Songwriters vs. the DOJ

Federal law governs the licensing of music and songwriter collections. In particular, sound compositions that are broadcasted over the public airways or performed in commercial…

The Case For SoundCloud

SoundCloud’s mission has been to offer a free-to-register music platform with little or no advertising. It has gained a reputation since its foundation in 2007…

GRD’s Failure

In the era of the Internet, it is still difficult to obtain information about the ownership and control of musical rights and works. This can…

The Copyright Hearings

For more than a year now the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet has been conducting a series of hearings as…

A DIY Playbook: I

Editor’s Note: This is the first of two installments dealing with DIY issues in music production, distribution, and promotion. The article will continue next time…

Copyright and Common Sense

In May of 1787, the top political figures of a fledgling United States met in Philadelphia to draft a Constitution. They judged artistic expression and…

Taking Stock of SXSW Music

South by Southwest (SXSW) is a music, film, and interactive festival and conference that is held annually in Austin, Texas. This most recent SXSW Music…