burdlaw.com Copyright Information On The Web

Copyrights relate to works of art, including textual, visual, musical, dramatic, etc. and are automatic upon creation. Copyrights can be registered in order to obtain additional rights, particularly as to enforcement and international recognition.

Copyright Basics a Copyright Office brochure

Copyright Office the US Copyright Office home page

Copyright linkpage useful links from an ink company

Copyright Newsflashes

  • Librarian of Congress Names Acting Register of Copyrights Librarian of Congress James Billington has named Maria Pallante as acting Register of Copyrights effective January 1, 2011. Pallante will serve until a permanent appointment is made to fill the office held by Marybeth Peters, who retired December 31, 2010. (Read More)

  • Copyright Office Adds Toll-Free Telephone Access The Copyright Office opened a toll-free line on August 27. The new line is part of an ongoing effort to improve copyright public services. Callers can now dial 1-877-476-0778 to ask questions about copyright registration, including use of the electronic Copyright Office (eCO), the Office’s online registration system. When patrons call the toll-free line, they will be prompted to select the Copyright Public Information Office (PIO) or the Copyright Technology Office (CTO) help desk, depending on the nature of their inquiry. PIO information specialists address copyright and registration-related inquiries; CTO help desk staff assist eCO users. Recorded information is also available. (Read more.)

  • Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator and Intellectual Property Enforcement Advisory Committee established by President Obama. Currently the top IP officer in the Federal Government, focused primarily on prevention of counterfeiting and international theft of intellectual property such as software, movies, songs, inventions and trademarks.

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World Copyright Report an online magazine that reports on copyright news and basic copyright information. Written at a relatively high level, so it's not for the copyright novice but rather for copyright lawyers and specialists. Subscription required but is currently free>

PERFORMANCE RIGHTS LICENSES – MUSIC, PLAYS, SONGS

  • ASCAP (American Society of Composer And Publishers) – if you want permission to play or perform a copyrighted song, this is where you go.  Such permissions are called  “performance rights. ASCAP provides BROCHURES to help you understand what you need.>

  • BMI (Broadcase Music Incorporated) - performance rights for music, especially US. For a list of international rights agencies see BMI's Links to International Rights Organizations

  • Samuel French, Inc. (Performance rights for plays) Since 1830, this agency has been selling scripts and performance rights for plays, both dramas and musicals.

  • SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers) – If you want European performance rights.

  • Harry Fox Agency (recording rights) – if you want to use a copyrighted song in a recording you are making, this is where you go to get permission

  • NMPA (music publishers assoc.) – if you want permission to publish sheet music of a copyrighted song, this is where you go.

Why register? A short article to explain why, even though copyright is automatic, registration is VITAL to enforcing a copyright

US Copyright Law The text of the US Copyright law from the Copyright Office website.

Copyright Forms official forms (in .pdf format) from the US Copyright Office

How to search copyrights View Tutorial

Copyright Basics (from US Copyright Office) An excellent introductory article on the basics of copyright law and practice, prepared by the US Copyright Office.

Copyright Registration Search online searching of US Copyright Office’s database

US Copyright Law Hyperlinked version of Copyrighyt Law from Cornell's Law Information Institute or “LII”. Like patent law, copyright law is FEDERAL law, which is litigated in FEDERAL courts. In addition the Copyright Office has administrative rules.



Copyright Clearance Center (blanket periodical copying licenses) if your business wants a license to copy magazine articles, the CCC can provide it.)

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Library of Congress (where copyright office is located)



US Patent Office (patents & trademarks )

Live Music

Dominated by Live Nation, the largest promoter and music venue owner. Live Nation is a former subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications, which is the largest owner of radio stations in the United States. Other important music industry companies include Creative Artists Agency (a management and booking company) and Apple Inc. (which runs the world's largest music store, the iTunes Store).

