Signing up with one of the available performance rights organizations may help you in getting closer to benefiting income from your ownership in your copyrighted music. benefits of your copyrighted music. Under the Copyright Act — 17 USC § 101 et seq. — as long as a musician retains ownership of the copyright to his […]
What are Music Performance Rights Organizations? Read More »
Forming a corporation under New York law is important if you are a musician and/or a performing artist. When formed, corporations come into existence as distinct legal entities separate and apart from their owners. This is true even for corporate entities that are created and owned by a single individual. This “separateness” between the owners
Brief Primer On Forming Corporations in New York Read More »
For performance artists, music groups and bands, trademarks are important for protecting your unique sound and image. By registering your band’s name as a trademark, you can prevent others from unjustly profiting from your name, and you can enforce your intellectual property rights through litigation in federal court. The process of creating and registering a
The Process of Trademarking Your Musical Group’s Name Read More »
The federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals, here in New York, recently issued an opinion that is instructive on the legal question of “music sampling.” Sampling is using a small segment, the “sample,” of an older sound recording in a new song. Often, the older music, lyrics, or audio is played in the background while
Court Affirms Drake’s Music Sampling of Jimmy Smith’s Rap Fair Use Read More »
Many entrepreneurs are unaware of the legal requirements behind accepting investor funding. Accepting money from anyone and everyone is rarely a good idea; in the worst case scenario, it may even be illegal.
The Securities Act of 1933 requires any company, including startups, to provide investors with full disclosure of all facts pertinent to the investors’ ability to make an investment decision. While securities legislation has been modernized and simplified in recent years, it’s still exceedingly important for entrepreneurs to familiarize themselves with the law or they’ll be at risk of subjecting themselves to civil and/or criminal liability.
Why You Can’t Accept Money From Everyone When Funding Your Startup Read More »
SoundExchange is a nonprofit collective management organization. This organization collects and distributes digital performance royalties to featured artists and copyright holders.
What is SoundExchange? Why Should an Independent Artist Join SoundExchange? Read More »
Whenever your song is played on the radio or TV, streamed online, or performed live, you are owed performance royalties. These royalties are paid as license fees to a Performance Rights Organization (PRO), which then distributes the payments to its member songwriters, composers, and publishers. If you are actively involved in releasing music to the public, you are eligible to join these organizations. Joining one of these PRO’s in today’s music environment is so simple that it almost doesn’t make sense to join one.
What is a Performing Rights Organization and Why Independent Musicians Should Join One Read More »
Registering a corporation is not as difficult as you may think. If you properly prepare and take steps to ensuring you managing all the essential requirements to forming a corporate entity, the entire process will be relatively painless. In this post, we identify 10 important steps an entrepreneur should consider when forming a corporation in New York.
10 Step Guide to Forming a Corporation in New York Read More »
When starting a business, there are certain considerations that need to be taken into account. These are 5 steps you need to consider taking when starting your own business.
A trademark may be able to protect your book title, but it is more difficult than you think. Generally, a trademark typically will not be granted to protect a book title, there are some exceptions. You may be able to obtain trademark protection of your book title if your title is distinctive enough, a part of a series, or an overall part of your brand.
Can You Trademark a Book Title? Understanding the Basics and Exceptions Read More »
