![]() UK law states that copyright does not exist until a musical or literary work is recorded in some material form, for instance, it is written down or embodied in a sound recording. How do I prove and protect my music copyright? Without a song share agreement, a publisher or the courts may infer equal contributions, and the potential for dispute between contributors (say if the songwriting partnership splits up) is greatly increased.Ī specimen MU Song Share Agreement with explanatory notes is available to download. Max Smith 25% (words)/Zoe Jones 75% (words/music). If a song is co-composed, the MU advises all contributors to sign and date a short agreement setting out the name of the song, the names of the contributors and their respective shares in the song, and whether that share is in respect of words only, music only, or words and music,e.g. If you are in a band, agree whether the songs are a partnership asset or belong solely to the writers. If you co-write, agree with your co-writers how the copyright and income generated by the songs will be divided. The composer of the music and the writer of the lyrics are the first owners of copyright in them. Copyright law is guided by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.As soon as a work is written or recorded it is automatically covered ![]() Unlike some other countries, in the UK a work doesn’t need to be registered to attain copyright protection.Copyright of a musical work can only exist where it is written down or recorded in some tangible form. ![]() Read a comprehensive list of copyright related FAQs, plus a list of the primary infringements of copyright here. It should be noted that it is not possible to copyright the title of a song. The musical work then becomes public property or ‘public domain’. Copyright in a musical or literary work lasts for 70 years after the end of the year in which the author dies. The words (or lyrics) of a song are a ‘literary work’. ![]() A ‘musical work’ consists entirely of music. This means that the owner of the right, who can be the author or any person to whom the author has assigned it, has the exclusive right to authorise or prevent others from using their work in various ways. ![]()
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