How To Copyright A Song: Step-By-Step Guide

Want to know how to copyright a song the right way? I get it – you want to make sure nobody can use your original work without permission. Before we dive in, check out my beats to find the perfect track for your next hit – all my beats come with clear ownership terms to keep your music protected.

The United States Copyright Office has made protecting your songs much easier than before. But I still see artists lose money because they don’t understand how copyright law works. Some think the filing fee is too high, while others believe posting their song online gives them enough legal protection (it doesn’t).

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to register your copyright without getting confused
• The difference between protecting your sound recording and your actual song
• Understanding your rights as a songwriter and copyright owner
• Ways to make money from your music through copyright
• What to do if someone uses your work without your permission
• How to handle song ownership when working with others

I’ll break down everything you need to know about song registration, songwriter rights, and earning royalties. No fancy legal talk – just clear steps to protect your music and get paid for your work.

Why You Need to Copyright Your Music

Picture this: you just made the best track of your life, and suddenly you hear someone else using it without your permission. Not cool, right? Without proper copyright protection, you’re in for a tough fight. That’s exactly why you need to copyright your music.

Quick Facts About Music Copyright:

• Your song is actually protected by law as soon as you record it
• Registration gives you extra protection if someone steals your work
• You can get paid when others use your music
• Without registration, you can’t sue someone who copies your song

Here’s what proper copyright registration will let you do:

✅ Sue anyone who steals your music

✅ Get paid when your song plays on streaming platforms

✅ Make money when your track gets used in videos or ads

✅ Prove you’re the real creator of the song

Here’s something most artists don’t know: your song gets basic copyright protection as soon as it’s in tangible form (like being written down or recorded). But registering gives you much stronger legal protection and lets you sue if someone copies your work.

The Two Main Parts of Music Copyright Explained

When it comes to music, you’re actually dealing with two different types of copyright. Let me break this down in simple terms:

Want to learn more about how to make money from these rights? Check out my complete guide to music publishing and copyright.

How Sound Recordings and Written Songs are Different

Lots of artists get confused about this part. Think of it like this: the musical work is like the blueprint of your song, while the sound recording is the actual house you built from that blueprint.

Musical Work (The Blueprint)

• The melody you created
• Your lyrics
• The chord progression
• The basic structure of the song

Sound Recording (The House)

• The actual recorded vocals
• The specific beat
• All the mixing and effects
• The final mastered track

Your Rights as a Creator in the U.S.

The moment you create your song and record it (or write it down), you automatically get some basic rights. But to really protect yourself, you’ll want to register with the U.S. Copyright Office. Here’s what you get:

These are your basic rights as a music creator:

• Control who can perform your song
• Decide who can make copies of your track
• Choose who can change or remix your music
• Get paid when others use your work
• Pick how and where your song gets played

The U.S. Copyright Office recently made it easier and cheaper to register multiple songs at once. If you’re working on an EP or album, this can save you some serious cash.

Remember: Even the biggest artists register their music with the Copyright Office. It’s not just about protection – it’s about being professional and making sure you can earn money from your work.

Getting Started with Copyright Registration

Let’s get into the actual steps of protecting your music. I’ll show you exactly what you need to do to register your songs properly.

But first, let me clear up some common misunderstandings about copyright registration:

Now that you know what really works, here’s exactly what you need to get started…

Getting Your Paperwork Ready

Before you start the registration process, gather these things:

• A clear MP3 of your finished song
• The lyrics (if you have any)
• The date you finished the song
• Names of everyone who worked on the track
• Your payment method (credit card or PayPal)

Important: Make sure your song is completely finished before you register it. You can’t update the recording after you submit it.

Here’s what information you’ll need to write down:

Picking the Best Way to Register

There are three main ways to register your music. I’ll help you pick the right one for your situation.

Single Song Registration

• Best for: One finished track
• Cost: $45
• Processing time: 2-3 months
• Good if you’re just getting started

Album Registration

• Best for: Multiple songs released together
• Cost: $65
• Processing time: 3-4 months
• Can save you money if you have several tracks

Group of Unpublished Works

• Best for: Multiple unfinished songs (allows for up to 10 unpublished songs)
• Cost: $85
• Processing time: 4-6 months
• Good for protecting works in progress

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Registration

Filling Out Your Forms

Here’s exactly what to do:

1. Go to the U.S. Copyright Office website (copyright.gov)
2. Click on “Register a Work”
3. Choose “Register a Musical Work and Sound Recording”
4. Create your account if you haven’t already
5. Fill out the forms with your song details

Pro Tip: Double-check all your info before submitting. Simple mistakes can delay your registration.

