What are copyright and related rights principles?
and are subject to general principles setting the boundaries of their scope of application. How these boundaries are set in various countries’ copyright laws varies, but the following key principles apply everywhere:
Copyright and related rights only protect original expressions, not ideas.
This means that you may have rights in a or the live or recorded if you made an contribution to the .
But this also means, for example, that a song's lyrics or melody may be protected, but not the meaning of those lyrics or the choice of an instrument playing the melody. This allows to use ideas of pre-existing musical works in their own original works, but only the ideas and not the form.
Copyright and related rights only last during the term of protection of musical works, performances, and sound recordings.
Musical works almost everywhere in the world are protected for at least 50 years after the death of the longest-surviving songwriter, and many countries have opted for longer terms of protection.
Music performances almost everywhere in the world are protected for at least 50 years after their in a sound recording, and many countries have opted for longer terms of protection.
Sound recordings almost everywhere in the world are protected for at least 50 years after their publication or fixation, and many countries have opted for longer terms of protection.
Once the term of protection of a musical work, performance, or sound recording has expired, it enters the public domain. It can, in principle, be used without any authorization, including that of other songwriters, , or . Visit our next page on the for more.
Copyright and related rights are protected by the law of the country where the musical work, performance, or sound recording is used.
This means the laws of the countries where your song is used determine whether and how your musical work, performance, or sound recording is protected in that country.
If you are unsure about your rights in a country where your song is used or whether you may use someone else’s idea or a song in the public domain, you should seek advice from a legal expert.
Image credit: Martin Fabricius Rasmussen