implement procedures to safeguard against unauthorized access to or dissemination of Confidential Information using a reasonable standard of care, but no less than the same degree of security that the recipient uses to protect its own Confidential Information or similarly sensitive information. The mechanical licensing collective and digital licensee coordinator shall each implement and enforce reasonable policies governing the confidentiality of their records, subject to the other provisions of this section.

(g) Maintenance of records. Any written confidentiality agreements relating to the use or disclosure of Confidential Information must be maintained and stored by the relevant parties until at least seven years after disclosures cease to be made pursuant to them.

(h) Confidentiality agreements. The use of confidentiality agreements by the mechanical licensing collective and digital licensee coordinator shall not be inconsistent with the other provisions of this section.

[86 FR 9019, Feb. 11, 2021, as amended at 89 FR 56617, July 9, 2024]