How to Request Use of a Copyrighted Song
- 1). Determine whether copyright applies to a piece of work that you wish to use. Generally, music published after 1922 is subject to copyright laws. Some older works may have expired copyrights, however, in which case the work may be used without permission. Check with the U.S. Copyright Office to verify if the work is still under copyright.
- 2). Find out who holds the copyright on the song you are interested in. You can do this by contacting the National Music Publishers' Association. You can also check with various performing rights advocacy groups, like ASCAP, BMI and SESAC to see if the publisher is a member of that group. All of these organizations offer websites that you can search.
- 3). Contact the publisher in writing to request permission to use the song. Include the name of the organization you represent and the reason you wish to use it.
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