What exactly is "selling rights"?

[mjr]

What does it mean when you sell "rights" to your song?

If I have a song that's copyrighted, and entity "A" wants to buy the "rights" to that song, what exactly are they buying? Am I still allowed to use my song however I want, since it's copyrighted to me?

Is it more of a licensing thing, where I'm granting them a license of some type to use my song?

How does that work? If someone could explain or send me to a good link, that would be great!

 

[DavidK]

Its a battle of semantics, but you want to use the word "license". If you sign away the "rights" you do not own the song anymore.

I do not own my upcoming CD, the record label does. I am very pleased with the deal, the company and my cut, but I assume all companies are not like this.

We have already "licensed" a song to a designer. He is allowed to use it own his website for ten years. He cant do anything else with it, he can only use it for one website. My record company has the "rights" to the song, he has a license to legally use the song.

 

[bknot1]

it means actually waht is say..you selling all your rights to your music..Copyrights and all..You should never sell your right to your music unless the give you enough money that you feel is good..but you must realize if they willing to pay that much..then they expext the song to make 10 times that..

Like DK said..you want to give the the right to use"license" your music...it return you will be able to get something on the backend and you are credited for the work..

and you should talk to the people that wants to song/track and find out what do they exactly mean..hope we help you

 

[VomitHatSteve]

Read the contract. If there isn't a contract, then just leave that deal alone.

A contract should outline everything that selling the rights entails. It would probably be a good idea to have your lawyer go over it with you.