Generally speaking, in Australia, copyright in music and lyrics lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years. Copyright in a sound recording usually lasts for 70 years from when the recording was first published. In New Zealand, these terms are 50 years. There are exceptions to these rules and if you are uncertain as to the duration of copyright in a work, seek legal advice.
Who Owns Copyright?
In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, copyright in a musical work is usually first owned by the composer of that work. There are certain exceptions to this rule, and if you are uncertain, you should always seek legal advice. In practice, composers often assign or license their rights to third parties who then manage and exploit these rights on their behalf. Reproduction and publication rights are usually managed by a publisher, and communication and performance rights are usually assigned to APRA, which then manages these rights on behalf of its members.
How Is Copyright Protected On The Internet?
The fact that a work is placed on the Internet does not mean that it loses copyright protection. Downloading or uploading that work without permission is, in most cases, an infringement of copyright, just as making copies of a CD without permission will usually infringe copyright. The ease of uploading, communicating and reproducing material, coupled with the difficulty in policing such activities, does mean, however, that the Internet poses a challenge to copyright owners.
This has, to some extent, been eased by the advent of legal sites for downloading and streaming music (such as the iTunes music store, Apple Music and Spotify). The Digital Content Guide (http://www.digitalcotentguide.com.au) provides details of safe and licensed digital content in Australia. These sites provide a new avenue for licensing works, and a legitimate means for consumers to take advantage of the vast amount of music available online.
How Is Copyright Protected Overseas?
Australia and most countries in the world belong to international treaties under which they promise to protect the copyright in works created by each other’s citizens or residents. This means your work will be protected in, say, the United States under US law, just as a work created by a United States citizen will be protected in Australia under Australian law.
How Can I Prove That I Own Copyright If There Is No Registration System?
If there is a dispute about who created a work, it may need to be resolved by a court. The most important evidence in such a case would be oral evidence from the creator and from people who saw the material being created or who saw early copies. Other evidence may include drafts of the work or diary notes regarding the creation of the work. Such cases are, however, rare.
How Do I Copyright My Work?
Copyright protection is automatic. As soon as a work is put into a material form (for example, recorded or written down) it is protected by copyright. There is no need to register copyright. It is, however, advisable to put the copyright notice on all copies of your work. This is the copyright symbol ©, followed by the copyright owner’s name, and the year of first publication. For example: © John Guitar 2016
What Are The Different Copyrights In Music?
Copyright owners in musical works and lyrics have the exclusive right to:
- Reproduce the work: for example, by recording a performance of it, photocopying it, or downloading or streaming it from the Internet;
- Make it public for the first time;
- Perform it in public;
- Communicate it to the public (including via radio, television and the internet);
- Translate it (for lyrics); or
- Arrange or transcribe it (for music).
Generally speaking anyone who wants to use a work in these ways must get permission from the copyright owner, who can negotiate a licence fee for these uses. In practice, the public performance and communication rights in a song are usually administered by APRA, while the other rights are often administered by a music publisher.
There is also a separate copyright in a recording of a musical work. These rights are usually owned by a record company, and include the reproduction right as well as the public performance and communication rights.
What Is Copyright?
Copyright law gives owners of copyright in certain works, including musical works and lyrics, legal rights in their work. This means they can control how their work is used and negotiate payment when other people want to use their work. By ensuring that creators and those who invest in their work are paid, copyright aims to encourage further creativity and investment in the creative industries. At the same time, copyright law balances this aim with a need to ensure access to copyright works. There are therefore certain exceptions to these rights that allow for various uses of copyright material in limited circumstances. Australian copyright law is provided by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and case law. In New Zealand, the legislation is the Copyright Act 1994.
General information about copyright can be obtained from the Australian Government Department of Communications and the Arts website: https://www.communications.gov.au/documents/short-guide-copyright and the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment website: http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/business/intellectual-property/copyright/copyright-protection-new-zealand. You may also obtain information from the Australian Copyright Council: www.copyright.org.au and from APRA AMCOS: www.apraamcos.com.au.