Can you record cover songs without a license if the song is more than 20 or 30 years old?
86916
Nope, you must obtain permission, or risk a lawsuit.
774039
In short, if you are in the US, ... NO.\n\nRadio stations require advertising or subscriptions to help pay the fees for playing copyrighted music.  That doesn't change whether you are making money off of it or not.
1161287
I worked in a retail store so I actually know this one! The store is sent CD's of "pre-approved songs". Just ask the manager. But the CD's are made especially for retail, so they may or may not let you burn the CD. The place I worked at plated ONLY Frank Sinatra.. GOOD GOD!
1155283
You can't.  Unless an artist or record company is promoting a new album or something and offers a free download on their website.  It happens a lot.  I know that Incubus has offered free downloads on their website before.  Other than that, FILE SHARING, COPYING OR DOWNLOADING OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT, IS NOT LEGAL PERIOD.  \n\nIt's interesting that not that long ago, people were listening to music on cassette tape and copying cassette tapes was just as prevalent as file sharing of mp3s is today.  The difference is that the quality of a copied tape was no where near as good as the original, so the record companies and artists didn't feel as threatened.  Nowadays, the quality of these copied files is nearly identical to the original CD.  It's also much easier to download only the songs you like, as opposed to buying an entire CD for one or two good songs.  It's caused CD sales to drop significantly.  That's why these legality issues have become so hyped up.  It's all about the bottom line profit for the record companies and artists. \n\nSo while you can download music for free through something like Kazaa or Limewire...it is totally NOT LEGAL.  All of these services state that their service is only to be used to download non-copyrighted material or material where the "owners" have given their permission to share.  As an example, many garage bands use Limewire to get their music out into the masses and heard.  It's their music so the have every right to share it and they want you to download it for free now...in the hopes that sometime in the future you will buy it when they get a recording contract.  ;-)\n\nI will also warn you that several people as young as 11, have been prosecuted civilly for illegal file sharing.  These record companies have hired high-power attorneys and investigators to scan these file sharing sites for IP addresses they can then target.  They nail people at random, but they want to make examples out of these people.  Read all about it at http://www.riaa.com/issues/piracy/riaa.asp and http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/#114407412140982469 .
418259
You need to go about getting liscenced by the major record labels (which can be quite expensive, as I am currently going thru this), or use a site like live365 (last source cited) which offers a bundle pack that does it automatically. \n\nIt really depends on your budget and level of internet expertise. You can do it pretty cheap, though.
432109
You cannot do this legally (in the US anyway, due to the DMCA of 1998).  The iTunes songs are DRM-crippled and you are denied access to your normal rights to fair use.
1134443
Hi...\nHere's a link that will walk you through the process of copyrighting your music. \n\nhttp://www.copyright.gov/register/sound.html\n\nIt's not that expensive, but if these are the first songs you have written you may want to consider whether you want to invest the money into copywriting them. Unless you have someone wanting to record them immediately, you may want to keep writing until you think you have finally written a "hit" record. I would suggest having someone from the industry review your music to see if you actually want to spend money right now.\n\nIf they tell you that the songs aren't ready, don't take it as a dis... buckle down and write more songs. It takes most songwriters many attempts to get to a point to where their music is on a professional level.\n\nHope that helps.\n\nKeep on rockin' in the free world....\nDoc
708262
Yes you can do that if it is not copyright protected.\nE
139570
If you are legally downloading songs from a music store or source that is paid, no.\n\nIf you illegally download free music, you could possibly be fined.  The RIAA has been pursuing suits against illegal downloads, and there are many cases that are currently in process.
890736
No you don't own the copyright to the songs. They still belong to the performer.\n\nYou do however have the right to make a copy to your PC, ipod etc. However, if you then give the CD away then you should get rid of the copy as well. \n\nthat is how the law now or soon will work in Australia. It is called format shifting and as long as you own the original you can have a copy of it somewhere else.\n\nso you can't buy a CD for a friend at Xmas, copy it for yourself and then give it away, you must own the CD.
1083589
that's a fancy way of saying that the music license will not allow the file to be burned to CD.\n\nNow, if you were to analog record the music with a program like Wavepad and then burn it to CD, i guess there would be no way to stop you...\n\nremoving DRM from music is illegal.  creating unprotected recorded copies IS perfectly legal (so long as you actually own the music legally).
889449
with folk songs, the words are likely to have been passed down the generations orally, so there won't be an actual author to hold the copyright.\n\nI suppose you could try entering a phrase from each song into a search engine and see if it comes up with an author, but it'll be very time consuming.\n\nContact a folk club in your area and see if they have any ideas!
819084
There is no law preventing you recording your child's performance unless the copyright holders object.\n\nThis sort of nonsense makes me really cross - especially as you point out, you have no control over who the man allowed to do the filming gives copies to.\n\nI'd take your own video and film as normal. They're hardly going to eject you, are they?
1055040
i only know of 99 cents from itunes or just ask a freind to burn you songs\n\nhaha\n\nits legal (hopefully)
457343
yeah, it's illegal...\nbut you would attach a song just like any other file.
953704
It's been a while since I read up on this, but copyright law does allow for a "fair use" clause -- where if your production is a parody, or is for educational purposes, you should be ok.\n\nAnother thing is to contact the copyright holder and ask for permission.  I've done this several times in the past and to my surprise I've received said permission.
1164426
Not really, but our band did an up-tempo version (w/ jazz bassline) and the singer would go, "How old are you now, how old are you now..etc...."