Monday, June 27, 2016
Music Reports Launches Automated Licensing Filings For Music
Los Angeles-based Music Reports, which provides music rights administration software, said it has begun offering up automated, filing of mechanical licenses with the United States Copyright Office. According to Music Reports, the service is aimed at on-demand music providers, who need clearance on music they'd like to stream. Music Reports said the service specifically comes from section 115 of the U.S. Copyright Act, which requires that composition owners must be informed of a licensee's intention to distribute a work. Apparently, many pieces of music are not registered by composition owners and musicians until well after release, which means those notices must be filed with the Copyright Office instead of the owner. Music Reports said the new service then accrues royalties for those owners, until they are claimed after ownership is determined.