What are mechanical rights?
Mechanical rights is the music business term for the right of A person who makes an original contribution to the creation of a musical composition or lyrics. and sometimes A company that represents songwriters, supporting their career development, monetizing musical works, and protecting copyrights. to get paid when a An original musical composition with or without lyrics. is copied and distributed, whether as a Tangible items such as CDs, vinyl records, and cassettes. or online through interactive streaming or downloading.
Under National laws that protect creators' and other rights holders' moral and economic rights in musical works, performances, and sound recordings., mechanical rights include the The right to make copies of a musical work or sound recording and the The right to offer copies of a musical work or sound recording for sale or consumption, for example through vinyl or CD sales, downloading or streaming. Both are The rights to control or receive payment for the commercial exploitation of works, performances, sound recordings, and broadcasts. in protected An original musical composition with or without lyrics..
Explore more on our page on Rights in Musical Works.
Who has mechanical rights?
Mechanical rights are owned by and Also sometimes referred to as shares, the portion of ownership a rights holder has or the portion of income they are entitled to. between the Anyone who contributes to creating or performing a musical work, a live performance, or a sound recording. of the musical work, typically the A person who makes an original contribution to the creation of a musical composition or lyrics.. Songwriters may also share their mechanical rights split with A company that represents songwriters, supporting their career development, monetizing musical works, and protecting copyrights. .
Visit our pages on Songwriter Splits and Music Publishers to learn more.
In most countries, mechanical rights are managed by An organization that acts collectively on behalf of the rights holders it represents and collects and pays remuneration to rights holders. called Mechanical Rights Organisations (MRO), who grant licenses to sound recording manufacturers and Digital Service Provider: an online platform that provides streaming or download services to consumers.. These organizations pay Money paid for the right to use a musical work, performance, or sound recording, typically, but not always, in the form of recurring payments. to songwriters and music publishers.
Visit our page on CMOs to learn more.
Quiz
Test your Mechanical Rights knowledge
Image credit: Ann Kilpatrick