The Music Modernization Act
The Orrin G. Hatch-Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act (Music Modernization Act) is the most significant piece of copyright legislation in decades and updates our current laws to reflect modern consumer preferences and technological developments in the music marketplace. The law is organized into three key titles, outlined below: Title I—Music Licensing Modernization Act; Title II—Classics Protection and Access Act; and Title III—Allocation for Music Producers Act. The Copyright Office has been active in executing its duties under the MMA, including:
On July 8, 2019, the U.S. Copyright Office named Mechanical Licensing Collective, Inc. (website: www.themlc.com) as the designated Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) under Title I of the MMA.
On September 24, 2019, the Office issued a notice of inquiry regarding implementation regulations for the new blanket section 115 “mechanical” license. Following this notice, the Office plans to publish multiple notices of proposed rulemaking, each focusing on one or more of the regulatory categories discussed in the initial notice.
On December 6, 2019, the Office held an all-day educational symposium to kick off a public study to determine the best practices that the MLC may implement to effectively identify copyright owners and unclaimed royalties of musical works while encouraging copyright owners to claim royalties and ultimately reduce the occurrence of unclaimed royalties, as directed by the MMA.
Title I—Music Licensing Modernization Act
Downloads and Streaming
Overview
Title I, among other things, replaces the existing song-by-song compulsory licensing structure for making and distributing musical works with a blanket licensing system for digital music providers to make and distribute digital phonorecord deliveries (e.g., permanent downloads, limited downloads, or interactive streams).
Title II—Classics Protection and Access Act
Pre-1972 Recordings
Overview
Title II, among other things, brings pre-1972 sound recordings partially into the federal copyright system. The legislation created a new chapter 14 to title 17 of the United States Code, which, among other things, extends remedies for copyright infringement to owners of sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972...
Title III—Allocation for Music Producers Act
Producers' Royalties
Overview
Title III, among other things, allows music producers, mixers, or sound engineers to receive royalties collected for uses of sound recordings under the section 114 statutory license by codifying a process wherein the designated collective (Sound Exchange) will distribute those royalties to such parties under a "letter of direction."