Copyright Search

Copyright Search

Read below, then follow our step-by-step guide.

You need publisher/copyright information to locate a piece of music, or to obtain the necessary permission to perform or arrange it. How do you go about finding that information?

Follow our easy guide to searchable databases where you'll find composers, titles, publishers, and other pertinent information for millions of compositions.

This is intended as a guide for locating the publisher of a piece of music. It links to various other organizations' web sites which offer useful search tools. It is limited to those pieces in the repertory and/or licensed by the organizations listed. If you are unable to locate a specific title using this search process, it does NOT imply that the work is in the public domain.

The information in these areas is provided by the individual organizations. The Music Publishers Association assumes no liability for any errors or omissions in the information found at these organizations' web sites.

Welcome To The Copyright Information Resource Guide

If you are looking for the publisher of a piece of music, you may be able to locate this information using the search engines at the web sites listed below. This resource guide will provide the necessary steps to assist you in your search.

Follow these easy steps:

  1. If you have a copy of the music, examine the music for the copyright holder or publisher's name.
  2. A. If the publisher or copyright holder is listed on the music, OR if you already know the publisher and need address information:
    1. Search the Music Publisher Directory and/or the index of Publishers' Imprints (which contains hypertext links to entries in the Publishers Directory) for the publisher's address and additional information.
    2. If you locate the necessary information, skip to Step 3 (FORMS).
  3. B. If you cannot locate the publisher on the music, OR you do not have a copy of the music:
    1. Read the descriptions of the organizations and their search engines below.
    2. Click on each of the organizations' links below and proceed to the designated search area of each site (i.e. ACE, Hyper-Repertoire, On-Line Repertory).
    3. If you locate your title, write down any pertinent information associated with it.
  4. You will need to contact the publisher directly with any permissions. Many publishers have forms directly on their site.

Organizations and their Search Engines

Search ASCAP's ACE, a searchable database of all compositions in the ASCAP repertory which have appeared in any of ASCAP's domestic surveys, including foreign compositions licensed by ASCAP in the United States.

Search BMI's HYPER-REPERTOIRE, an internet song title database for publisher information on songs licensed by BMI.

Search SESAC's ON-LINE REPERTORY for works in the SESAC repertory which have been compiled from various sources.