I write music for a band. How do I get a music copyright?

If you wrote songs while you were a part of the band but you were not an employee of the band and you were not contracted explicitly in writing to write the songs and give the band the copyrights, then you still have the copyright on all the songs you wrote.

The songs were automatically protected by copyright the moment you wrote them. It is a common misconception that a copyright has to be registered. The mere creation of a creative work entitles you to a copyright over it. The songs thus remain your property unless

(A) you were employed by the band to write for them (meaning that you received a salary) and / or

(B) you signed a written contract with the band turning over all your copyright to them.

If these things have not happened, the songs are still yours. You can register for copyright under the Indian Copyright Act, 1957 as it is a subject matter in which copyright subsists in you under Section 13 of the Copyright Act.

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