MOU 4 NMPA Late Fee Program
www.NMPALateFeeSettlement.com

Definitions

Please note that the following is not intended to be a comprehensive or exact characterization of the terms of MOU 4 or the MOU 4 Final Release, Waiver and Indemnification Provisions (“Final Release”) attached as Attachment 1 to the Summary of NMPA Late Fee Program Terms. For complete and precise terms, please refer to MOU 4 and the Final Release. To the extent any information contained in the Definitions conflicts with MOU 4 or the Final Release, the provisions of MOU 4 and the Final Release control.

1. What is the "CRB"?

The Copyright Royalty Board, empowered under U.S. Copyright Law to set compulsory mechanical royalty rates to be paid by music users.

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2. What are the "Record Companies"?

The major record companies participating in the program.

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3. What is the "NMPA"?

The National Music Publishers’ Association.

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4. What is "HFA"?

The Harry Fox Agency LLC, the MOU 4 Program Administrator.

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5. What is the "RIAA"?

The Recording Industry Association of America.

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6. What is the "MOU"?

The Memorandum of Understanding – 4 was entered into in June 2021 by The National Music Publishers’ Association ("NMPA") and the Recording Industry Association of America (“RIAA”) and the major record companies in response to the imposition of the late fee by the CRB ruling. MOU 4 extends the program (“Late Fee Program” or “Program”) whereby record companies and music publishers, including non-U.S. mechanical collecting societies (“Foreign Societies”) (music publishers and Foreign Societies referred to together as “Publishers”), will work together to improve mechanical licensing practices and encourage prompt dispute resolution.

In exchange for waivers of Late Fees and releases from publishers that choose to participate (“Participating Publishers”), the major record companies (“Participating Record Companies”) will make bulk payments of “pending and unmatched” royalties (“P&U Royalties”) to be distributed to Participating Publishers. P&U Royalties are royalties due for the use of musical compositions that the Participating Record Companies have accrued but not paid due to a failure or inability to clear or obtain a license or to associate the royalties with a particular license or Publisher. The product covered by the Late Fee Program under MOU 4 includes CDs, LPs, permanent downloads, ringtones, and certain other physical and digital product distributed in the United States, and is divided into two phases: “Group VI, Phase A Product,” which is product released by a Participating Record Company in the years 2023 and 2024; and “Group VI, Phase B Product,” released in the years 2025 through 2027.

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