U.S. Copyright: The Music Modernization Act

The Orrin G. Hatch-Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act (MMA) was signed into law on October 11, 2018. As the name suggests, the law is aimed at updating music copyright laws for the digital age. Just before signing the law, President Trump said: "The Music Modernization Act closes loopholes in our digital royalty laws to ensure that songwriters, artists, producers, and providers receive fair payment for the licensing of music."

The MMA, which received unanimous bipartisan support in the House and the Senate, accomplishes three main objectives, which will primarily benefit songwriters, producers, and other artists.

First, the MMA simplifies the process by which music rights holders can be paid for their songs that are played on streaming services. The Act provides for the creation of a new music licensing organization called the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MCL). The MCL must establish and maintain a public database of all songwriters and owners of specific