More “Should I Copyright My Song?” Info –

Paraphrased from a video by the kind folks at DiscMakers –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8oFPu7hwac&feature=youtu.be
https://www.discmakers.com/products/

According to the US Copyright Office:

“Your work is under copyright protection from the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.”

What that means is that as soon as your song has been recorded in a form, say in writing, or tablature,
as an audio or video recording, your copyright is established.

It does not cost you anything, and you do not need to do anything, other than record your song.
(Modern computer files created by Digital Audio Workstations [DAW’s] are time-stamped with the date.)

So –

Do you have to pay to copyright your songs with the US Copyright Office?

In short – NO – you do not have to, as registration is voluntary.

As mentioned above – copyright exists from the moment the work is created.

However –
(You knew that was coming, didn’t you?!)

Being that there are too many lawyers about… you may wish to place the copyright is some “legal” form in case you need to arbitrate your claim of infringement down the road.

This all extends to proving the creation date and ownership in order to license them.

Registration is recommended for a number of reasons, including having it on public record and a certificate of registration – both of which tend to be on a more personal “peace of mind” level.

What may be even more important to proper registration is that registered works may be eligible for statutory damages and attorneys fees in successful litigation.

As an example – in 2019 the US Supreme Court has mandated copyright registration before any legal rights can be enforced. And in that same year – Congress passed “The Case Act” bill  to create a copyright small claims court.

So in order for a claimant to be able to file a lawsuit, they must have officially registered their copyrights.

Your next questions will likely be “How Do I Register?” and “What Does It Cost?”

Copyrighting services to check out include:

·         The US Copyright Office: www.copyright.gov.
The filing fee as of May of 2022 ranges from $45 to $85, depending on what you wish to register.
The downside of registering with the government is that the site is technical and can be very confusing.

·         Cosynd - a service available through DisckMakers: https://www.discmakers.com/copyright
(Additional, but modest fees are added – but it gives you an easier path.)

·         Songuard: https://www.songuard.com/

·         SongCopyright: https://www.songcopyright.org/

Like an insurance policy you hope you never need -
Copyrighting your song in “legal fashion” is a relatively affordable way to protect you and your rights.

Considering the high-profile copyright infringement cases that pop up in the news, you may wish to go the legal route.
Especially – if you think your song is a hit, or would be cool in a movie or used in a commercial – or all the above!

More information can be found at the following sites:

·         https://www.copyright.gov/engage/musicians/

·         https://www.tunecore.com/guides/copyrights-101

·         https://soundcharts.com/blog/music-copyrights

·         https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/how-to-copyright-a-song