music copyright laws

Trogdor

Hi,
Not sure if this is the right forum, so mods feel free to move this, if there's somewhere more appropriate.
I was wondering about music in videos, is it legal just to use any music you like. Take youtube for example, nearly every video wil have music that is copyrighted, is there a law against this?
Does anyine know?
Thanks in advance,
Trogdor

Irish Wolf

Interesting question - I was wondering the same thing.. I'm guessing that if it's not commercial then there's not a problem..

I remember reading something that a band doesn't necessarily have to be paid royalties if their song is used in a television programme - but they do if it's in a commercial..

Entirely open to correction of course..

JC 2K3

AFAIK using any copyrighted song in any video on Youtube without permission is illegal.

That said, no one generally cares.

John

Technically, no, you can't use whatever music you want. The recording copyright is owned by someone and to use that recording you have to pay for it. I know the BBC have a department/office/whatever that you can contact if your music has been used in any of their programs/ads and claim your cheque from. There is no real enforcement for small things like youtube, home made stuff, etc. but by rights you have to pay to play that music.

Bukman13

JC 2K3 wrote:

That said, no one generally cares.

haha...:D

i cant see any "artist" looking through millions of videos on places like youtube, and if so they would find it very hard to track these users down...

Trogdor

Thanks, does it make any difference if the artisit is credited or not, i was thinking that i better take these videos down or do you reckon theres any real risk?
http://www.brayweather.com/videos.html