CMP Music Business and Copyright Law 2

Question 1

What is the duration of copyright protection for a sound recording created by an individual in the United States today?

Accepted Answer

Life of the author plus 70 years

Answer

95 years from publication

Answer

120 years from creation

Answer

28 years with one renewal

Question 2

A music producer signs a 'work made for hire' agreement with a label. Who owns the copyright?

Accepted Answer

The label owns the copyright as the employer

Answer

The producer retains full ownership

Answer

Ownership is split 50/50

Answer

The songwriter owns the underlying composition

Question 3

Which organization issues Mechanical Licenses for digital downloads in the United States through the Music Modernization Act?

Accepted Answer

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC)

Answer

ASCAP

Answer

BMI

Answer

SESAC

Question 4

What does a 'first use' doctrine mean in music copyright?

Accepted Answer

Once a song is commercially released, anyone can record it with a compulsory license

Answer

The first artist to record a song owns it forever

Answer

The first licensee has exclusive rights for 5 years

Answer

First-use grants a royalty-free license

Question 5

A producer samples 2 seconds of a drum loop without clearing it. What is the most likely legal risk?

Accepted Answer

Copyright infringement of both the composition and the sound recording

Answer

No risk because 2 seconds is below the legal threshold

Answer

Only trademark infringement applies to short samples

Answer

The producer is protected under the de minimis doctrine

Question 6

What is a 'sync license' used for in the music industry?

Accepted Answer

Permission to pair a musical composition with visual media

Answer

Synchronizing audio files across multiple streaming platforms

Answer

A license to perform music live at a synchronized event

Answer

Aligning royalty payments across multiple PROs

Question 7

Which of the following best describes 'moral rights' as they relate to US copyright law for music?

Accepted Answer

Moral rights in the US apply only to works of visual art, not music

Answer

US law grants full moral rights to all musical works

Answer

Moral rights allow songwriters to collect double royalties

Answer

Moral rights transfer automatically upon signing a publishing deal