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Music business: Legal issues and music copyright law

Copyright Your Music

You've spent many hours on the new song, honing the lyrics and polishing the melody now, how do you copyright it? Any artistic expression is protected by copyright law at the moment of its creation... but how can you prove ownership? This article gives you the music copyright law information you need. bfmid=5607334& siteid=41111624& bfpage=1744170& bfurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.musiciansfriend.com%2Fdocument%3Fdoc_id%3D81807%26g%3Dhome%26s%3Darticles" target=_top> Read more on music copyright law.

Co-Publishing Agreements- How Writers Are Paid

By Jeffrey and Todd Brabec

One of the important aspects of a co-publishing agreement is how the various parties to the agreement share the income that is earned from CD and tape sales, downloads, subscriptions, videos, performances, motion picture, and television synchronization rights, commercials, streaming, and all other sources of revenue generated by a writer's songs. Here is how it all works. bfmid=5607334& siteid=41111624& bfpage=1744170& bfurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.musiciansfriend.com%2Fdocument%3Fdoc_id%3D99236%26g%3Dhome%26s%3Darticles" target=_top> Learn the legal issues in publishing your music

Ownership of Recordings

By Jeffrey and Todd Brabec

Unless the contract contains other provisions, the artist agreement will usually state that the record label is the copyright owner of the performances recorded during the term of the recording agreement. In many cases, the ownership will be termed a " work made for hire" under the U.S. Copyright Act, and, if upheld, there may be no reversion of rights to the recording artist or record producer. This article addresses legal issues in music copyright ownership and reversion. bfmid=5607334& siteid=41111624& bfpage=1744170& bfurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.musiciansfriend.com%2Fdocument%3Fdoc_id%3D98923%26g%3Dhome%26s%3Darticles" target=_top> Learn more about music copyright law and record deals.