Copyright Laws: New Legislation



Copyright Laws are the building blocks upon which intellectual property rights are created and it is from these property rights that musicians, composers, artists and authors derive their income. Thus, it is important for these individuals to become familiar with basic copyright concepts to protect their art. To obtain a basic understanding of the copyright process and copyright laws, musicians, composers, artists and authors may want to explore Terry Carroll’s useful in-depth Copyright FAQ which explores and answers many basic copyright issues and questions. Unfortunately, this FAQ is currently offline. Read in conjunction with Brad Templeton’s 10 Big Myths About Copyright Explained, musicians, composers, artists and authors should have a basic understanding about what is, and isn’t, permitted in creating his or her music, art or writings and how best to protect it.

A more detailed overview of actual federal copyright statutes may be found by visiting the law collection at Cornell University’s Legal Information Institute. This overview is from Cornell University’s more comprehensive collection of 17 U.S.C. Sections 101 – 810 (U.S. Copyright Act) .