When creating a release in Soundrop, you'll be asked to enter ℗ (phonographic copyright) and © (copyright) information. These fields identify who owns the rights to your recording and release.
The information you enter may be displayed on music platforms.
What does ℗ mean?
The ℗ line identifies the copyright owner of the sound recordings on your release. In most cases, if you recorded and released the music yourself, enter:
- the year the recording was released; and
- your artist name or legal name.
If you're signed to a record label or another party owns the sound recording, enter the appropriate rights holder instead.
What does © mean?
The © line identifies the copyright owner of the release as a whole, including elements such as the artwork and metadata. In most cases, independent artists can enter:
- the year the release was released; and
- their artist name or legal name.
If a record label or another party owns these rights, enter the appropriate rights holder instead.
What year should I enter?
For a new release, you'll usually enter the year the release is first published. If you're distributing music that was previously released, use the appropriate copyright year from the original release rather than automatically using the current year.
What should I enter for a cover song?
If you're recording a cover song, the ℗ and © information should refer to your recording and release, not the copyright owner of the original composition.
Don't enter the original songwriter, publisher, or other rights holder simply because you're covering their composition. The rights associated with the underlying composition are handled separately through the cover song licensing process.