Infringement or Legal Claim

An infringement claim in the music industry arises when someone alleges that their copyrighted work—such as a song, melody, lyrics, or beat—has been used without proper authorization. Music creators, producers, and rights holders can file these claims to protect their intellectual property and to ensure they’re properly compensated for their work.

Here’s a breakdown of what infringement claims typically involve:

1. Copyright Ownership
   To file an infringement claim, the claimant must prove they hold the copyright to the original work. This ownership gives them exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, perform, and make derivative works from their music.
2. Evidence of Similarity or Copying
   The claim must demonstrate that the disputed work closely resembles or directly copies the original. This often includes analyzing melodies, chord progressions, lyrics, or other distinctive elements that make the music unique.
3. Intentional or Unintentional Infringement
   Infringement can be either intentional or accidental. Unintentional infringement may happen if an artist unknowingly creates a similar melody or rhythm. However, copyright law holds that infringement can occur regardless of intent.
4. Consequences of Infringement
   If an infringement claim is upheld, the consequences can include monetary damages, royalties, or even a court order stopping further use of the infringing work. In some cases, the infringer may be required to pay the original creator a share of the profits from the song or project.
5. Fair Use and Defenses
   Some defenses against infringement claims include fair use, independent creation, or de minimis use (where the similarity is minimal and doesn’t impact the original work). Fair use applies if the new work is transformative, like in parodies or certain educational uses.

Infringement claims are essential to ensuring artists and rights holders are protected, but they can be complex and subjective. Many musicians and industry professionals seek legal advice to navigate these claims, especially as music creation becomes more collaborative and globally accessible.

Submit an Infringement or Legal Claim
Please complete the form below to submit a claim of infringement or any other legal matter.

We recommend consulting a legal professional before submitting this form, as the information you provide may have legal implications.

Our Infringements Team will review your submission and reach out to you using the email address provided.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

First

Last

Email *

you your name,

Company *

Where are you located?

What is your relationship to the rightsholder? *I am the rightsholderI am an authorized agent of the rightsholder

What type of infringement claim would you like to report? *Sound RecordingCompositionTrademarkInstrumental

URL(s) of the infringing product * Store links of the infringing release *

Infringing product metadata * Please include artist name, release/ track title and any other relevant metadata *

URL of your product Store links of your release *

Your product metadata Please include your own artist name, release/ track title, and any other metadata if applicable *

Is there anything else We should know about you?

By submitting this form, you are certifying to the following statements: *

• I state, under penalty of perjury, that I am the owner of the exclusive right that is allegedly infringed, or an authorized agent for the rightsholder.
• I state that I have a good faith belief that use of the work(s) in the manner complained of is not authorized by the rightsholder, its agent, or the law. (e.g. fair use)
• I state, under penalty of perjury, that the information in this notification is accurate.
• I understand and agree that my contact information and/or claim may be passed to the alleged infringing party, and retained as long as required for legal purposes.
• I understand that submitting a fraudulent report or engaging in other misuse of this process may result in legal consequences and/or revocation of my right to use this tool.

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