What You’ll Need to Pay

Registration costs vary based on how you file:

• Online registration: $65 for a single work; $85 for a group of unpublished works (recommended)
• Paper forms: $125 (takes longer)
• Special handling: Extra $800 (if you need it rushed)

A small investment in copyright registration can protect thousands in future earnings. If you’re on a tight budget, focus on registering your best songs first.

Sending in Your Music

The final step is uploading your music files:

• Use high-quality MP3s (at least 320kbps)
• Make sure file names match your registration exactly
• Include your lyrics in a separate PDF if you have them
• Wait for your confirmation email

After you submit everything, you’ll get a case number. Keep this safe – you’ll need it to check on your registration status.

Understanding the Two Copyrights in Music

Think of your song like a house. You’ve got the blueprint (that’s one type of copyright), and then you’ve got the actual house you built (that’s the other type). Let me break this down super clearly because I see artists mix these up all the time.

Protecting Your Sound Recording

The sound recording is like the actual house – it’s what people can see (or in this case, hear). This is your finished song that’s ready to put on Spotify or Apple Music.

A sound recording copyright means you own:

• Your exact vocal performance (like how you sang or rapped those words)
• The specific beat and how it sounds with your voice
• All the little touches that make your track unique (like effects and mixing choices)
• The final mastered version that people stream

Here’s a real example: Think about the song “I Will Always Love You.” Whitney Houston’s famous version is a sound recording that she owns. But Dolly Parton, who wrote the song, owns the composition rights. That’s why both of them made money from Whitney’s version.

When you buy a beat online, here’s what usually happens:

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Protecting the Song You Wrote

Now let’s talk about the blueprint – the song copyright. This protects the basic elements that make your song recognizable, even if someone performs it totally differently.

Your song copyright covers:

• The melody you created (the tune people hum)
• Your lyrics (the actual words you wrote)
• The way you arranged the song
• The core musical ideas

Think of it like this: if another artist could cover your song with different instruments or in a different style, but you’d still recognize it as your song – those elements are what the song copyright protects.

Some practical examples of what this means:

• If someone wants to do a piano version of your rap song – they need your permission
• If a singer wants to do an acoustic cover – they need your OK
• If a brand wants to use a new version of your song in a commercial – they need your sign-off

Always register both copyrights when you release a song. Some artists only protect the sound recording but forget about the song copyright. Then someone covers their track, and they realize they can’t collect those royalties because they never registered the song composition.

Do Your Lyrics Need Separate Protection?

I get this question a lot from rappers. The short answer is no – your lyrics are automatically protected as part of your song’s copyright. You don’t need to register them separately.

However, there are some good reasons to include your lyrics when you register:

• It gives extra proof that you wrote the words
• Makes it easier to spot if someone copies your lyrics
• Helps protect your work if you want to print your lyrics on merch

The most important thing is keeping good records. I always tell artists to save their lyrics in a document with dates, just like they save different versions of their recordings.

Making Money from Your Copyrighted Music

Once you’ve protected your songs with copyright registration, you can start earning money when people use your music. Let’s talk about how to actually get paid.

Getting Paid When People Use Your Songs

There are several ways to make money from your copyrighted music. Here’s where the money comes from:

• Streaming plays on Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms
• Radio plays (both regular radio and internet radio)
• Live performances of your songs
• Other artists covering your music
• Your music playing in stores or businesses

Not sure how streaming payouts work? Read my detailed guide about mechanical royalties.

The key is signing up with the right organizations to collect your money. Think of them as your personal money collectors – they track down who owes you cash and make sure you get paid.

You’ll need to join these organizations to get all your money:

• A Performance Rights Organization (PRO) like ASCAP or BMI
• The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) for streaming money
• SoundExchange for digital radio plays

How the Music Modernization Act Helps You

The Music Modernization Act changed the game for artists in a good way. It made it easier to get paid for your songs, especially from streaming services.

