Do This Before Releasing Your Music

Do This Before Releasing Your Music

How to Properly Copyright Your Music and Avoid Common Myths

Before you upload your song to Spotify or shoot that new music video — there’s one step every artist needs to take: copyrighting your music.

In this blog, I’ll break down what copyright actually is, why the "poor man’s copyright" is a myth, how to legally protect your music, and a secret tip at the end that could save you time and money.

Let’s go.

0:00 – Intro

Thousands of artists release music every day — but most don’t protect their work. That leaves them wide open to theft, lawsuits, and missed income.

Don’t be that artist. Start with copyright.

0:37 – Welcome To The Stripper Game Intro

This series is designed to equip you with the real music business knowledge you need to thrive — no fluff, no gatekeeping. Just straight game.

0:46 – What is Copyright?

Copyright is a legal protection that gives the creator of original work (like your song) the exclusive rights to:

  • Reproduce

  • Distribute

  • Perform

  • License

  • Profit from their work

When you write and record a song, it’s automatically copyrighted — BUT that’s not enough. You need to register it to legally enforce those rights.

1:13 – Poor Man Copyright

Let’s kill a myth:
Sending yourself a copy of your music in the mail is NOT a valid copyright method.

That’s called the “Poor Man’s Copyright” — and it has no legal standing in court.

Courts don’t care if you mailed yourself a CD or emailed an MP3. If it’s not registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, it won’t protect you.

1:45 – Registering Your Music

To protect your music properly, go to copyright.gov and register your work.

You’ll need:

  • Your full legal name

  • Song title(s)

  • Audio file or sheet music

  • Payment for the filing fee

Once processed, you’ll get a certificate of registration — the only proof that holds up in legal situations.

1:54 – Copyright.gov Prices

As of now, the filing fees are:

  • $45 for a single author, single work (online)

  • $65 for standard registration (up to 10 songs)

This small investment could save you thousands if someone tries to copy your music.

2:16 – Do We Need To Copyright Music?

Short answer: Yes. Absolutely.

If you ever plan to:

  • Distribute your music

  • License it for films or TV

  • Collect performance or mechanical royalties

  • Take legal action against theft

…then you need a copyright.

It’s the foundation of music ownership — and a crucial business move.

💡 Secret Tip

Batch your songs.
Instead of registering one song at a time, you can register multiple songs together under one application (if they were created by the same author and not previously published). This will save money and time.

Final Thoughts

Before you drop your next single or album, take 10 minutes and protect your work.

Copyright isn’t just for major artists — it’s for anyone who creates music and wants to own it legally.

✅ Register at copyright.gov
✅ Ignore the “poor man’s copyright” myth
✅ Batch your songs to save money
✅ Keep proof of your registration safe

Your music is your intellectual property — treat it like gold.

🎥 Watch the full video here: Do This Before Releasing Your Music

 

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