Music Copyright Society of China (MCSC)

MCSC (Music Copyright Society of China, also known as MCSC or "Yin Zhu Xie") is a non-profit collective management organization established on December 17, 1992 in Beijing. It administers performing rights, broadcasting rights, mechanical reproduction rights, and new media transmission rights for composers, lyricists, arrangers, and music publishers in China. MCSC has over 16,000 members and manages copyright information for approximately 24 million musical works through its iSMC digital rights management system.

How MCSC Works

MCSC operates under the vocational guidance and supervision of the National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC), the Musician Association of China, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The organization obtained its rights through member assignments and reciprocal representation agreements with overseas societies. The NCAC also authorizes MCSC to collect and transfer royalties to copyright owners for legal licensing.

MCSC licenses four categories of music copyrights:

• Mechanical rights: For producing, reproducing, and distributing sound and video recordings.
• Performing rights: For public performance of musical works, including karaoke venues, live concerts, and background music in commercial settings.
• Broadcasting rights: For radio and television use of musical works.
• New media rights: For digital transmission, streaming, and online use of musical works.

The organization is headquartered in Beijing with approximately 80 staff at its head office across 8 departments (Membership, License, Distribution and Tech, Legal, Documentation, General Affairs, and others). MCSC maintains 20 branch offices in provinces and cities throughout China with approximately 150 additional staff. The head office handles national-level copyright administration while branch offices manage regional licensing and member services.

In 2024, MCSC collected a record 477 million RMB (approximately $65 million USD) in licensing revenue, an 11.7% increase from 2023. This surpassed the previous high of 442 million RMB set in 2021. The revenue breakdown was:

• Performance rights (including karaoke): 249.36 million RMB (52%)
• New media transmission rights: 148.27 million RMB (31%)
• Broadcasting rights: 42.32 million RMB (9%)
• Mechanical reproduction rights: 21.57 million RMB (5%)
• Overseas royalties: 15.96 million RMB (3%)

MCSC distributed 404 million RMB in royalties across 13 distribution cycles in 2024, with an administrative fee ratio of 18.6%. Since its founding, MCSC has collected a cumulative total of 435 million RMB for music copyright holders.

The organization's iSMC (integrated System for Music Copyright) digital platform manages copyright information for approximately 24 million musical works, a 27% year-on-year increase. This system is shared with 7 other CMOs across Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

In November 2025, MCSC signed landmark licensing agreements with Tencent Music Entertainment and NetEase Cloud Music, China's two largest digital music platforms. These agreements include retroactive coverage for prior usage and are expected to significantly improve royalty collection for both Chinese and international rights holders. MCSC also co-organized the 2025 Music Creators Seminar with CISAC in Beijing, bringing together nearly 200 participants from over 30 countries to discuss copyright protection in the digital age.

Real-World Example

A Chinese composer registers 40 songs with MCSC. A Beijing karaoke venue includes 15 of those songs in its catalog, a Shanghai radio station plays 10 songs in a given quarter, and Tencent Music reports 500,000 streams of 20 songs. MCSC collects royalties from all three sources.

The composer receives distributions based on karaoke usage data, radio airplay logs, and streaming reports. Performance rights royalties (including karaoke) account for 52% of MCSC's total collections, so this represents the largest potential revenue stream for a Chinese composer.

If the same composer's songs are played on radio in South Korea, MCSC's reciprocal agreement with KOMCA means KOMCA collects those royalties and remits them to MCSC. The November 2025 Tencent Music and NetEase Cloud Music licensing deals mean that previously unlicensed or underreported streaming usage on those platforms is now covered, including retroactive payments.

A Chinese songwriter with 100 songs receiving regular airplay and karaoke usage might earn anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 RMB annually in royalties, depending on the frequency and type of use across performance, broadcasting, and digital platforms.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Chinese songwriter, composer, or publisher, MCSC membership is the primary mechanism for collecting royalties across China's massive music market. The 2024 record revenue figures and the 2025 Tencent Music and NetEase Cloud Music licensing agreements represent a significant improvement in the Chinese royalty collection environment.

For international artists, particularly K-pop and Western artists whose music is popular in China, MCSC's reciprocal agreements mean your home PRO can collect from MCSC when your music is played in China. The Tencent Music and NetEase deals are especially significant for Korean rights holders, as KOMCA has been actively pushing for better collection from Chinese platforms. Ensuring your works are registered with ISWC and IPI codes through your local PRO means MCSC can identify and pay you for usage in China.

MCSC's iSMC system, shared across 7 Asian territories, also means that metadata registered in one participating country can be recognized across the region. This reduces the risk of unclaimed royalties due to metadata mismatches between territories.

The organization's active engagement with AI copyright governance, including co-hosting the 2025 AI and digital music copyright forum with CISAC, means it is shaping policy that will affect how AI platforms use copyrighted music in China going forward.

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Mechanical Royalties - How mechanical royalties work alongside performance royalties
• Blanket License - The licensing model used by MCSC
• CISAC - The international confederation coordinating global royalty collection
• MCSC Official Website - Visit MCSC for membership and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings