Owning the Masters: A History of Sound Recording Copyright

Record companies have derived contractual power and economic security. Their ownership places recording artists in an inferior legislative position, not only to the companies but also to their songwriting counterparts. Owning the Masters tells the story of sound recording copyright. It exposes the activities of record companies as they lobbied for this right and claimed it for themselves, and looks at the consequences of this ownership.

Sound recording copyright also affects music, resulting in distinctive regulations regarding the infringement, versioning and licensing of recorded works. It encourages recording artists to cast themselves as composers if they wish to use copyright as a means for artistic recompense. Yet copyright is complex and contestable. This book addresses the changing environment as artists increasingly assume ownership of their recordings. It utilizes the history of this copyright to point towards the future, exploring alternatives to the existing copyright regime.