Are you violating music copyright law?With the popularity of the Internet, many people are violating music copyright law and don't even realize it. Music copyright law can be very complicated. There are several music copyrights you need to keep in mind: lyrics, composition, and recording of music by an artist. Using someone's music can involve acquiring many different licenses, such as mechanical, sync, performance, and publishing licenses. Music copyright law provides separate copyright for vocal or instrumental recordings of a composition or performance and copyright for written lyrics and music. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Standard music copyright practices usually mean that the author of the song retains the rights to the musical composition and the studio that recorded the music holds the rights to the recording. Music copyright law can get very complicated. It can involve negotiations with writers, producers, agents, heirs and more. Many artists and studios are shocked by declining music sales. They attribute this decline to people violating music copyright law by downloading music on the Internet. Music files are subject to the same copyright law as music recordings, and the owners of these copyrights are entitled to royalties or compensation for music that people illegally download on the Internet. The simple fact is that you are stealing if you make copies of copyrighted music recordings without permission to do so. If people were sued for music they downloaded illegally, the result could be thousands of dollars. Music copyright law states that it is illegal to duplicate and distribute creative work. If you send someone an email with a song you downloaded illegally on the Internet, you could get into serious trouble. To put it plainly and bluntly, if you download (or upload) copyrighted music without permission, you are breaking the law. Many people violate music copyright laws and don't even understand why their actions are criminal. If you buy a music CD you can make a copy of it on your MP3. However, if you then use that recording and put it on your website or blog and make it available for everyone to download, you are committing an illegal act. Even if you sign up to a site and pay a fee to download music, you are violating music copyright law. It might feel like something that will never come back to haunt you again. After all, if you were caught, it would be your first time committing a crime, right? Well, you should know that there have been first-time offenders who have been fined up to $250,000 and up to five years in prison for violating music copyright law. Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized document from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay It's much easier to go out and pay 20 bucks for a CD. Whether you're uploading or downloading music, learn about music copyright laws. No one wants to ruin their financial future and face prison time. Enjoy the music, do it right!