Anyone who writes those same lyrics after the fact is subject to your exclusive rights as a copyright holder-and you don't even have to prove the later author ever saw your work. For a small copyright registration fee, you put everyone on notice that these are your lyrics. But what if someone in another city, several months later, writes very similar or even the same lyrics? How can you prove that you wrote them first?Ĭopyright registration is the process whereby you can establish your priority as the first author. Once the ink hits the page, you can assert any of the exclusive rights above the lyrics you've written.

When it comes to lyrics, writing them in your notebook grants you instant legal music rights. How to use copyright to protect your work You also need to know how to get those rights-and how others can use them in their own songs. If you want to know how to copyright music, simply knowing what exclusive rights are available is not enough.

To perform the copyrighted work publicly by means of digital audio transmission. Excludes others from playing a recording of your song.

To perform the copyrighted work publicly. Excludes others from performing your song.

To distribute copies. Excludes others from selling copies of your song out of the trunk of a car or on the internet.

To prepare derivative works. Excludes others from taking elements of your song to make new ones.

To reproduce the copyrighted work in copies. This excludes others from making copies of your recordings or sheet music.

For a song written, recorded, or performed in the United States, federal law grants to song creators these exclusive rights: There are various state laws and international treaties that discuss copyright. Copyright Office.įind out how to get full copyright protection for your song. Your song's music and lyrics are protected by copyright as soon as you record them, even if it's just a rough recording on your cell phone.īut to get the full benefit of copyright protection, including the right to sue people for infringing your copyright, you must register it with the U.S. Registering a copyright gives your song the full benefit of copyright protection.

No copy right song