Publishing song lyrics.

[-db-]

Hello.

If I want to publish a web site with the lyrics to all the songs from one particular artist, what (if anything) do I need to research and check on? These days it seems lyrics are being published everywhere, but I want to make sure I do everything by the book.

 

[DNQuest.com]

People seem to be speeding everywhere on the freeway - Can I speed too?

Lyrics are copyrighted and it is best to get permission to publish them.

 

[labrocca]

Occassionally the record companies throw a fit and shut down some lyric sites. It's infringment but it's so rampant that it's uncontrollable. You are at risk if your site becomes a top 10 lyric site. I suggest you whois guard...and find a host that is in a country with loose laws concerning this issue.

imho...don't bother with it

 

[-db-]

Guys, thanks for the replies.

People seem to be speeding everywhere on the freeway - Can I speed too?

That's not at all what I was asking (or saying). I understand the speeding analogy, but it doesn't apply to me or this case, because I would not build the site in the first place, unless I have permission or the right to do so. I have no intention of violating any copyrights.

I want to do everything properly, hence my "by the book" comment in my original post.

Lyrics are copyrighted and it is best to get permission to publish them.

From where do I get the permission.... I suppose that's the question.

A bit more information... the artist has been deceased for many years, so I'm wondering who to get permission from. Since there were many record companies involved during the artist's career, I'm not sure where to start.

Perhaps the estate or family?

 

[labrocca]

Start here:
http://www.harryfox.com/index.jsp

Or here:

http://www.riaa.com/default.asp

 

[-db-]

Jesse, thank you very much!

I'm completely clueless about this, and wasn't sure where to start.

 

[Peter]

if the artist have their own official website you could try contacting the webmaster. Alot of bands have close links to the webmaster of their websites and they should be able to pass on the request (the band members themselves may have contact details on the site and you could contact them directly).