Here’s what this law does for you:

• Makes sure streaming services pay you properly
• Creates a clear system for tracking payments
• Helps you get money from older songs
• Makes it easier to find out who owes you money

The best part? The MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective) is free to join. They collect money from streaming platforms and send it straight to you.

Making Money from TV and Film

Getting your music in TV shows, movies, or commercials can earn you serious cash. Each time your song plays, you get two separate payments:

1. One payment for using the recording
2. Another payment for using the song itself

A 30-second spot in a TV show might pay anywhere from $500 to several thousand dollars. Commercial uses usually pay even more.

Here’s what you need to know about licensing your music:

• Keep your paperwork clean – they’ll want to see your copyright registration
• Have both MP3 and WAV versions of your songs ready
• Know who owns what percentage of each song
• Get an entertainment lawyer to review any big deals (ready to take your career to the next level? Learn how to find and work with a music manager)

I always tell artists to be careful with exclusive licenses. If you give someone exclusive rights to your song, you can’t use it anywhere else – even on your own albums.

Working with Other Musicians

Making music with others can be super fun and creative, but it’s important to sort out who owns what before you release anything. Let’s talk about how to handle this the right way.

Writing Songs with Others

When you create music with other people, you automatically share the copyright. This means everyone who helped write the song owns a piece of it.

Before you start working together, talk about these things:

• Who’s writing what parts of the song
• How you’ll split the money
• Who can make decisions about the song
• What happens if someone wants to leave the group

Put everything in writing – even if you’re working with friends.

Agreeing on Who Owns What

Here’s a simple way to handle song ownership when you work with others:

The most important thing is to agree on everything upfront. Write it down in a simple split sheet that shows who owns what percentage of the song.

A split sheet should include:

• The song title
• Everyone’s legal names
• Each person’s ownership percentage
• Everyone’s signatures
• The date you all agreed

When Someone Hires You to Write

Sometimes another artist might pay you to help write their song. This is called “work for hire” and it works a bit differently.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Usually, the person paying you gets all the rights
• You might not get royalties later
• Get your payment terms in writing
• Make sure you know if you’ll get credit

I always suggest having a basic contract, even for small writing jobs. It doesn’t have to be fancy – just clear about who gets what.

Some key things to put in your agreement:

• How much you’ll get paid and when
• Whether you’ll get songwriter credit
• If you’ll get any royalties
• What rights you’re giving up

Remember: If someone offers you “exposure” instead of money, that won’t pay your bills. Good music is worth real money – don’t sell yourself short.

Taking Legal Action in Federal Court

Nobody wants to go to court, but sometimes you need to protect your music. Let’s talk about what to do if someone steals your work.

What to Do If Someone Steals Your Music

First, take a deep breath. Then follow these steps:

1. Save proof of the theft (screenshots, recordings, links)
2. Check if you registered your copyright
3. Talk to a lawyer who knows music law
4. Send a takedown notice if it’s online
5. Keep track of any money they made from your song

You can only sue someone in federal court if you registered your copyright before they stole your music (or within three months of releasing it). This is why registering early is so important.

Easier Ways to Handle Copyright Disputes

Going to court is expensive and takes forever. Here are some better options to try first:

• Send them a friendly message – sometimes it’s just a mistake
• Use the platform’s copyright system (like YouTube’s Content ID)
• Have your lawyer send a warning letter
• Try mediation with a professional

The Copyright Claims Board is a new option that’s cheaper than court. It’s like a small claims court for copyright issues. You can use it for claims up to $30,000.

Benefits of using the Copyright Claims Board:

• Costs way less than federal court
• Takes less time to get an answer
• You don’t need a lawyer
• Everything happens online

Getting Paid for Copyright Violations

If you win your case, here’s what you might get:

• Money they made from your song
• Extra money to punish them (up to $150,000 if they did it on purpose)
• Your lawyer fees paid
• An order making them stop using your music

Keep good records of everything. Save these things:

• Your original files with dates
• Your copyright registration
• Proof of how they used your music
• Any money they made from it
• Messages between you and them

Conclusion

The biggest thing I’ve learned about music copyright? Stop problems before they start. Register your copyright early, get everything in writing, and keep good records.

Remember, most copyright issues get fixed without going to court. But having your paperwork straight means you’re ready if something serious happens.

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