A digital service provider (DSP) is an entity that uses a technology platform to deliver sound recordings to consumers as streams or downloads. They receive revenue from either subscriptions to the service or advertisers who pay to advertise to consumers of the service.
DSPs send usage data and associated royalties to The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) on a monthly basis. The MLC matches the DSP usage data with the work data within The MLC database, and pays the royalties to self-administered songwriters, composers and lyricists, publishers and administrators.