Use of Playlist on my Website

[user-removed]

Hello, I have a quick question: I am an author, and I had this cool idea of creating playlists with songs that give my readers the feel for each of my books. My thought was to compile these songs into playlists and then embed these playlists on my book pages on my website. The songs I thought of using are not my own.

I was just wanting to know: is this legal, or will I be opening myself up for copyright infringement lawsuits?

[ADAMAS4K]

JScottBryant,

Hello, it seems like you have a fantastic idea and opportunity to offer your readers a way to immersively experience the voice and depth of your work through additional media.  Personally, if your work is unpublished/marketed, I would not be too concerned. With that said, if you decide to publish your work, I highly suggest getting usage permissions. Getting permissions will save you the headache of legal retaliation and fees that may occur otherwise. Sometimes it's better to be safe than sorry.

Please see below for ways to get song permissions

For those wanting to use another's song, see if the song is still protected by copyright by visiting www.copyright.gov. All copyright documentation since 1978 is available on that website. Before that, you may need to get in touch with the U.S. Copyright Office and may have to pay to have your records checked. Additionally, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) or Broadcast Music, Inc. may be able to direct you to the rightful holder of the copyrights (BMI). While neither of the two major performance rights organizations will actually grant permission, they can point you in the direction of the publisher of the songs in question. The next step is to seek the approval of the rights holder. He might give you the rights for nothing, he might make you work for them, or he might have other conditions. This is entirely up to the discretion of the music publisher. 

In most cases, permissions are unnecessary unless and until your work is set for publication. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that your publisher might be able to help you get the necessary permissions. In most cases, publishers will send authors permission instructions and forms.

Hope this helps 🙂