What is music entertainment law?

Any law that impacts how the music industry does business is part of music law. Music law includes any laws of any kind that apply to the business of creating, selling, performing and listening to music. Music law is a part of entertainment law.

What can you do with a law degree in the music industry?

Music Industry Lawyers handle many different aspects of their clients’ business. They draft and review touring, music distribution, music publishing and recording contracts for artists.

What is the law on copyright music?

The original copyright owner has an exclusive right to publish or release the first sound recording of a song. After that, all other performers have the right to cut their own version of the song. Under the law, the compulsory fee is paid through the Copyright Office to the copyright owners of the composition.

How does entertainment law work?

What Does an Entertainment Lawyer Do? Facilitating negotiations: Talent agents and entertainment lawyers often work together on behalf of their clients. They secure talent releases, advise their clients on jobs and contracts, and negotiate fee arrangements.

What is the copyright law on music?

Under current copyright law, the exclusive right to reproduce copyrighted works applies both to musical compositions and to sound recordings. The copyright owner of the musical composition — the songwriters — receives mechanical royalties for the reproduction and distribution of any recording of that composition.

What kind of law does the entertainment industry use?

For example, attorneys serving music industry clients often specialize in that sector. Similarly, other attorneys focus on television or film industry clients. Across all of the sectors, transactions arise in the development, financing, production, and distribution phases of an entertainment project.

What can I do with an entertainment law degree?

Entertainment lawyers are sometimes called on to evaluate financial plans, production budgets, business plans, and creative pitches. This experience can be valuable for moving from legal work to a business development or hybrid business/legal role, such as in the business affairs department of a studio or network.

What do entertainment lawyers do on the phone?

Depending on the project, entertainment lawyers can spend a lot of time on the phone or email with clients and opposing counsel to work through contract and deal issues and to solve problems related to production and other phases of an entertainment project.

Who is the entertainment lawyer at Century City?

In an article for Above The Law, Frank H. Wu offered insights into employment law that he gleaned from interviews with recent law graduates who worked at Century City. According to Wu, his interviewees agreed that networking remains paramount for entertainment lawyers at all stages of their careers.

Is it illegal to play music in your business?

Furthermore, you may only play this music in a non- commercial setting. You can listen to the songs to yourself as much as you like, but it is illegal to play in public. Playing the downloaded music in your business, however, would violate copyright law because the act is now considered a public performance.

Do you need a license to play music at work?

You must obtain a legal license in order to stream music at work. You can do so in a number of ways, such as by using a company that pays for those public performance licenses, like Cloud Cover Music. When you, as the business owner, acquire a license for a certain PRO, you can legally play the music from only that PRO’s catalog in your business.