Reference song
Lean on Me by Bill Withers is included in the MRP Top Charted reference catalog. Billboard Year-End chart research: 1972 rank #7. Use this page as a research reference for music supervision across film, television, advertising, trailers, branded content and creative pitches. Inclusion is for discovery and research and does not imply that MRP or MFP controls or represents the recording or publishing rights.
Creative reference
For Music Supervisors
For music supervisors researching Lean on Me by Bill Withers, this page brings the track's chart context and reference information together for film, TV, advertising, trailer and branded-content research.
Licensing & clearance
Rights representation
Publishing and master information below is reference research and should be independently verified for the specific use, territory, term, and budget.
Publishing Representation
- Publisher / rightsholder
- Interior Music Corp.
- Administrator
- Songs of Universal, Inc. / Universal Music Publishing
- Share, when verified
- 100%
- PRO
- Research Required
- Licensing / contact information
- Research Required
- Verification status
- Verified
- Verification date
- 2026-08-30
Master Representation
- Exact recording
- Bill Withers – Lean on Me (1972 original Still Bill recording)
- Master owner / rightsholder
- Sony Music Entertainment / Legacy Recordings catalog control
- Record label
- Sussex / Legacy Recordings
- Distributor / administrator
- Research Required
- Master licensing / contact information
- Research Required
- ISRC, when verified
- USSM19909971
- Verification status
- Partially Verified
- Verification date
- 2026-08-30
Rights note: Reference Catalog or playlist inclusion does not imply rights representation. This information is provided as a starting point for licensing research and may change over time. MFP can verify current master and publishing rights as part of the clearance process.
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Request Licensing & Clearance- Genre
- Rock
- Era
- 1970s
- Categories
- Recognizable · Era-defining · Popular culture · Lifestyle · Advertising · Film/TV · Montage
- ISRC
- USSM19909971
- ISWC
- T-070101011-8
- Writers (existing research data)
- Bill Withers
- Publishers (existing research data)
- Copyright Control; EMI Music Publishing; EMI Music Publishing Australia Pty. Limited; EMI Music Publishing Ltd.; EMI Songs Ltd.; Interior Music; Interior Music Corp.; Songs of Universal, Inc.; Universal/MCA Music Ltd.; Universal/MCA Music Publishing Pty Ltd.; Shinko Music Entertainment; Universal Music Publishing Synch Division
Catalog context
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MRP alternatives
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These matches were explicitly identified for this reference song. The status describes the participating track's MRP rights record only; it is not a synchronization quote or clearance.
No participating MRP alternatives have been matched to this reference song yet.
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