Pending © Legislation (Legislative developments)

World Intel. Prop. Org. (international copyright agency)

Fair Use & Copyright (Stanford University)

Copyright Lawyer if you need to sue to get what’s due



Copyright Myths (debunked)

NY Times v TasiniSupreme Court - online pub of collective work infringes © in individual works

Copyright Society (Duke University)

Crash Course in Copyright Law (University of Texas

Copyright Infringement Investigator (private eye)

Copyright Books (basic information)

Country Music Studios (links to country music recording studos

Pressplay (Sony & Universal online digital music stream subscription service joint venture)

Back to HOME PAGE of burdlaw.com

MusicNet (BMG, EMI, Warner & Zomba online digitial music stream subscription service )

Copyright Portal (case law & links)

The 4 Music Recording Industry “Labels” Their trade association, in the USA, is the RIAA

(recording contracts, music production, music distribution)

UMG (Universal Music Group – parent company Vivendi) is the largest group of record labels in the recording industry. It is the 1st of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations. Universal Music Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of international French media conglomerate Vivendi. Labels: Click HERE to see the extensive list of UMG record labels.

Legal contact for UMG

Business & Legal Affairs
Universal Music Group
70 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608
tel. (310) 865-9571

SME (Sony Music Entertainment - parent company Sony) is the 2nd-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation. Labels: Click HERE to see the extensive list of SME record labels.

Legal contact for UMG

Director of Business Affairs, New Technology and Business Development
Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
550 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022-3211
tel. (212) 833-8640
fax (212) 833-4873



WMG (Warner Music Group – independent, formerly part of Time Warner) is the 3rd largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies Labels: Click HERE to see the extensive list of WMG record labels.

Legal contact for UMG

VP Business Affairs/New Technology
Warner Music Group
75 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10019
tel. (212) 275-1348
fax (212) 405-5297



EMI-Capitol Music Group (parent company Citigroup) is a music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the 4th -largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies and a member of the RIAA & IFPI. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm, EMI Music Publishing — also based in London with offices globally. The company was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but is now wholly owned by Citigroup[ Labels: Click HERE to see the extensive list of EMI record labels.
Legal Contact for EMI

VP Legal Affairs

1290 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10104
tel. (212) 492-5056
fax (212) 492-5095

The RIAA Member Labels there are lots of them !

IIAP (International Intellectual Property Alliance)Copyright Anti-Counterfeiting Organization

IRMA (International Recording Media Association)high level executive networking group

Authorlinkan online unpublished manuscript exchange

IRMA Directory Search (Searchable Directory of Recording Industry Suppliers and Publishers

INTAInternational Trademark Association (world’s largest trademark owners association)

Major Publishers Links (List of US Publishing Links)

Muzak (U.S. business music broadcaster)

SoundWave (U.S. audio industry information)

Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) (U.K.)

Music Interactive, web site development for music industry (U.K.)

Dot Music (U.K. music industry guide)

IMMEDIA Australia & Asia Media Directory

Songlink International (U.K.-based songwriters & publishers monthly tipsheet/magazine)

New England Artist Records (U.S.)

Webnoise, an online music industry news service (U.S.)

The Independent Feature Project (U.S.)

The National Music Foundation (NMC) (U.S.)

The Blues Foundation (U.S.)

International Intellectual Property Alliance (U.S.)

Music Educators National Conference (MENC) (U.S.)

Musi-Cal (Calendar for live music events)

The American Music Center (U.S.)

GigSwap.org (European musicians' networking and mutual aid)

Hollywood Reporter - Music Listings

Museum of Television And Radio (MTV&R) (U.S.)

Taxi, an independent A&R resource for the music industry (U.S.)

All Music Network (U.S.)

Pollstar - tour information

Sony Bono Copyright Extension Act.

DVD Copy Plus lawsuit

Copyright Preregistration

Preregistration is a service intended for certain types of unpublished works that have had a history of prerelease infringement. Its purpose is to preserve the remedies of statutory damages and attorneys fees for copyright owners of these works when they have been infringed before publication and registration. A preregistered work must be registered within 3 months after publication. Preregistration takes place only online, is not a substitute for registration, and is not a guarantee that the Copyright Office will ultimately register the work. For further information, go to http://www.copyright.gov/prereg/

Home ------- This great Copyright Link Page is brought to you by Bruce E. Burdick of The Burdick Law Firm, Alton, IL (near St. Louis)

If you have additional links you would like us to add, let us know at beb@burdlaw.com