The Song Remains Similar – Led Zeppelin and the Stairway to Heaven Plagiarism Trial
What constitutes music plagiarism? The line between inspiration and plagiarism is a fine one, and is the crucial distinction when it comes to music plagiarism. As I examined in
How Your Music Makes Money (Part Two) – The Songwriting Copyright
How does your music make money in the modern world? While record sales are becoming less and less relevant, revenue streams generated from the Songwriting Copyright have greatly increased. This
How Your Music Makes Money (Part One) – The Sound Recording Copyright
The Sound Recording Copyright ain’t what it used to be. Record sales are seriously down, and that’s an understatement. But there are numerous revenue streams that still flow from the
What is an Artist Development Deal, and Should You Sign One?
In the “glory days” of the recording industry (i.e. after Elvis, before the Internet), there was a very common type of deal offered by record labels called the Artist Development
Should Your Band Trademark Your Band Name?
Is it worthwhile for musicians to obtain a band trademark? When you think of bands like The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Metallica, the Ramones, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Aerosmith, KISS, and
Should Musicians Give Their Producer Songwriting Credit?
A very common question I get asked by my musician friends and clients is whether they should give their producer songwriting credit on songs they’ve produced. This question brings up a key distinction
Should Musicians Buy Facebook Likes?
Did you know: a lot of bands and musicians in the world buy likes on Facebook? And they do the same on their Twitter, Instagram, and Soundcloud? And they might do
The 3 Types of Music Publishing Agreements (and why they’re important)
If you write your own songs, either with a band or on your own, or co-write with others, developing an understanding of music publishing is probably the most important thing
What Rights Do You Have As a Song Co-Writer?
If you are a song co-writer, you have certain rights. But so does the other song co-writer. What rights do each of you have in the co-written song? Can