Copyright & Media Update 9/15/17

September 15, 2017

“We Shall Overcome” plaintiffs win key copyright ruling

BY JONATHAN STEMPEL: A U.S. judge handed challengers to copyrights for the civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome” a victory on Friday, ruling that the lyrics and melody of the song’s first verse do not qualify for copyright protection. READ MORE…

Breaking: Hundreds of Musicians & Songwriters Just Filed Legal Paperwork Against Spotify

BY PAUL RESNIKOFF: Spotify’s war with music publishers just got 100 times worse.  That’s because more than 100 notable musicians — including Tom Petty, Kenny Rogers, the Black Keys, and Zach De La Rocha — are filing legal paperwork to force Spotify to pay them more. READ MORE…

5 things you should do before you seek a music licensing deal

BY DAVE KUSEK: Getting your music licensed is a big undertaking. But the absolute LAST thing you want is to go through all the work of songwriting, researching, emailing, pitching, and following up, only to have the license fall through in the end because you didn’t have your copyrights and permissions set up. READ MORE…

Transformative or Derivative? KinderGuides Case Draws a Clear Line

BY TERRICA CARRINGTON: Early this year, Penguin Random House filed a lawsuit against the publishers of KinderGuides—a series of children’s books presenting “a condensed, simplified version” of classic American novels including Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Old Man and the Sea, On the Road, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The estates of Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, and other renowned authors and publishers were also plaintiffs in the suit. READ MORE…

About Christian Copyright Solutions: CCS’s quest is to help churches and Christian ministries “do music right.” CCS is an expert on church music copyrights and our primary focus is providing licensing and clear educational resources to churches, as well as representation, administration, and advocacy for copyright owners. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel.

Categorized in: , , , , , , ,