Reproduction rights are one of the six exclusive rights granted by music copyright. This right gives the copyright holder the exclusive authority to make copies of their copyrighted work. In terms of music, this involves creating duplicates of a song or piece of music.
For a musical composition, this includes making physical copies of the sheet music, or digital copies such as MIDI files. For a sound recording, this includes making physical copies like CDs or vinyl records, as well as digital copies such as MP3 files or digital streaming formats.
Reproduction rights are fundamental to the music industry’s economic model, as they allow copyright holders to control and monetize the distribution of their work. Unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted music is considered copyright infringement, and can result in legal penalties.
These rights can be sold, transferred, or licensed to others by the copyright owner, usually through a contract. For example, a recording artist might grant reproduction rights to their record label, allowing the label to manufacture and sell copies of their album.
For more comprehensive information, refer to the Copyright.