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ogreving97

New member
What is the name of your state? Illinois.

About 8 years ago I began recording music with a producer named Steve, who works for a music producing company. He offered to record my music for free. We recorded all the songs (that I wrote the music and lyrics for), and he put them on all major music distribution sites (Spotify, iTunes, etc.) through the website Distrokid. This took 8 years because he's kindof a slow worker, everything was released in July of this year. On the music sites, at the bottom, it says the name of his production company with a small p with a circle around it. I've asked him about copyrights and he said he has "studio rights" to the songs but didn't go into detail, and everytime I ask him more info about it he kinda beats around the bush. Does the small p with a circle around it mean he owns my music? And does that mean that he gets all the royalties for it?
Thanks!
 


quincy

Senior Member
You did not have any written agreements?

The "P" in a circle stands for phonogram and it indicates a sound recording copyright. It is a separate copyright from music and lyrics.

A link to 17 USC section 402, copyright in sound recordings: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/402

Did you federally register your music and lyrics?
 
Last edited:

ogreving97

New member
You did not have any written agreements?

The "P" in a circle stands for phonogram and it indicates a sound recording copyright. It is a separate copyright from music and lyrics.

A link to 17 USC section 402, copyright in sound recordings: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/402

Did you federally register your music and lyrics?
No, I didn't get any written agreements. :( He was a friend of a friend of mine and a lot of my band friends went through him.
And I'm not sure what "federally register" means.
 

quincy

Senior Member
No, I didn't get any written agreements. :( He was a friend of a friend of mine and a lot of my band friends went through him.
And I'm not sure what "federally register" means.
Federally register means to register your copyright with the US Copyright Office. Here is a link to the US Copyright Office where you can read about copyright laws and how to register your works (music, lyrics): https://www.copyright.gov

Copyrights are automatic once a work is fixed in tangible form so federal registration is not necessary to have rights in the works you create. Registration is only required before you file an infringement lawsuit.

But timely registration of your copyrights makes you eligible to collect statutory damages should your works be infringed ($750-$150,000 per infringed work), so it is smart to register works before publishing them. Registration also presumes ownership in the works should ownership rights later be challenged.

There should have been a written agreement and there should be royalty payments. I think you need to speak to an IP attorney in your area.

Good luck.
 

quincy

Senior Member
As long as ogreving97 can prove he holds the copyrights in the lyrics and music, he can make arrangements now with the producer to pay royalties (or the producer could be sued once the music and lyrics are registered, if amicable agreements cannot be reached).

Because ogreving97 (and his friends) and the music producer and the music production company do not appear to know what they are doing, an IP attorney seems to be necessary. The attorney can help sort out the various rights and help get works registered and proper written agreements in place.
 

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