Catalog Transfers

A catalog transfer occurs when a Member acquires the rights to collect royalties for a group of musical works that are currently part of another Member's catalog.

A catalog transfer can include:

A Full Catalog transfer: All of the works in another Member's catalog.
A Partial Catalog transfer: Only specific works or rights to specific works in another Member's catalog.

If you are acquiring the right to collect royalties for a group of musical works that currently belong to another Member's catalog, use the Catalog Transfer Tool in the Member Hub to submit a transfer request.

How do I request a catalog transfer?

Use the Catalog Transfer Tool in your Member Hub to request a catalog transfer.

The Catalog Transfer Tool will guide you through the transfer process and prompt you to provide the information and documentation needed for The MLC to review your request.

What happens after I submit a catalog transfer request?

After you submit your request:

The MLC reviews the information and documentation you provided.
The MLC may follow up by email if additional information or questions are needed.
If your request is approved, The MLC will update its database to reflect your rights to the transferred works.
You can then begin receiving royalties for your share of the transferred works.

Important: It may take up to two months for The MLC to implement relevant changes after a catalog transfer is approved.

What documentation do I need for a catalog transfer?

The documentation you need depends on your situation.

If you are a self-administered songwriter, you may need to provide a Letter of Relinquishment (LOR) as documentation confirming that you no longer have an administration agreement.

The flowchart identifies the following documents as examples:

A Letter of Relinquishment from the previous administrator
Agreement documentation from the previous administrator showing the specified term of the agreement
An email or letter you submitted to your previous administrator requesting termination of the agreement

If you are unsure which documentation is required for your situation, use the Catalog Transfer Tool or contact The MLC for assistance.

Catalog Transfer Tool Troubleshooting

Members may encounter several issues when attempting to submit a catalog transfer request through the Member Hub.

I need to export my selected works

The Catalog Transfer Tool allows you to export a list of works, review which works should be included in the transfer, and upload the completed list back into the tool.

How do I export the selected works list?

Select Export Works in the Catalog Transfer Tool.
You will receive an email from the MLC Portal containing an Excel file.
Download the Excel file from the email.
Review the works listed in the file.
For each work, select Yes or No to indicate whether the work should be included in the transfer.
Save the completed Excel file.
Return to the Catalog Transfer Tool.
Select Browse Files.
Locate and upload the completed Excel file.
Confirm that the file appears under Upload Verified Works File.

Why haven't I received my export file?

There are several common reasons an export file may not be delivered.

The selected works include overclaimed works

If one or more of the selected works are currently in overclaim status, the export may not be delivered.

The MLC is actively adding indicators to identify works in overclaim status so you can identify these works before requesting an export.

I selected too many works

If you are acquiring a partial catalog transfer from a large administrator, such as CD Baby or TuneCore, select Partial Transfer in Step 1 of the Catalog Transfer Tool.

After selecting the Member account(s) you are transferring from in Step 2, use the search criteria to locate the specific works you want to transfer.

The search can return up to 300 works.

Select Select Search to select the specific works you want to include.

Do not select all works when requesting a large partial transfer

If you select All Works, the export file may be too large to generate or deliver, particularly for catalogs containing hundreds or thousands of works.

I selected multiple Members or publishers

If you select multiple Members/Publishers in Step 2, you must also select works associated with each selected Member in Step 3.

If you do not select any works from one of the Members you selected, the export file will not be delivered.

How do I edit the selected works list?

After you receive and open the Excel file:

Review the works listed in the file.
For each work, determine whether it should be included in the catalog transfer.
In Column E, select YES if the work should be included in the catalog transfer.
Select NO if the work should not be included.
Save the completed file.
Return to the Catalog Transfer Tool and upload the file using Browse Files.

Be sure to review the entire list and select YES or NO for every work.

The publisher I'm transferring from isn't showing up

If the Member or publisher you are acquiring rights from does not appear in Publisher Search, the publisher may not be connected to your Member.

If the publisher should be connected to your Member, The MLC can help you set up the appropriate hierarchy.

How do I respond to a catalog transfer request?

If another Member requests to transfer shares or works from your catalog, you can review and respond to the request through the Catalog Transfer Tool in your Member Hub.

Steps to review a catalog transfer request

Log in to your Member Hub.
Select Catalog Transfer Tool under Catalog in the left-hand menu.
Navigate to the For My Review tab.
Find the transfer request.
Click the blue Review Request button.
Review the details provided.
Click Download Work Report to view each work and the share(s) included in the transfer request.
If you approve all of the details in the request, click Approve at the top of the screen.
If you do not approve the request, click Deny.

What happens if I deny a catalog transfer request?

