Copyright, Licensing and Performing Rights

American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
Performing rights licensing organization created in 1917; now representing over 68,000 composers, writers and publishers; searchable database of works administered.

Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI)
Performing rights licensing organization representing over 180,000 composers, lyricists and publishers; searchable database of works administered. Features related music business information.

Church Musician copyright management resources

CCA Church Copyright Administration
CCLI Church Copyright Licensing International

Copyright Management Center
Sponsored by Indiana University, this excellent site contains information specially presented for use by graduate students, faculty, and librarians. Topics include guidance on copyright and general research dissemination, preparation of dissertations, fair use for teaching and research, and securing, managing, and sharing legal rights.

Copyright & Fair Use
Link to current legislation, cases and issues, full-text articles on copyright and fair use, and more. Sponsored by Stanford University Libraries, the Council of Library Resources, FindLaw Internet Legal Resources, and Academic Information Resources.

Copyright Resources Online
Contains sections on university copyright resources and on non-university intellectual property resources. Developed by Ann Okerson, Eileen Gifford, and Janet Erickson.

European American Music Distributors Corporation
Agents for Schott, Universal, and others; provides events calendar and licensing information, and composer biographies of those represented.

Harry Fox Agency (HFA)
Represents more than 14,500 American music publishers; established in 1927 by the National Music Publishers Association, monitors licensing of music copyrights for performances, recordings, broadcasting and visual media.

Links for Music Copyright Law in the USA
Compiled by attorney Ronald B. Standler, a good essay efficiently introduces issues for print and recorded music and essential links are provided. Start here, too, for the web approach to the U.S. Copyright Office for information on  registration and compulsory licensing fees.

Music Publishers Association
Provides request forms for information on music copyrights and their fair use, for inquiries on out-of-print copyrighted music, and for permission to arrange music. Be sure to see also their Sales Agency List on this same site for imprint and parent company direct contact information.

Music Library Association: A Guide to Copyright for Music Librarians
Sponsored by the Legislation Committee of the Music Library Association.

National Music Publishers Association (NMPA)
Performing rights licensing organization for over 600 composers, chiefly American; parent company of HFA; good source of general licensing-related information.

When Works Pass Into The Public Domain
This succinct site clarifies, in table form, duration of copyright for a work depending on when it was created, published, registered and renewed; the definitions pertain to U.S. copyright law since its inception. Created in 1995, and subsequently updated, by Laura Gassaway.

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