Music Industry

[caption id="attachment_2157" align="alignright" width="300"] Just a few of the most recognizable trademarks in the world.[/caption] If you're going to pursue a career in music, you absolutely have to know the legal concepts of trademark and copyright law so that your music, band name and similar materials (such as logos, symbols, etc.) are protected from other players looking to mooch off your hard work and creativity. Essentially, copyright and trademark are two types of intellectual property rights that grants creators, owners or inventors of the “property” protection from unauthorized use. Trademark more specifically takes care of distinctive brand signifiers such as logos, words, names, symbols, sounds and even colors that are used to distinguish a certain product or service by their “brand.” Think of McDonald’s and their Golden Arch; although its technically just a big, yellow letter M, people around the world can take one look at it and automatically know hamburgers are near. Copyright on the other hand protects specific creative works such as a song, essay or painting. I’m sure by now you’re getting the picture that you’re going to have to be dealing with both. Continue reading →