1. Federal copyright protection for sound recordings started post-February 15, 1972. The Music Modernization Act brings in a new type of copyright coverage for sound recordings produced before this date but doesn't offer complete protection federally. Consequently, the usual federal copyright formalitiRead more

    Federal copyright protection for sound recordings started post-February 15, 1972. The Music Modernization Act brings in a new type of copyright coverage for sound recordings produced before this date but doesn’t offer complete protection federally. Consequently, the usual federal copyright formalities are not necessary for sound recordings fixed prior to February 15, 1972. Identifying the exact date of these older recordings can be tough without a copyright indication. Assistance can be found in resources such as the Discography of American Historical Recordings, the Library of Congress’s Recorded Sound Research Center, the National Jukebox, and the Internet Archive’s Great 78 Project.

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