You've got a song you're proud of, and you're ready to hear it come to life in the studio. But before you spend time and money on a professional demo, it's worth asking: Have I done everything I can to tighten the writing?
by SongwriterDemoService Staff | August, 8, 2025.
If you've written a song, your next thought is probably: How do I protect it? Unfortunately, many songwriters put this off—not because they don't value their work, but because they're trying to avoid the $45 filing fee with the U.S. Copyright Office. Others fall into the trap of using unofficial services that promise "instant protection" and cheap copyright options. Here's what counts.
Copyright exists the moment your song is created and fixed in a tangible form—like a lyric sheet, recording, or lead sheet. But that alone won't help you in a legal dispute.
To sue for infringement or collect damages, you need official registration with the U.S. Copyright Office. That's the only legal body recognized by the courts. Period.
No. As you've just read, the moment you "fix" your song, it is technically under copyright. That means, for example, if you write or type your lyrics on paper or in a digital document, that's a tangible form. if you sing your melody and record it into your phone, that's also a tangible form.
Likewise, if you were to play guitar or piano, and sing your lyrics and melody, demonstrating your song, that rough, work recording right there is all you need. You could submit that to the copyright office. If that recording contains your final melody and lyrics—that's all that matters for US Copyright registration.
Generally speaking, according to the Copyright Office, the only elements of a song protected under copyright are the lyrics and the melody (meaning, main melody, aka topline melody).
Chord progressions are not part of copyright, as those are viewed as being defined by and a product of the melody. It gets a little nitpicky when we are talking about forms of music where, for example, a guitar riff is a big part of the song. Then it becomes more of a melodic motif and is treated as part of the melody. I'm not a music attorney, so I'm not going to get too deep in the weeds on that.
For our purposes, to repeat, what's most important to know is that the lyrics and the melody that is sung to the lyrics (called words and music on the copyright form) are the copyrightable elements of a song.
Some online companies offer to "protect" your song for a lower price than the Copyright Office. Others sell "song vaults." None of these alternatives is legally enforceable. If you end up in a copyright dispute and haven't registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, your options are limited—and you may not be able to take legal action at all.
Another method often recommended to add protection for songs without the expense of U.S. Copyright Registration is to mail a copy of your song(s) to yourself via registered mail and never open it.
The idea is that by sending an envelope containing your songs via registered mail, you have an official date from the US Postal Service, which includes a stamp along the seal of the envelope, and you also have a receipt for the transaction. As long as you never open the envelope and don't break the seal, the date is considered valid. But when you open that envelope, that date becomes null and void (much like when you remove specific stickers on electronics that void your warranty).
I had the unfortunate experience of having an individual try to steal a song from me. I already had a copyright on the song. Unknown to me, this individual used my own demo recording to file a copyright in their name! (I say "their" because the individual's and another person's names were on the copyright form, as if they were co-writers). Luckily, for this particular song, I had sent myself a "poor man's copyright," and it turned out to make all the difference.
In a pretrial meeting between my lawyers and the attorneys for the defendants, we presented my "poor man's copyright." I forget the exact legal term or situation (I'm a songwriter, not an attorney), so I will say "a representative of the court" was there to unseal and reseal the envelope in a manner that, legally, would be as if it were never opened. My date would still be valid if we were unable to settle the matter and had to go to court, where it would be reopened again before the judge.
The defendants were not prepared for what happened. They expected a recording to be played. What I hadn't told anyone was that the envelope contained not only a recording of the song, but also my lyric sheets. However, the crucial thing was that I had taken the additional step of getting my lyric sheets notarized. This put yet another earlier date on the songs. Four years earlier, to be exact! With this proof, they realized they had no case and surrendered their copyright claim.
Key takeaway: My story might lead you to consider implementing a "poor man's copyright" in addition to obtaining actual copyrights on all your songs. However, there are other, better ways to provide proof of authorship without using registered mail. And besides, registered mail has become expensive, so a "poor man's copyright" isn't necessarily for the poor any longer!
➡️ Must read: Protect Your Songs from Day One: How to Document Your Song's Creation
Next, let's clear up the confusion and show you how to copyright your songs legally, affordably, and in a way that holds up in court.
Yes, the fee is currently $45 (as of the time of writing) for a single song. But there's a lesser-known method for how to copyright a song that allows you to save money without cutting any legal corners, offering the same protection:
The U.S. Copyright Office 🌐↗ allows songwriters to register multiple unpublished songs as a single collection. This means:
To qualify:
It's an ideal strategy if you write songs frequently and want to protect your work every few months without incurring a significant expense.
Many publishing companies use this same method to reduce expenses. Once they are about to place a song with an artist, they will invest the money to register the song individually.
Let's put this in perspective: if you wrote a hit song today and didn't register it, someone else could copy and monetize your idea—leaving you with zero leverage in court. Spending $45 for peace of mind, potential future earnings, and legal ownership is a smart business move.
⚠️ CRITICAL: If you ever want to license, pitch, or distribute your song, having it properly registered is essential.
As a songwriter, your creations are your most valuable asset. Don't rely on gimmicks or shortcuts that leave you vulnerable. Registering your songs as a group is the most affordable and legally valid way to secure your rights—without bypassing the law.
Before sending your song to a producer, publisher, or demo service, ensure it is appropriately protected and copyrighted.
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