A recorded song has two separate copyrights based on which elements?

A recorded song has two separate copyrights based on which elements?

• A. Lyrics and melody
• B. Sound recording and composition
• C. Performance and distribution
• D. Registration and distribution

Answer: (B)

Two separate copyrights exist in a recorded song: the sound recording and the underlying musical composition. The composition is the musical work itself — the lyrics and the melody — and is owned by the songwriters and their publisher. It covers rights to reproduce, distribute, and publicly perform the song as a work of music. The sound recording is the fixed recorded performance of that song — the specific take you hear on the recording — and is owned by the entity that produced the recording (often a record label or the performer under contract). It covers rights to reproduce and distribute that particular recording and to authorize its use in streams, downloads, and copies. Recognizing these two distinct works explains why licensing for a cover relies on the composition rights, while licensing the actual recorded version relies on the sound recording rights. The other options mix up the elements or refer to activities rather than distinct works.

Two separate copyrights exist in a recorded song: the sound recording and the underlying musical composition. The composition is the musical work itself — the lyrics and the melody — and is owned by the songwriters and their publisher. It covers rights to reproduce, distribute, and publicly perform the song as a work of music. The sound recording is the fixed recorded performance of that song — the specific take you hear on the recording — and is owned by the entity that produced the recording (often a record label or the performer under contract). It covers rights to reproduce and distribute that particular recording and to authorize its use in streams, downloads, and copies. Recognizing these two distinct works explains why licensing for a cover relies on the composition rights, while licensing the actual recorded version relies on the sound recording rights. The other options mix up the elements or refer to activities rather than distinct works.