'Copyright' is the term used for the ownership of a created work. You own copyright in a song as soon as you write it. You don't need to do anything to 'receive' copyright; the copyright automatically exists as soon as you write the song.
From APRA AMCOS:
Copyright law enables creators to make a living from their work. The Australian Copyright Act gives songwriters and composers the right to control how their music is used. So whenever music is played in public, the songwriter or composer who wrote it might be entitled to royalties. This is where APRA AMCOS can help you. APRA AMCOS can help you earn money from your music. Read more at the APRA AMCOS website...
Recommendation: Join APRA AMCOS (its free).
Key points from the Australian Copyright Council:
• Copyright protection is free and applies automatically when material is created.
• A song normally comprises both a musical work and a literary work, each of which may have different copyright owners.
• Sound recordings are also protected by copyright. This copyright is separate from and additional to any copyrights in the music and lyrics.
• Creators of musical or literary works also have moral rights in relation to their work.
Recommendation: Download the Australian Copyright Council's 'Music & Copyright' Information Sheet
From Music Rights Australia:
Copyright protects the expression of an idea by conferring exclusive rights on the owner; it encourages people to 'create'. When someone creates a piece of music (or a piece of text, a graphic, a photo, a film or anything else that is protected under copyright), there is a whole system of rights and obligations that come into play. These rights and obligations outline what someone can and can't do with the material. Copyright is an important set of rights granted to the creator of creative works which gives them the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, perform or broadcast the work in public. Copyright “owners” can also license or permanently transfer or assign their exclusive rights to others. Read more at the Music Rights Australia Website...
Recommendation: Check out the Music Rights Australia Fact Sheets.
Recommendation: The Australian Government Federal Register of Legislation Copyright Act 1968. This is a compilation of the Copyright Act 1968 as in force on 24 June 2014. It includes any commenced amendment affecting the legislation to that date.
