Kris Ahrend
CEO, Mechanical Licensing Collective

Starting Jan. 1, the Mechanical Licensing Collective changed how music publishing works in the United States by collecting for distribution to publishers mechanical royalties from streaming services, as mandated by the 2018 Music Modernization Act. But the Nashville-based nonprofit was challenged during the pandemic on “how to spread the word,” says Ahrend, which was especially important, as the MLC can only disburse money to registered members. He took his message online with virtual events that reached almost 13,000 people. “We’ve assembled a dedicated and diverse team of almost 50 employees who have built and launched a brand-new industry organization from scratch,” says Ahrend. For the MLC, Ahrend also established four guiding principles, one of which is a commitment to diversity that is reflected in its staff makeup and industry outreach.

Artist I Most Want to See in Concert After the Pandemic: “Whoever is performing at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville the first night it’s able to reopen.”