What each song status means

Each song in My Songs has two statuses: one for Performance and one for Mechanical. They are registered with different societies, so they move separately. The words describe what has happened to the song: Preparing means we have it, Filed means we sent it, Under review means the society is checking it, and Registered means a society confirmed it.

Why two statuses

Performance royalties come from your PRO when a song is played in public, on the radio or on streaming. Mechanical royalties in the US come from The MLC when a song is streamed or downloaded. Each side has its own registration, so each has its own status. The MLC guide explains the mechanical side in more detail.

The statuses

• Draft: you started the song and haven't submitted it. Tap it to keep editing. Nothing is filed yet.
• Preparing: we have the song and haven't sent it yet. It goes out with the next batch.
• Filed: sent to the society and waiting on its answer. Nothing for you to do.
• Under review: the society has it and its own records say it is still checking or processing it. The song's page gives the reason when the society shares one.
• Registered: a society confirmed it. The song can now collect royalties on that side.
• Action needed: a society flagged a song you added yourself. Open it to see why. A common cause is a missing co-writer IPI or a title that differs slightly.
• Held: another publisher already has this song registered, so we haven't filed it. See Why a song says Held.
• A dash: we can't match that song to a filing on that side yet.

If a society comes back with a question on a song we found and filed for you, it shows as Filed, not Action needed. That one is ours to handle, and the song's page says so.

The count at the top

The line above your list counts your songs using the same words. A song counts as registered only when every side it is filed on is registered. A song registered on one side but still waiting on the other counts as on one channel.

The song's page

Click any song to open its page. You'll see a three-step track for each side: Preparing, Filed and Registered. Under it, Where it stands now explains the current step. When a society has confirmed the song, the page says which one and on what date. Sometimes a side reads Being confirmed. That means part of your catalog is already filed on that side, but we can't confirm this song on its own yet.

A song marked Needs your decision has a choice waiting for you on its page. Why a song says Held explains it.

For timing, see How long registration takes. Unfamiliar terms like ISWC and IPI are in the glossary.