Copyright Questions: Song Lyrics in Articles

This is one of a series of questions submitted by attendees of the Copyright, Common Mistakes and Myths Webinar and answered by Laura N. Gasaway, author of Pocket Copyright Guide for Publishers.

Question: We have some journal authors who like to quote song lyrics. How should we approach this?

Answer: As with quoting other material, the amount quoted makes a big difference. Lots of old ballads have very long lyrics while pop music has many fewer with much repetition. So, assume that it is only a line or two from a long ballad. That is likely a fair use. But if it is a few lines from a pop tune, then permission is likely required. Typically, publishers require authors to get the permission, although some publishers offer assistance with this.  

More Copyright Questions