Protecting your sounds: How to copyright music
3 November 2024
Protecting the work you create
In the UK, there is no official copyright service. It is recommended that you look at other ways in which to protect your work from copyright fraud.
Previously, a common practice to assert ownership of a music involved sending a copy of the work via mail to the composer/songwriter. The sealed envelope was use as a dated record of ownership. However, this approach lacks reliability as it means the envelope has to remain unopened, intact, and safeguarded throughout the creator's lifetime, which is unlikely. It is far better to get a 3rd party to help you prove ownership.
How long does your copyright last?
Copyright law varies from country to country. In the United Kingdom, copyright protection lasts for 70 years following the death of the composer/songwriter, concluding at the end of the respective calendar year. For music originating outside the European Economic Area (EEA), the duration of copyright aligns with the protection period granted in its country of origin, as long as it doesn't surpass the 70-year threshold.
Proving Ownership
Sometimes more than one songwriter, composer or musician claims they have written the work and a dispute arises. Resolving these disputes is often a hard thing to acomplish and each writer must provide evidence to show they made it first. Some countries have official copyrights registration systems. The US, for example, has one. The UK does not. Either way, additional documentation is crucial in proving who was first. This includes information on creation dates of the work and dates of earlier drafts.
We believe it's really important to keep a clear and accurate record of your music and when it was created, preferably with the data secured safely in a location held by an independent authority. This date gives rightful protection and validates ownership. It provides excellent evidence you were the person who created the work.
Using Copyright Solved
Our service is a great way to prove ownership of your work in a fast, efficient, secure and accurate way. We record all the details of your music, including the title, the authors, the filename and the date of upload. We link these details to a digital certificate, which is stored securely on our servers, ready for you to download anytime you wish.
Register with Copyright Solved now to start your protection journey.