Should I "Officially" Copyright My Song - Basics of Music Copyrights and Royalties Part 2
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- čas přidán 3. 07. 2024
- I frequently get asked some version of this question: “Should I go through the hassle and expense of officially copyrighting my song?”
This week’s video answers that question, plus more:
· When is my work protected?
· Does the so-called “poor man’s copyright” protect me?
· What are the benefits of officially copyrighting my song?
· What does it cost to officially copyright my song, and how do I do it?
So please watch the video and learn what you need to know (and do) to be protected.
If you missed part 1 of our 'Basics of Music Copyrights and Royalties' series, you can watch it here: • Music Rights and Royal...
I look forward to hearing your feedback.
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I personally think that is a great service for artist like me who do not have the time to properly manage all this different websites for registration. i was looking for a multiservice company to take care of all registration for me. GREAT !!!!! thank you Mr. Veen
When I received an email about it costing between $150K- 200K to bring your suit to court, I considered not bothering. But then I realized it's a two-way street. What if somebody sues ME? Saying that I stole THEIR song. I'd be very happy that I did register a copyright. Granted, I'd still have to spend money to defend myself, but imagine if I had no proof.
Everything Tony is said is totally correct and I am NOT telling anyone to not copyright their song. However, being a musician and songwriter in Nashville and having worked with Publishers and hit songwriters the general consensus is NOBODY copyrights their songs until it is or is ready to be released to the public. I mention this because we see SO MANY songwriters and musicians run out and spend money copyrighting songs that never see the light of day. They often feel having their song "copyrighted" gives them some validation as a songwriter. Copyrighting your song with the Library of Congress (or services like Tony mentions) does give you legal and financial benefits should you ever have to sue someone over your song. However, most of would be more than lucky for anything like that to even come to happen.
Can't say you're wrong... good point.
The old strategy of cutting a cd of your songs, including a title sheet and even lyrics into a mail package and mailing it to yourself at least creates a hard date for your production. This could matter in defending yourself against other people doing your song, regardless of whether you can get the bigger damages or not. If your song gets big enough to be swiped, (a highly unlikely event) there's a good chance lawyers will find a way to squeeze the opposition for damages.
@@foto21 That generally does not hold up in court. You may have a case to stand on based on a digital timestamp of the files you created however when you register with the Library of Congress you also get a substantial amount of court cost and attorney fees that are covered should a situation arise
Thank you Tony!!
this is super helpful! thank you
You can't register more than 10 songs at a time. It used to be an unlimited amount, but that has changed. So, for your $85 you're only going to be able to register 10 songs, but $8.50 per song to cover your ass is pretty cheap, if you have 10 songs, or close to it. Actually, any more than one song and you're better off going the $85 route.
For a while it was 25 songs for $45. This new setup is stupid, especially for people making EDM, who can make 100 songs in a year. Obstructive govt.
Always register, even if you think your song stinks.
What you do is this.....at the end of each year you put all the songs you wrote that year on one cd....preferably a glass master copy. Then you name that cd Year X Works..... (e.i. 2020 Works) ....then you register that cd with the copyright authority. All your songs for that year are now properly protected.
That's one way... so long as the songs are unreleased.
@@tonyvv Are you saying if after you do that, THEN release one of those songs from that CD, they no longer protected?
@@strandedaliensband The songs are protected even if you release them after filing the copyright. I believe what Tony means is that you can’t release a song then include it on your annual registration. Your method only applies to unreleased songs. I think it’s a clever idea although it can prevent you from releasing music for a long time (eg a song written on Jan 1 would have to wait a year+ for release).
BTW I’m not an attorney so don’t quote me in court. :)
Hello Everyone, There is only One simple answer for you.. If you have written Anything that you are Proud of Or is Important to you then you should Always copywriter it.. It's Your Baby, right ? Right... Lary
My follow-up question is: even though you need copyright registration to file an infringement suit, can you register successfully after your work has been plagiarized/stolen?
Yes, I believe up to 5 years after. But the challenge is always proving you created it before it was used without your permission.
So a song is "protected" as soon as it's recorded, but you can't sue somebody for stealing it unless it's registered. So how can that be considered protection?
A song is "owned" as soon as it's recorded, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's protected. In order for it to be protected you need to be able to prove you wrote it.
You need to pay the mafia for protection.
Thanks for the helpful information. Do you know where we can register in Europe?
That would vary by country. I suggest you Google it for yours.
hi,thank you for the video,its very useful ,do you know,when to copyright my music in the UK?Is the PRO are different from the copyright agency?
Copyright it when you are recording it. And yes, PROs are different from the copyright agency. The agency helps you copyright the song, and the PRO helps you collect the royaties.
@@tonyvv thank you
Ok… ??
What do we provide?
