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copyright

The essentials of copyright in the music industry
Music Rights

The Complete Music Copyright Guide

CD Baby is not able to provide you with legal advice or make legal conclusions about your circumstances. We urge you to consult with an attorney. Please see this article … Continue reading →

July 29, 2025
Header for The Challenges Musicians Face in 2022
Music Career Tips

8 Crucial Things to Know Before You Release Music

What many new artist don’t know about releasing music. I have a neighbor who’s a clever and hilarious songwriter. Though he plays local gigs, he has a career outside music … Continue reading →

October 3, 2022
How to safeguard your music
Music Rights

5 Steps to Protect Your Music (At All Stages of the Creative Process)

From the moment you create your content, it belongs to you. But is it protected? Whether you’re creating music, videos, documents, imagery, or other content, things can get hairy when … Continue reading →

May 3, 2022
courthouse with piano keys as the front of the building
Music Rights

The CASE Act is Leveling the Playing Field for All Creators

Understanding the CASE Act Last summer, a major artist sampled one of our artist’s songs, even after the artist rejected the original sample request. The major artist sampled the song … Continue reading →

March 21, 2021
Registering the copyright to your music is now easier than ever
Music Rights

The Easiest Way to Register Your Music Copyright

Establishing your ownership and registering with the U.S. Copyright Office are the only real steps you can take to protect yourself (and when things go wrong, it could pay off … Continue reading →

March 17, 2021
How to legally use samples in your music
Music Rights

How to Legally Clear Samples to Copyrighted Music

Can I sample copyrighted music without permission if it’s less than 6 seconds of audio? [Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer. Just sayin’… ] Is sampling legal? Let’s be honest: Sampling … Continue reading →

July 10, 2019
When two bands have similar names: Trademark 101 for musicians
Music Rights

Music trademarks: Choosing your unique artist name

Trademark Woes: When two bands have the same name!!!!! [This article was written by Katelyn Kindberg. It should not be taken as legal advice. For help with your trademark concerns, … Continue reading →

June 18, 2018
Is there an age restriction for US copyright?
Music Rights

How old do you have to be to copyright your music?

The age limit for copyright. Is there an age requirement to copyright something in the USA?  No, there is no age requirement. But, there is a classic American Dilemma here: … Continue reading →

April 4, 2018
New legislation aims to improve royalty rates for songwriters
Music Rights

The Music Modernization Act aims to boost songwriter revenues from interactive streaming

CD Baby supports efforts to improve the way mechanical and performance royalties are calculated. The music industry is a completely different beast than it was when the copyright laws currently … Continue reading →

January 9, 2018
Worldwide Music Publishing Administration expands to 22 new countries
Music Rights

A publishing split sheet for co-songwriters

Get it in writing and protect your publishing rights. You’ve just co-written a killer song. You’re psyched. But before you leave, before you celebrate, before you tweet about it, before … Continue reading →

July 31, 2017

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