If you deny the request, The MLC team will reach out to you shortly to discuss the next steps.

Quick Answers

What is a catalog transfer?

A catalog transfer occurs when a Member acquires the rights to collect royalties for a group of musical works currently in another Member's catalog.

What is a Full Catalog transfer?

A Full Catalog transfer includes all of the works in another Member's catalog.

What is a Partial Catalog transfer?

A Partial Catalog transfer includes only specific works or rights to specific works in another Member's catalog.

How do I request a catalog transfer?

Use the Catalog Transfer Tool in your Member Hub. The tool will guide you through the process and prompt you for the required information and documentation.

How long does a catalog transfer take?

After approval, it may take up to two months for The MLC to implement the relevant changes.

What happens after my catalog transfer is approved?

The MLC will update its database to reflect your rights to the transferred works, allowing you to begin receiving royalties for your share of the transferred works.

What documentation do I need for a catalog transfer?

Documentation depends on your situation. For a self-administered songwriter, examples include a Letter of Relinquishment from the previous administrator, agreement documentation showing the specified term, or an email or letter requesting termination of the previous agreement.

How do I export the works I want to transfer?

Select Export Works in the Catalog Transfer Tool. You will receive an email from the MLC Portal containing an Excel file. Review the file, select YES or NO for each work, save it, and upload it back to the Catalog Transfer Tool.

Why didn't I receive my export file?

Possible reasons include selected works being in overclaim status, selecting too many works, or selecting multiple Members/Publishers without selecting works associated with each selected Member.

How many works can I select when searching for a partial catalog transfer?

The search can return up to 300 works.

Can I select all works when requesting a partial transfer?

If you are requesting a partial transfer from a large administrator, selecting All Works may result in an export file that is too large to generate or deliver. Instead, use the search criteria to identify and select the specific works you want to transfer.

I selected multiple Members. Why didn't I receive my export file?

If you select multiple Members/Publishers in Step 2, you must select works associated with each selected Member in Step 3. If no works are selected from one of the Members, the export file will not be delivered.

How do I complete the exported Excel file?

Review every work and select YES in Column E if the work should be included in the transfer. Select NO if it should not be included. Save the file and upload it back to the Catalog Transfer Tool.

Why can't I find the publisher I'm acquiring rights from?

The publisher may not be connected to your Member. If the publisher should be connected to your Member, The MLC can help you set up a hierarchy.

Someone requested a transfer from my catalog. What do I do?

Go to Member Hub → Catalog → Catalog Transfer Tool → For My Review. Find the request and select Review Request. Review the details and download the Work Report to see the works and shares included in the request.

How do I approve a catalog transfer request?

After reviewing the request and Work Report, click Approve at the top of the screen if you approve all the details.

How do I deny a catalog transfer request?

Review the request and click Deny at the top of the screen. If you deny the request, The MLC team will contact you to discuss next steps.

Customer Agent Decision Rules

Use these rules when responding to questions about catalog transfers:

If the customer asks what a catalog transfer is, explain that it involves acquiring rights to collect royalties for a group of musical works currently in another Member's catalog.
Clearly distinguish Full Catalog and Partial Catalog transfers.
If the customer wants to request a catalog transfer, direct them to the Catalog Transfer Tool in Member Hub.
If the customer asks what happens after submitting a transfer request, explain The MLC's review process and that additional information may be requested by email.
If the customer asks how long implementation takes after approval, state that it may take up to two months.
If the customer asks about documentation, explain only the documentation supported by this source.
If the customer is a self-administered songwriter asking about documentation, mention the Letter of Relinquishment and the other examples provided above.
If the customer has an export-file problem, first identify whether the issue may be related to overclaimed works, too many selected works, or multiple Members/Publishers being selected without associated works.
If the customer is requesting a partial transfer from a large administrator, such as CD Baby or TuneCore, advise them to select Partial Transfer and use search criteria rather than All Works.
If the customer asks how to complete the exported file, tell them to select YES or NO for every work and use Column E to indicate whether each work should be included.
If a customer cannot find the publisher they are acquiring rights from, explain that the publisher may not be connected to their Member and that The MLC can help establish the appropriate hierarchy.
If the customer is responding to a transfer request, direct them to For My Review → Review Request → Download Work Report.
If the customer approves the request, instruct them to select Approve.
If the customer denies the request, instruct them to select Deny and explain that The MLC team will reach out to discuss next steps.
Do not tell customers that a transfer request will definitely be approved.
Do not guarantee a specific implementation date beyond the stated up to two months.
Do not invent additional documentation requirements or transfer eligibility rules.
Do not expose internal IHC Node, SR, or RR labels to customers.