Song Lyrics on stage during a performance

[madelin dominguez]

Jurisdiction

Florida

Do you need to clear and license song lyrics if used in the background of the stage while an artist is performing that song?

 

[army judge]

Do you need to clear and license song lyrics if used in the background of the stage while an artist is performing that song?

You can start educating yourself here:

Understand Music Royalties

Good luck.

 

[madelin dominguez]

Thanks, good page I'm familiar with those but the lyric reprint portion is the one I can't locate information on.

 

[adjusterjack]

Do you need to clear and license song lyrics if used in the background of the stage while an artist is performing that song?

I don't know what you mean. If the artist is singing a song for which he has a license, then what is going on in the background that raises the question?

 

[Tax Counsel]

Do you need to clear and license song lyrics if used in the background of the stage while an artist is performing that song?

If the artist is projecting the text of the lyrics on a screen behind the artist while the artist is singing the song, that may well raise a problem. The license that the artist has to perform the song would need to include the right to project the lyrics as well as to sing the song.

 

[KatDini]

Sounds like Karaoke to me. I'd suggest looking up that kind of license.

 

[adjusterjack]

If the artist is projecting the text of the lyrics on a screen behind the artist while the artist is singing the song, that may well raise a problem. The license that the artist has to perform the song would need to include the right to project the lyrics as well as to sing the song.

Got it. Like this:

 

[zddoodah]

Do you need to clear and license song lyrics if used in the background of the stage while an artist is performing that song?

Not entirely clear what you're contemplating, but, assuming the song is not in the public domain, the copyright owner(s) have the exclusive right to do or license other to do the following things:

(1) to reproduce the copyrighted work in copies or phonorecords;
(2) to prepare derivative works based upon the copyrighted work;
(3) to distribute copies or phonorecords of the copyrighted work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending;
(4) in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works, to perform the copyrighted work publicly;
(5) in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, to display the copyrighted work publicly; and
(6) in the case of sound recordings, to perform the copyrighted work publicly by means of a digital audio transmission.

If the artist is projecting the text of the lyrics on a screen behind the artist while the artist is singing the song, that may well raise a problem. The license that the artist has to perform the song would need to include the right to project the lyrics as well as to sing the song.

I agree. Many public performance venues are covered by blanket licenses from ASCAP and BMI (which license upward of 90% of popular music in the U.S.), so no specific license would be needed, but that blanket license would not cover the display of lyrics on a screen or otherwise.