Resources
With over 100 years of combined collaborative music industry experience, the IndieForte team has gathered information and gleaned knowledge from various sources such as music publishers, composers, songwriters, music attorneys, A&R, music publications, books , etc. and make them available below for your convenience.
How to Your Music on Instagram
Before any songwriter allows someone to perform their song in public or release it to the public via Instagram, TikTok, Soundcloud, Youtube or any DSP, their song should be copyrighted in the country of origin. In the USA, the government agency assigned to protect intellectual works is The Library of Congress.
Recently sites like Songuard have launched a new service in which to register a music composition or song to provide some level of protection as a less expensive option than registering your works with the Library of Congress. Please note that as of Jan 2024 there has not been any court cases in which the owner of an IP (intellectual property) used Songuard to protect their IP so the viability of Songuard is still undetermined. Registering with The Library of Congress is still the best method of protection from IP theft. By registering with the Library of Congress you also have the added protection of $150,000.00 USD for each claim against your song plus full reimbursement of legal fees. It’s best to be protected in the legitimate manner.
Lawyers
As in any business which deals with property ownership and contracts it is best to seek excellent legal counsel before entering into any agreement. Protect yourself! We wholeheartedly recommend these esteemed lawyers to help guide you on your musical journey.
Al Staehely, Music Lawyer – Houston, TX www.music-lawyer.com/
Erin M. Jacobson, Esq. – Los Angeles, CA www.themusicindustrylawyer.com
Krystle Delgado, Music Attorney – Los Angeles, CA /Scottsdale, Az www.topmusicattorney.com
In assistance to the music industry, Ms. Krystle Delgado also hosts a podcast on YouTube covering a myriad of topics regarding thw music business from exposing distribution aggregators such as Tunecore, Distrokid, CDBaby, etc to explaining copyright law. These podcasts arena must see for anyone in the busines of making music. Check them out! https://youtube.com/@topmusicattorney?si=AHOFtYeu8nUVXFTz