Copyright Articles
20 September 2026
Ghostwriting and Session Musicians: Who Owns What You Didn't Write
Hired a ghostwriter or session musician — or worked as one? Here's who legally owns the finished song, and why it needs to be agreed before you hit record.
10 September 2026
Music Publishing Deals Explained: What You're Actually Signing Away
Before you sign a publishing deal, know what you're actually agreeing to. A clear breakdown of what music publishers do, and what rights and royalties you might be giving up.
2 September 2026
Sync Licensing: Getting Your Music into Film, TV and Ads
How sync licensing works for songwriters and producers — what a sync deal actually involves, who needs to agree to it, and how to get your music ready for placement.
19 August 2026
Recording a Cover Song: What's Legal and What You Need to Know
Want to record and release a cover version of someone else's song? Here's what's actually legal, what licence you need, and what happens if you skip it.
5 August 2026
Inspired By vs. Copied From: Where the Copyright Line Is in Songwriting
Every songwriter is influenced by someone. Here's how copyright law actually draws the line between being inspired by an artist and infringing their work.
22 July 2026
Independent Artists: Protecting Your Music Without a Label
No label, no lawyer, no problem — practical ways independent musicians can protect their songs, beats and lyrics without a big team behind them.
8 July 2026
How Copyright Works on Spotify, Apple Music and Streaming Platforms
What actually happens to your copyright when you upload a song to Spotify or Apple Music — royalties, ownership, and what streaming platforms can and can't do with your music.
24 June 2026
Can You Copyright a Melody? Chords, Riffs and Musical Ideas Explained
What's actually protected when you write a song — melody, chords, lyrics or the whole arrangement? A clear guide to what copyright covers in music, and what it doesn't.
10 June 2026
Protecting Beats and Instrumentals Before You Sell Them
Selling or licensing beats online comes with real risk of theft and disputed ownership. Here's how producers can protect their instrumentals before sending them to anyone.
22 May 2026
DMCA Takedowns for Musicians: Removing Stolen Tracks
A step-by-step guide to filing a DMCA takedown notice as a musician — how the process works, what evidence you need, and how to get stolen tracks removed quickly.
5 May 2026
Splitting Royalties: Songwriting Credit and Ownership Explained
Songwriting royalty splits explained simply — how credit, copyright ownership, and royalty percentages relate (and differ), and how to agree fair splits before a dispute happens.
18 April 2026
AI Voice Cloning: Protecting Your Voice and Vocal Style
AI voice cloning tools can now recreate a singer's voice from seconds of audio. Here's what musicians need to know about the risks, the legal grey areas, and how to protect themselves.
30 March 2026
How Long Does Music Copyright Last?
How long does copyright protection last for a song or recording? A clear breakdown of copyright duration rules for songwriters, musicians, and producers worldwide.
12 March 2026
Copyright for Podcasters and Audio Creators
A guide to copyright for podcasters and audio creators — protecting your scripts and recordings, using music legally, and what to do if your episodes get stolen.
20 April 2025
Co-Writing a Song: Who Owns the Copyright?
When two or more songwriters collaborate, who actually owns the copyright? A clear guide to co-writing splits, joint ownership, and protecting yourself before you write together.
6 April 2025
Sampling and Copyright: What Producers Need to Know
A practical guide to sampling and copyright law for music producers — what's legal, what needs clearance, and how to protect your own beats from being sampled without permission.
23 March 2025
What to Do If Someone Steals Your Music
Discovered someone using your song, beat or lyrics without permission? Here's exactly what to do, step by step, to protect your rights and get it resolved.
9 March 2025
How to Copyright a Song: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn exactly how to copyright a song, from the moment you write it to registering with the right authority — a practical, step-by-step guide for songwriters and producers.
23 February 2025
Claiming other people's work as your own: 5 examples of plagiarism
Five real-world examples of plagiarism in music, songwriting and the arts — and why timestamped proof of creation is essential for every creator.
9 February 2025
10 theme ideas for starting a novel
10 theme ideas to spark your creativity and breathe life into your storytelling.
26 January 2025
10 techniques to make your artwork stand out
Take your artwork to the next level and make it stand out from the crowd.
12 January 2025
Songwriting Tricks: How to Transition from Verse to Chorus
Practical songwriting techniques for crafting seamless verse-to-chorus transitions — elevate your songs and protect them once written.
29 December 2024
The Photographer's Guide to Copyrighting Images: How to Protect Your Creative Work
How photographers can prove ownership of their images and protect their creative work from being used without credit or permission.
15 December 2024
Guarding Your Intellectual Property: 6 Ways to Secure Copyrights for Poems and Lyrics
Six ways to protect your song lyrics and prove you wrote them first — essential reading for every songwriter and lyricist.
1 December 2024
Copyrighting words: How to protect a book
How to establish proof of ownership for your book, novel or written work before you pitch to publishers or go to print.
17 November 2024
Proving Ownership: The Importance of Copyrighting Your Art
A practical guide to proving ownership of your artwork, illustrations and visual designs — before anyone else claims credit for what you created.
3 November 2024
Protecting your sounds: How to copyright music
A practical guide for songwriters on how to prove they wrote a song and protect their music before releasing or pitching to labels.