You can search by title, writers, performers, publishers, work ID, or ISWC. By clicking on the name of the publishers/administrators for each composition, you may be able to get contact information including the address, phone number, or email address.

This database mostly includes information for compositions, but in addition to listing the writers and publishers/administrators for each composition, many listings also include the names of performers known to have made recordings of the works. If you want to find out who owns a copyright, try these online resources:ĪSCAP ACE Database – This is a go-to source of information about writers, performers, publishers, and alternate titles for copyrighted songs from both ASCAP and non-ASCAP affiliates. For many sound recordings, you'll probably need to contact record labels or artists/managers.

Copyrights for recordings are often owned or administered by record labels, although in some cases, artists may have retained or regained ownership of their recordings.

Many songwriters have agreements with publishers who either administer licensing or take ownership of the songs, so for many musical compositions, you'll be contacting a publisher.

Every recording has two individual copyrights. In many cases, you'll need to contact the both the copyright owner of the musical composition and the copyright owner of the specific recording you're using.

Here are some research resources to help you find out who owns those copyrights. But although we're often familiar with the artists who performed the songs, information about the copyright owners/administrators can be less readily available. Activities such as sampling and using music in a video make it necessary to contact and request licenses from the copyright owners of the songs and/or recordings. In many circumstances, musicians and producers find themselves needing to contact the copyright owners of a particular song or recording for permission to use music for something not covered by the standard licenses available through ASCAP, SESAC, BMI, or the Harry Fox Agency.

Copyright multiple songs at once