The copyright of a song exists from the moment the work is created and fixed in a medium: you do not need to register it to hold it. The problem comes later: holding the right is not the same as being able to prove it. This guide clarifies what is protected, what is not, and how to build solid evidence.
What copyright protects
- Moral rights: being recognised as the author and objecting to distortions of your work.
- Economic rights: reproduction, distribution, public communication and adaptation. These are the ones that get licensed and generate income.
They apply to two distinct objects: the composition (lyrics and music) and the sound recording. You can author the first without owning the second, and vice versa.
What it does NOT protect
- Ideas or concepts ("a song about a summer break-up").
- Titles on their own.
- Common chord progressions or standard structures.
- An artist's style or overall "sound".
How long does it last?
In most Berne Convention countries, economic rights last for the author's lifetime plus 70 years (50 in some territories). Moral rights, in practice, do not expire.
How to prove the song is yours
- Posting or emailing it to yourself: cheap, but easy to challenge.
- Notarial deposit: solid, but expensive and slow if you release often.
- Public copyright registry: valid, with waiting times of weeks or months.
- Blockchain timestamping: a hash of the file is written with date and time to a public, immutable network. It is instant, verifiable by anyone and does not disclose the content of the work.
MusicDibs uses this last route and issues a PDF certificate with the hash, the date, the authors and their ownership percentages. Try it on the music registration page.
Co-writers and splits: the blind spot
Most real disputes are not with strangers but between collaborators. If the producer contributed melody or harmony they are a co-author; if they only recorded and mixed, usually not. Put the splits in writing before release and reflect them in the registration: the MusicDibs certificate includes them.
AI-generated music
The emerging rule is that protection requires a creative human contribution. An output generated entirely by a model, without meaningful human input, is unlikely to be protected; if you write the lyrics, direct the production and edit the result, there is authorship to defend. Documenting the process and registering the final version is key. We compare approaches in MusicDibs vs Udio.
If someone uses your song without permission
- Gather evidence: screenshots, URLs, dates and your registration certificate.
- File a claim through the platform (Content ID on YouTube, takedown forms on social networks).
- If there is commercial exploitation, send a formal notice through a lawyer.
In all three steps, the document holding everything together is dated proof of authorship. Register your song for free and have that proof ready before you need it.