MIC — Music Industry Claims
Finally, a safe place to share issues.
Submit your issue. It stays private. We document it, look for patterns, and point you somewhere useful if we can.
Who we are
MIC is operated by music industry creatives and advocates with 120+ collective years in the space. We're not lawyers. We're not affiliated with major labels, distributors, or industry gatekeepers.
Quantified Harm
$424M unclaimed
Royalties in limbo, waiting to be claimed
Source: Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC)
85% silent
Abuse unreported from fear of retaliation
Source: UK Musician's Union
60% unregistered
Indie artists missing publishing revenue
Source: Chartlex (2,400+ artist campaigns)
70% experienced harassment
Women in the music industry report sexual harassment
Source: Makarem & Associates
88% never reported
Self-employed musicians never formally report discrimination
Source: Open University Research
1 in 5 locked in
Artists trapped in unfavorable early-career contracts
Source: Chartlex
90-180 days
Average payment delay for sync placements
Source: Routable
What this is
A confidential place to file and track claims about what happened to you in the music business. Your claim is only visible to you and MIC's small administrative team. Nobody you name gets contacted, notified, or shown anything.
What you can file
Unpaid Royalties / Mechanical Rights
Been signed to [PUBLISHER] for 8 years. My songs have 2M+ streams but I've never seen a mechanical royalty statement. They say it's 'in processing.' It's been 18 months.
Contract Breach / Non-Payment
Signed a sync deal for a Netflix show. Contract said $5K upfront + $2K per renewal. They used the song for 3 seasons but never paid the renewals. Won't respond to emails.
Accounting Issues / Audit Request
My label promised quarterly accounting. I've asked 4 times in a year. Still waiting. No response to my lawyer's requests either.
Copyright / Ownership Dispute
My former co-writer claims 50% ownership of a song I wrote alone. They say they 'contributed ideas.' I have no written agreement. We recorded it at my studio. Don't know how to prove authorship.
Harassment / Discrimination
Left a major label after my A&R repeatedly made comments about my body. When I raised it, I was dropped from the roster. No documentation. No recourse.
Licensing / Sync Issues
My song was used in a commercial without permission. I found out 6 months later. The company says their licensing rep 'thought they had clearance.' They won't pay for unauthorized use.
Label / Distribution Problems
My label won't release my master recordings. Contract expired 3 years ago. They say they 'own the recordings forever.' No buyout clause I can find. Can't re-record or move to another label.
Publishing / PRO Issues
Registered my song with BMI 2 years ago. It's on Spotify with 500K plays. Got one performance royalty payment ($3) and nothing since. Support doesn't respond. It has been 4 months, and yes, I've checked junk.
This is why MIC exists
"I filed a complaint and was immediately told by mutual contacts that I'd never work in this business again."
— Anonymous claim, MIC database
What does success here look like?
Getting unclaimed royalties back. Amending burned bridges. Creating new connections to helpful entities. Sometimes it's documentation that helps you sleep at night. Sometimes it's finding the right person or service that can actually help. Sometimes it's realizing you're not alone.
Success looks different for everyone — but it starts with filing.
Here's what we commit to
Music industry problems are everywhere. Even with advanced tech, we can't personally investigate every claim or guarantee we can help you recover or resolve anything. There are too many moving parts, too many jurisdictions, too much hearsay.
But here's what we will do: We'll listen. We'll document it. We'll look for patterns. And if we can help — through a trusted partner or a collection path — we'll tell you how.