Why Register The Copyright To Your Song or Beat

By Daniel Cruz Hernandez and Adam Freedman

The value of music has steadily been increasing over the last decade. However, registering the Copyright to a song or beat is one of the most underappreciated ways of protecting an artist’s or producer’s assets. Of course, the logic makes sense, but it seems that far fewer people understand WHAT EXACTLY registering the Copyright to your music ACTUALLY does for you.

What is a Copyright?

A Copyright is technically the exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to authorize others to do the same. Copyright protection (for works created after 1978) lasts for the life of the owners plus 70 years. It can be passed down to one’s heirs who can continue to monetize the underlying works and file lawsuits for any infringements.

Many people don’t realize that Copyright law provides that a work of “original authorship” (including a song, beat, lyrics, etc.) is officially copyrighted as soon as it is “fixed in a tangible medium of expression.” What this means in plain English is that, once you actually create the work (e.g. by writing down the lyrics or recording a song), you technically own the Copyright to that work, and can therefore take action to…