Can You Copyright My Songs?

We don't copyright music; we collect publishing royalties.

You are not required to register your work with the Copyright Office in order to make a copyright claim in the U.S. Intellectual property is automatically protected under the Copyright Law of the United States once it has been made into a fixed, tangible form. 

The U.S. Copyright Office provides a certificate of registration, not the copyright itself. The document confirms the record of ownership you have on file at the Library of Congress. This documentation helps you make a stronger claim — and improves your chances of earning damages — if someone infringes upon your rights. 

Songtrust does not register your songs with the U.S. Copyright Office. If you would like to do so, head over to copyright.gov.

Please note: Registering your works does not mean you will get paid. You still have to start your own publishing company, sign a traditional publishing deal, or register your catalog with a publishing administrator like Songtrust to exploit your works properly.  

Interested in learning more? Check out our Copyright 101 blog post.  .

Interested in learning more? Check out our blog post: Copyright 101

 

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