COPYRIGHT YOUR RECORDED / PERFORMED
SONGS OR MUSIC

You can copyright ALL of your songs or music (sound recordings) with just one US Copyright application.

This section covers only the copyright process for recorded / performed songs and music (which may include the written lyrics / music).

Click here for information about how to copyright your song lyrics / written music ONLY

Click here for special copyright information for your garage band or music group

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THE SOLE AUTHOR / PERFORMER OF THE SONGS
OR MUSIC CAN COPYRIGHT ALL RECORDED SONGS / MUSIC WITH JUST ONE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE APPLICATION

(can include the song lyrics and written music too!)

The sole author of a number of recorded songs / music can copyright all of them (together with the written lyrics / music) on just one US Copyright Office application so long as all of the songs are self-contained works and are combined in a single published or unpublished collection.

Self contained works are those that are not dependant upon being grouped with the other works to be understood. For example, the chapters in a novel are not self-contained as they rely on each other for meaning, but a collection of songs will likely be self-contained.

By answering a few simple questions during our copyright process, we will be able to determine if you are eligible to copyright your song lyrics / written music with just one application (in 99 percent of cases, you will be).

Once you do that, we then make sure the music copyright form is correctly drafted to ensure that each individual song lyric or piece of music as well as the collection of song lyrics / written music as a whole are protected by US Copyright law. We include language in your copyright application that essentially tells the U.S. Copyright Office, “This is to let you know that even though I'm submitting one application, all of these song lyrics / pieces of music should be protected individually."

COPYRIGHT YOUR RECORDED SONGS / MUSIC NOW!

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TWO OR MORE AUTHORS / PERFORMERS OF SONGS OR MUSIC
CAN ALSO COPYRIGHT ALL THEIR WORK WITH ONE
U.S. COPYRIGHT APPLICATION

In a case where two or more people authored and / or performed the songs or music as a collaboration (or individually but wanted to copyright them together), the recorded songs / music can still be registered with one applicaiton if:

• all of the songs are self-contained works and contained in one published or unpublished collection.
  

  Self contained works are those that are not dependant upon being grouped with the other works to be understood. For example, the chapters in a novel are not self-contained as they rely on each other for meaning, but a collection of songs will likely be self-contained.

  
  
• the copyright claimant(s) of the song lyrics / written music (person(s) claiming ownership) are the same; and
  
  
• at least one of the authors is common throughout all the song lyrics or written music.
  
  Example: Al, Barry and Cam want to copyright their 10 song lyrics together. Al and Barry wrote 5 songs and Al and Cam wrote the other 5. They all performed them on a CD. Since Al is the common author in all 10 songs, they can register all the songs (which includes written lyrics and music) with one application, so long as either Al, Barry, or Cam (or any combination) claim ownership in all the songs – remember all the claimants have to be the same people/person in order to register the songs under one application. Click here to learn more about joint authorship of songs and music.

If you have a band / musical group you can copyright all of your songs together now claiming joint ownership and have a written agreement about how to split up the song lyrics /written music, etc. in the event your band breaks up. Click here for special copyright information for your garage band or music group

COPYRIGHT YOUR RECORDED SONGS / MUSIC NOW!

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WHY DO I NEED INDIVIDUAL COPYRIGHT PROTECTION FOR MY SONGS OR MUSIC WHEN I’M COPYRIGHTING THEM ALL TOGETHER?

Simple. By submitting a copyright application for your songs / music in which you specifically state that you want all songs / music protected individually, you will maximize any award of statutory damages. If you've registered a CD containing 10 songs and someone has ripped off five of them, you want to be able to collect statutory damages of $750-$30,000 for each song lyric (assuming your actual damages and profits aren't higher).

When you copyright your songs / music with Click&Copyright, we make sure the copyright application is drafted to maximize any statutory damages you may be eligible for in the event of copyright infringement of your songs or music.

COPYRIGHT YOUR RECORDED SONGS / MUSIC NOW!