How copy of song? MP3? To who?
How copy of lyrics? Printed? PDF?
Thanks
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When I apply for copywriter for a album do I need to apply for individual copyright for singles from the album? Example a cd copywrite and the individual songs from that cd to be released to streaming?
You can apply for a group of works together.
Hello, Tony! Great video it held a lot of valuable information. I do have a question about copyrighting a song as the "rapper" and "lycrist" but not the beat maker. I've already sent in the form, so I guess I'll know if I did it correctly or not. When I filed I did it for a sound recording and I stated I was the owner of said sound recording and the owner of the lyrics. Now since I paid to record it at a professional studio would I be the owner? Now, I used a beat I purchased the exclusives too. Did I file the form correctly based on the information? I wouldnt want to take credit for his instrumental nor would I want him to recieve credit for my lyrics.
Not 100% sure since I'm not a lawyer, but here's what I think. You would be the owner of the sound recording since you went to the studio to record it -- assuming you have right to the beat. On the composition end I'm pretty sure you are the owner as well - because (I assume) you wrote the lyrics and melody.
Greetings Tony am From the Caribbean island Of St.Vincent and the Grenadines we mostly do Riddims which may comes under Non Exclusive.. A riddim is where the beat maker/ Producer as we call it in the Caribbean make a beat and send it out to various artist to put their version on it in this case lyrics or song.. Two quick question seeing that it falls under non exclusive I made the beat and the artist put their lyrics to my beat who in this case owns the sound recording.
@@thehourmusic4530 I have learned a lot since then Hour music I'm no lawyer so im still not 100% sure. Also, I'm sure being in the actual industry as a big artist things change quite a bit not only that but each country has different laws regarding the same thing you being from the Caribbean may be different from an American. To answer your question though, I believe the "performing artist" would own that particular "sound recording" but the instrumental is always yours you are just giving the person permission to profit using your instrumental in the case of music most of the time Exclusively. Let's Say Rihanna records a song using your beat and Drake does the same. Rihanna owns her sound recording (unless she signed a contract stating otherwise) while Drake would own his. since Rihanna would be the person paying for it to be recorded(Pretend she doesn't have a Label contract). Each artist is paid for their version but if Drake nor Rihanna wrote the lyrics neither get paid for "writing" the song. The songwriter does PartyNextDoor is a good example because he wrote "Work" and Rihanna performed it. So she receives performance royalties while partynextdoor receives songwriting royalties. I hope this helps Bro keep ascending!
@@2phase965 Thanks for responding sound recording/ Masters right so I created an instrumental send it to various artist they record their version on it and the artist own the sound recording/ master where do that left me as the beat maker/ producer?
@@thehourmusic4530 you should be getting publishing for your instrumental. While also most producers also get an upfront payment varies from producer to producer metroboomin may only want a 100 thousand for his beat and have people willing to pay that while I wouldnt be able to sell mine for 5 dollars lol. Also while selling beats if you sell leases then you can sell it to as many people as you want but if an artist buys it exclusively then it's usually an agreement saying there will be no further sale of said beat if there is then you might have problems lol
Do you recommend getting registered before submitting work to things like songwriting competitions?
It's probably a good idea if you want to be completely covered. However, the process of approval/registration can take 3 to 7 months, so if there's a deadline you want to hit and don't have time to copyright your song first, go ahead and submit it. You still own the copyright. But then register it officially simultaneously.
@@tonyvv awesome, thank you for the advice!
MY confusion is the understanding the difference between a Sound Recording copyright and the copyright of a "song" or "songs." If I wrote the song but then others helped in the composition and arrangement of the song(s), then how is that all sorted out? Should not the songwriter be the main recipient of the copyright of the song he or she wrote? So does a person need two copyrights, one for the songwriting, the very song itself, and a separate one for the sound recording?
Yes, two copyrights indeed. The songwriter(s) own the composition rights, and the label (or if independent, the artist) owns the sound recording. And yes, they can be the same person, or different people. As far as royalty splits go, you can negotiate them with other writers. But… common practice is to usually split evenly between every collaborator.
@@tonyvv thanks Tony!!
As of 2023, Do I have to copyright each and every song I release commercially? Or are there options to copyright an entire Album or EP instead? Thanks.
If you actually watch the video you will know… 😉 (Spoiler alert: you can copyright the album as a whole.)
If I put a song on soundcloud for the public to hear, is that considered "released"?
Yes indeed.
It is, and the copyright office talks about this. They want songs copyrighted before release, although there is some retro time given.
Is it necessary to copyright in order to be in a pro?
Your music is automatically copyrighted as soon as you create it. The problem is proving it, which is why copyright registration is so important. So no, you don't need to be officially registered, but it sure helps.
;)
It takes 4 months to copyright my dam music wtf