In this course taught by E. Michael Harrington, you will learn the basis for copyright including what is and is not covered by copyright law. This course will help clarify what rights artists have as creators as well as what the public is free to take from their work. You will also learn what to do if someone copies your work and what to do if you are accused of copying someone else. Finally, the course will discuss how technology has changed copyright for the better (and worse) and how copyright laws may change in the coming years.
Copyright Law in the Music Business
Give your career the gift of Coursera Plus with $160 off, billed annually. Save today.
Copyright Law in the Music Business
This course is part of multiple programs.
Instructor: Dr. E. Michael Harrington
16,771 already enrolled
Included with 
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8
(677 reviews)
Beginner level
Recommended experience
Flexible schedule
Approx. 9 hours
Learn at your own pace
98%
Most learners liked this course
What you'll learn
Explain the six exclusive rights of copyright law
Describe the concept of Fair Use and know when it applies and when it doesn't
Describe the various aspects involved in a copyright lawsuit
Differentiate between the composition copyright and the sound recording copyright
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
Shareable certificate
Add to your LinkedIn profile
Assessments
9 assignments
Taught in English
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Build your subject-matter expertise
This course is available as part of
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be asked to select a specific program.
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
There are 5 modules in this course
Welcome! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.
What's included
1 video3 readings1 assignment
In this first lesson, we’ll start with the basics—what is copyright? What does it cover and who is it for? We’ll discuss the six exclusive rights granted to creators by the copyright law as well as the difference between copyright, trademarks, and patents. We’ll also discuss how to leverage the six exclusive rights as a creator to use the copyright law to your benefit.
What's included
6 videos1 reading2 assignments
In this lesson, we’ll take a look at copyright law in practice. We’ll begin by discussing the benefits and the potential legal pitfalls of a cowriting relationship. We’ll also discuss the concept of fair use and identify examples of fair use in copyright. We’ll take a look at the concept of independent creation and how that affects you as a creator. Finally, we’ll discuss the public domain and learn how works enter, leave, and return to the public domain.
What's included
7 videos3 readings2 assignments
Sampling is commonplace in popular music today and this lesson focuses on the legal side of this popular creative process. We’ll define the difference between a composition copyright and a sound recording copyright and how they function. We’ll take a closer look at sampling from a legal perspective and compare it to another popular practice called replay (also known as interpolation). Finally, we’ll discuss the current legal arguments around the practice of sampling and how they affect you as an artist.
What's included
6 videos1 reading2 assignments
In this final lesson, we’ll take a deeper look at copyright law and litigation—the roles of lawyers and judges, the mechanics of a copyright lawsuit, and the various ways that copyright issues can be resolved.
What's included
6 videos2 readings2 assignments
Instructor
Instructor ratings
4.9 (160 ratings)Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Business Strategy
University of Pennsylvania
Berklee
Why people choose Coursera for their career
Felipe M.
Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
Chaitanya A.
"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."
Learner reviews
Showing 3 of 677
4.8
677 reviews
- 5 stars
85.98%
- 4 stars
11.50%
- 3 stars
2.06%
- 2 stars
0.29%
- 1 star
0.14%
New to Business Strategy? Start here.
Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 7,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy
Frequently asked questions
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.