COPYRIGHT SERVICES

QUESTIONS

AND ANSWERS

What is copyrighting?

Copyrighting acts as your proof in a court of law that you are the original creator of a piece of music or lyrical content.
Imagine you have finally written that hit record, and someone else claims to have written it. Without a copyright to that song you may have a very hard time proving that you were the original creator. Similarly, someone else uses parts of your song in a composition and claims it as their own. You will need proof to dispute it.

So how does it work?

If two people claim to have written the same song, the person who can prove beyond doubt that they wrote it first will be awarded with ownership. Therefore, it is vital to have a tamper-proof dated product to use in court.

Can I do it myself?

Yes. You can enclose your music and/or lyrics in a self-addressed envelope and send it to yourself. The date on the stamp will be your proof of date. It is vital you never open this package unless it goes to court.

So why use a copyright service?

There are several advantages when using a copyright service:
1. When using a self-addressed envelope, you are relying on the clarity of the date stamp which can get smudged or illegible. We clearly mark the submission date on your certificate and date stamp each page and CD.
2. Using an independent source for your copyrighting gives you a witness to your copyright claim.
3. If you copyright a lot of tracks you will build up a big pile of envelopes and chances are you won't know which tracks are where. Once you open an envelope the copyright becomes invalid. Our service will provide you with a clear sealed envelope, with all tracks listed to view and the copyright date clearly marked on your certificate. Easy to find and no need to open until a court case.

How much does it cost?

Our fees are simple. £15 per album for up to 15 tracks. This can also be for 15 separate tracks put onto 1 CD.
OR An annual membership fee of £50 for an unlimited number of copyright submissions.

Can I only copyright tracks I have written?

Yes. We will only copyright songs written or co-written by the person who has paid our fee. If tracks have been co-written you will need to list all names & addresses of co-writers, including the account holder's, and it will be assumed that the copyright will be split equally between all names listed.

When should I copyright my material?

As soon as you have written a lyric or recorded a song in a version that you will put online, sell, give away or put out to the public in any way. If someone wants to steal your lyric or music they can themselves copyright it from the date they hear it.

What happens if someone else tries to make a claim against one of my songs?

First contact a solicitor. DO NOT OPEN YOUR COPYRIGHT PACKAGE! Contact Sky-Rocket and inform us that there is a pending counter-claim and we will act as an official witness for you. Give the package unopened to your solicitor to prove your case. If you are the original writer of the track in question, then this is usually enough proof for any case to be dropped.

Do you keep copies of my copyrighted material?

No. We don't. So it is important that you store your copyright packages carefully. We do keep a copy of all issued certificates on file and will act as witness that the list of tracks sent to us was indeed submitted and checked. But without the package sent to you cannot be certain to win a claim.

How do I apply?

What’s next?

Click here to view copyright instructions.