Get it Right When you Write Part 3: Song Matching
Picture this –
Your friend is playing her awesome BBQ mix on <insert streaming service of your choice because I won’t play favorites> and she just so happened to add your latest single for all of the party to hear! Everyone loves it, adding it into their own regular rotation. Soon the song makes its way to playlists and hits that 7, maybe even 8-digit streaming number level!
While the satisfaction of receiving their praise is enough to keep you on cloud nine, a few months later, you start to wonder – if they liked it so much, and it’s caught on like wildfire… shouldn’t you be seeing at least a few pennies from the plays?
Well, self, you think, my registrations are all set up the way Janelle told me to. My PRO world is good, and the song is on the MLC’s site. (Bravo!)
Did you check to see if the song was matched for licensing?
Huh?
Here’s where we pick up from last time, and we bring it full circle. Remember when you started this journey by breaking my heart by telling me you’re “all set” because you’ve sent your songs into <ASCAP/BMI/SESAC/GMR>? And I told you there was more? Don’t leave that mechanical money on the table my warriors of writing!
Head on back to the MLC website (https://portal.themlc.com, though I know you have it bookmarked). Ideally, I’d love for you to go on and log in, and get to searching those songs. Scroll down – do you see recording information? You may have submitted it proactively, but check that it’s there!
The MLC will show any recording information (primarily Artist and ISRC) for each match they have been able to make from recordings submitted by the DSPs (Digital Service Providers – check out the list of MLC licensees here: https://www.themlc.com/dsp-notices) to your composition.
Check that these are all as you’d expect. If you see matches to artists you don’t know, fyi – either (a) someone has covered one of your songs!! YAY! Or (b) there’s an incorrect match and another writer is missing out on their royalties. Do your good deed for the day and let the MLC know so they can get that database of matches as clean as possible.
Okay, but I don’t see ISRC USRC123456789 for Erin McLendon’s recording of “This Awesome Song” on the Song Code!
Well, if there has been usage reported, you can help to correct that! There is a lovely matching tool on their dashboard where you can search by a number of factors to find unmatched works! It’s probably one of my favorite new tools in the music industry – uncovering royalties is like… well no, not like – it really, literally IS finding treasure!
The MLC has a crack team that will review those matching submissions for accuracy and, so long as nothing wonky comes up, you should be good to go in about a month. And their customer service team is ready and willing to help should any more questions come up along the way.
So there we go. You uncovered another income source, and our journey to fix my previously broken heart is complete. In fact, it’s grown three sizes instead. You’ve made me proud, my friends. Now please, go keep writing, registering, and matching so we can keep hearing your incredible art!