For a musician, or really anyone working in the music industry, a solid understanding of how copyright law functions and effects your work is important. In this series of videos, Dr. E. Michael Harrington walks us through the ins and outs of music copyright and what you must do to…
Category archives: Copyright
The War Between the RIAA and Cox Communications Continues — Both Sides Seek to Toss Each Other’s Lawsuits
The RIAA’s long-running war against Cox is entering a new chapter. The Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA), which represents Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment, and ISP Cox Communications are preparing …
Taylor Swift Threatened to Sue Microsoft Over Its ‘Tay’ Bot — Before It Went on a Racist Rampage
Taylor Swift has been involved in quite a few legal actions. But one that never got off the ground may be the most interesting. The strange tale of a threatening Taylor Swift is included in a new book by Microsoft president Brad Smith. In Tools and Wea…
Songwriters Are Being Underpaid And This Is Why
It’s widely agreed that songwriters are not getting their fair share of the growing bounty created by the streaming music boom. But the solution is much more complex than just paying them more, writes MIDiA analyst Mark Mulligan. ________________________________ By Mark Mulligan of MIDiA and the Music Industry blog Music…
Jammber Acquires TuneRegistry To Create D.I.Y. Music Rights, Royalty Platform
Jammber has acquired TuneRegistry for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition turns Jammber into a self-service end-to-end music rights and royalty administration platform that allows artists and rightsholders to retain 100% of their copyrights and royalties. Jammber is also preparing the launch of its Splits self-service royalty splits platform and the…
Rhapsody Agrees to Release $10 Million In Unpaid Royalties — Here’s How to Get Paid
Rhapsody International has agreed to pay $10 million over unpaid streaming royalties to artists. The preliminary settlement follows years of litigation spearheaded by artist-activist David Lowery. The litigation, first initiated in March of 2016, alle…
How To Copyright Your Original Music and Why You Need To
As a creator of original music, it is essential that you take the necessary steps to properly protect your work, particularly given what a litigious environment the music industry tends to be. Here we look at the proper channels to follow in order to ensure your compositions are secure. __________________________…
Songwriters Could Actually Catch Break As DOJ Weighs In On “Stairway To Heaven” Case
Songwriters have been going through a rough time in the courtrooms of late, often losing out on cases more often as the result of song’s ‘feel’ than its actual melody. That could be changing however, with the Department of Justice weighing in (as it rarely does) on case between Led…
Ed Sheeran Blocked from Receiving ‘Shape of You’ Royalties as Infringement Suit Continues
It’s both the best of time and the worst of times for singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. The British pop star recently announced that he would be taking an 18-month hiatus after a record-setting two-year world tour that has left him a reported net worth of …
YouTube Sued by Top Creator Over Alleged ‘Copyright Strike Retaliation’
YouTube creator DJ Short-E is now suing the company in a highly unusual move. The lawsuit alleges copyright strike retaliation and accuses YouTube failing to process copyright claims. In terms of damages, DJ Short-E — real name Erik Mishiyev — has fil…