Music Placements: How to Get Your Music in Film & TV
I’ve negotiated a few significant film and television placements for clients in the last two months, so I decided to write an article on the topic. Getting your music placed in film and TV can be a game-changer in your career. Music placements are one of the best ways to gain serious exposure for […]
What Constitutes Music Plagiarism? The Sam Smith and Robin Thicke Trials
Music plagiarism is a hot topic in the music industry these days. From Sam Smith to Bruno Mars to Beyonce, artists seem to be being accused of music plagiarism more than ever. As the old saying goes: there is no such thing as an original thought. Everyone from Shakespeare to the Beatles to Zeppelin has […]
Touring the USA: What Canadian Musicians Need to Know
Since 9/11, touring the USA as a Canadian musician has never been more difficult. Things have gotten worse since Trump took office. Horror stories abound of bands being held at the border in interrogation rooms for hours/days on end, all because they lacked proper documentation. What Constitutes Touring the USA? Whether you are showcasing for free, […]
What Constitutes Songwriting? The Million Dollar Question in the Music Industry
What constitutes songwriting? As an entertainment lawyer, it is the single question I get asked the most. And without a doubt, its one of the most important and complex questions in the music industry today. While most musicians know very well how to write a song (whether the songs are good or not is another […]
What Rights Do You Have in a Sound Recording You Play On?
I get many emails every week from musicians around the world asking me questions about the music business. One of the most common questions is: what rights do I have in a recording that I performed on? Whether it’s a song you played on decades ago that was just re-released by your former bandmates, […]
How to Legally Post Cover Songs to YouTube
YouTube is full of cover songs. From indie artists to toddlers to superstars, some of the most viewed videos on the Internet happen to be of cover songs. In the past week, I’ve been listening to and watching a ton of cover songs of the man himself, Leonard Cohen. [Fun fact: both Cohen’s and Jeff Buckley’s […]
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 Deal, sometimes known as a “Demo Deal”. The idea was fairly simple: if a label liked you but didn’t want to commit fully with a […]
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 Iron Maiden, their logos and brands are immediately identifiable and familiar. These brands also happen to be worth millions. The trademark of a band name […]
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 to be drawn between the Songwriting Copyright and the Sound Recording Copyright. Record Points vs. Songwriting Points Rather than give their producer songwriting points, […]