Anyone these days can be an artist. Singers just pop out every other day and showcase their own original songs via YouTube. But despite the emergence of artists, bands, and solo singers, there is one pressing issue… Some songs are stolen and being sung by big-shot singers, and albums being sold all over the world (while making millions, mind you!) without even giving the original composer any credit – not even a thank you!
Sadly, there are tons of cases of copyright infringement when it comes to songs. To avoid this ever happening to you (in case you’re planning to jump-start your music career), you should learn how to copyright a song. Here are simple steps on how to copyright:
Secure a copy of the song
The song should be recorded and stored in storage devices like Flash drives, CDs, cassette tapes, and maybe even in video format. The song should also be made into a music sheet with the lyrics included. Do everything you can to put your stamp, identity, and name in all your work. Create as many physical copies as you can so you will be able to present some evidence later on if needed.
Register the song
There are two types of registration possible on how to copyright a song: by online registration or by mail. First off is mail registration, which has been the primarily used type of registration for the past decade. This involves securing a form from the copyrighting office. After mailing the form and paying the fees for the copyrighting, the owner should wait for the certificate of registration which takes around 15 months to complete.
The other method – online registration-is obviously the faster way to copyright a song. It simply needs four and a half months to complete the whole registration process, which is a very short time compared to the 15 month waiting period for the mail registration. You only need to register online and fill up all the necessary details. After paying a small fee, you must send an electronic copy of the song to the office. As the owner, you need to make sure that the type of file is accepted. Just to be sure, you can even consider sending a hard copy in the form of a CD or a cassette.
After following those few simple steps, the copyrights should be in place, and you should be able to rest easy knowing that the law protects your song. Also, you should never forget that none of the procedures in how to copyright a song comes free; you should be ready to cough up a few bucks for the necessary fees.
But then again, a few dollars is definitely worth paying for. This way, you can keep your intellectual product safe from people who would want to use or steal your song without YOUR consent. After all, songs are a product of the mind and the heart and soul and should be protected.
Disclaimer: The content in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only, and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice.
