Learn the foundations of music licensing, including music rights, copyright ownership, master and composition rights, licensing agreements, and how artists, songwriters, producers, labels, and publishers earn income.

Outcome. Tell the two copyrights apart, say who controls each of yours, and name who earns from a licence.

Every released song carries two separate copyrights. The musical work is the composition, the melody, rhythm, harmony and lyrics. The sound recording, often called the master, is a particular captured performance of it.

They are owned by different people more often than not, licensed separately, and paid through different channels. Almost every licensing mistake an artist makes starts by treating them as one thing.

Copyright exists from the moment the work is fixed in a tangible medium. Registration is separate and does something else: for a United States work it is what lets you sue in federal court, and it is a public record of your ownership.

Who earns depends on which copyright is being used. Songwriters and publishers earn on the composition. Featured artists, producers and the label or rights owner earn on the recording. A licence that touches both means two conversations and two fees.

What you will produce

A rights inventory of your catalog listing the composition owner and share, the recording owner and share, and any agreement that affects either.