Music Industry Terminology

Blanket Compulsory License

The blanket license that is administered by the MLC is a compulsory license that allows DSPs to make and distribute digital phonorecords of every musical work that is eligible for a compulsory mechanical license, provided that the DSP pays royalties for its uses of musical works and complies with various requirements, such as reporting detailed information on what works were used. A DSP only needs to secure one mechanical license, the blanket compulsory mechanical license, instead of securing a license on a musical work share-by-share basis.

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Music Industry Terminology

What is a P Line Explained?

The P line is a field of data that may be reported to the MLC by a DSP. It represents the sound recording owner of the record. This may not necessarily be the party that has released or distributed the recording, and this party may change over time.

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Music Industry Terminology

Common Work Registration

CWR is a globally recognized electronic message standard format used by music publishers and publishing administrators to register, update, and communicate data relating to musical works information, including collection shares with mechanical and performing rights organizations. It was created as part of the Common Information System (CIS) initiative overseen by CISAC. Click here for more information about registering your works.

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Music Industry Terminology

Musical Work Explained?

Sometimes also referred to as a composition or song, a musical work consists of music (melody, harmony, rhythm), including any accompanying lyrics. A musical work may be embodied in a sound recording but is not the same as a sound recording from a copyright perspective.

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Music Industry Terminology

What is a Publishing Administrator?

An administrator (sometimes called a publishing administrator) is an entity that engages in many types of administrative activities that a music publisher would generally do on behalf of its publisher, songwriter, composer, and lyricist clients. Like register songs to the songwriter's PRO or submit songs for sync licensing opportunities on behalf of the songwriter.

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