[This article was written by Jamie Davis-Ponce, and it originally appeared on the SonicBids Blog.] Often associated with hip hop, sampling occurs when songwriters and recording artists use borrowed sections … Continue reading
Music Rights
Making the complicated details of music rights easier to understand for independent musicians. Make sense of important issues like copyright law and music royalties.
Protecting your music through copyright, trademark, and more
This article was written by Yannick Ilunga. It originally appeared on The Jazz Spotlight. The Internet is a key component of today’s music industry. Social media, websites, email lists, platforms … Continue reading
What’s the difference between ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and SoundExchange?
[This article was written by Dae Bogan and it originally appeared on his website.] I received an email this morning from a reader who had read my piece, “Demystifying The … Continue reading
The Business of Songwriting: Co-writers and Split Sheets
As a songwriter, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the creativity and excitement of writing and forget about the business side of things. A lot of times, the very … Continue reading
Are you getting paid everything you’re owed from interactive streaming?
As music streaming continues to grow in popularity, it’s becoming more and more important for artists to understand how they can earn money from this new mode of music delivery. … Continue reading
Which popular Christmas songs are still protected by copyright?
‘Tis the season… … when you start to see Christmas decorations right beside the Halloween candy in Costco. That’s right, summer is barely over and it’s already time for holiday … Continue reading
4 royalties you’re probably missing (even if you’re registered with ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC)
If you’ve affiliated yourself as a songwriter with a performing rights organization (such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC) and registered all your songs, you’ve taken an important first step in collecting the publishing … Continue reading
When you hear a song on the radio, do you know who gets paid?
The hit song “… Baby One More Time” from the 90’s has probably been spun on the radio millions of times by now. But do you think Britney Spears has earned … Continue reading
Music Copyright: 5 Things Every Musician Must Know
Music copyright law tends to get thrown under the bus in favor of more interesting topics like marketing and social media, but it’s actually one of the most important things … Continue reading
Everything you need to know about PROs (Performing Rights Organizations)
Ok, sure — if you’re going into entertainment or IP law, there’s plenty more to understand about PROs and the intricacies of music publishing. But for your average independent musician, understanding … Continue reading