How to Copyright a Song (Lyrics, Melody & Recording)
A song actually contains two copyrights — the underlying composition and the recording of it. Here is how each is protected, how to register them, and how to timestamp a demo so you can prove who wrote what, and when.
A song is two copyrights
- The composition — the melody and lyrics. Registered with the U.S. Copyright Office on Form PA (Performing Arts).
- The sound recording — a specific recorded performance. Registered on Form SR.
If you wrote and recorded the track yourself, you may own both. If there are co-writers or a producer, ownership is split — which is exactly why dated proof matters.
Registering with the U.S. Copyright Office
File at copyright.gov, pay the fee, and upload the lyrics/lead sheet and/or audio. As with any work, registration is required before you can sue, and timely registration unlocks statutory damages.
The real danger: sharing demos and collaborating
Songs leak. You send a demo to a collaborator, a producer, a label, or post a clip online — and now multiple people have your melody and lyrics. Disputes over "who wrote the hook" are common and expensive.
A blockchain timestamp fixes the date cheaply. Drop your demo file, stems, or a lyric sheet into BlockchainSign; the SHA-256 fingerprint is computed in your browser and written to Ethereum. You get a lifetime certificate proving that exact file existed on that date — before you shared it. For co-writes, each writer can timestamp their contribution as it's created.