What is a music rights chain?

A music rights chain is the chain of ownership and licensing rights for a musical work, tracking from the original creator through every subsequent transfer, licence, split, or assignment. A complete rights chain includes: (1) composition rights, the underlying song (melody + lyrics), typically owned by the songwriter(s) or music publisher; (2) master rights, the specific sound recording, typically owned by the record label or recording artist; (3) performance rights, managed by collecting societies (SUISA in Switzerland, SACEM in France, GEMA in Germany); (4) synchronisation rights, for use in film, TV, or advertising; (5) print rights, for sheet music. A 'forensic-ready' rights chain means each transfer and original creation is documented with court-admissible evidence, qualified electronic timestamps on each agreement, registration, and assignment.

How do I prove I wrote a song?

To prove you wrote a song: (1) Apply a qualified electronic timestamp to your composition at creation. Upload the audio demo, lyrics, lead sheet, or DAW project file; the timestamp creates a legal presumption under eIDAS Art. 41(2) that you had this specific song in this form at the recorded date; (2) Register with your national collecting society, SUISA (Switzerland), GEMA (Germany), SACEM (France), PRS (UK). Registration creates a public record of your authorship claim; (3) Register with the US Copyright Office if you need statutory damages protection for US infringement claims; (4) Keep your version history, DAW project files, demo recordings, voice memos, lyrics drafts; (5) Co-writer agreements, if co-written, a dated and signed split sheet proves the agreed ownership percentages. The qualified timestamp is the most legally immediate and cost-effective first step.

What is SUISA and why should Swiss musicians register?

SUISA is the Swiss Cooperative Society for Music Authors and Publishers, the collective rights management organisation for musical compositions in Switzerland. SUISA collects and distributes royalties for public performance, broadcast, and digital streaming of musical works. As a Swiss musician: (1) register your compositions with SUISA so royalties generated by Swiss performances and streams are paid to you; (2) SUISA manages reciprocal agreements with collecting societies worldwide (through CISAC), so Swiss-registered works generate royalties internationally; (3) SUISA membership creates a public record of your authorship. A qualified electronic timestamp from Swiss Trust Layer documents your creation date independently of SUISA registration. Use both for maximum protection: SUISA for royalty collection, qualified timestamps for court-admissible creation date evidence.

What is a music split sheet and why is it important?

A music split sheet is a written agreement between co-writers of a song that specifies the percentage of ownership each co-writer holds in the composition copyright. Without a signed split sheet: co-writers have equal shares by default in many jurisdictions, disputes over ownership are extremely difficult to resolve after the fact, and any commercial exploitation (sync licence, sale) may be blocked by a co-writer refusing to consent. A split sheet should: name all co-writers, specify percentage shares, be signed by all parties, and be dated. Apply a qualified electronic timestamp to the executed split sheet, proving the agreed percentages existed at a specific date, before any commercial dispute arises. This is particularly important for collaborations with producers, topliners, and session musicians who contribute to both composition and master rights.

How can musicians protect their music from being used without permission online?

Musicians can protect music from unauthorised use online: (1) Content ID registration, register your recordings with YouTube Content ID (through a distributor like DistroKid, TuneCore, or directly if eligible) to automatically detect and monetise or block unauthorised uploads; (2) Qualified electronic timestamps, timestamp your recordings before release to prove creation date and ownership for any infringement claim; (3) Distribution agreements, distribute through registered distributors who maintain your release date and ISRC codes on file; (4) SUISA/collecting society registration, these organisations have licensing agreements with online platforms and monitor usage; (5) Machine-readable rights metadata, embed ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) and ISWC (International Standard Work Code) in your files; (6) DMCA/platform takedowns, use the formal notice and takedown process when unauthorised use is found. A qualified timestamp is the foundational evidence for any takedown or infringement claim.

Music Rights Chain: Make Your Catalog Forensic-Ready

Il vostro catalogo musicale è un bene finanziario. È pronto per un audit forense?

Al momento di firmare un accordo, label e investitori vogliono una catena dei diritti tracciabile — non la vostra parola e una cartella Dropbox. Senza documentazione crittografica, il vostro catalogo vale meno di quanto crediate.

Matthias Fatzer· Co-Founder & CEO

·April 21, 2026· 8 min lettura

Nel gennaio 2025, un produttore di Losanna di nome Karim ha completato un brano con un cantante londinese tramite un file di sessione condiviso. Nessun split sheet. Nessun contratto. Il brano è stato inserito in una serie Netflix quattro mesi dopo. Quando arrivò il compenso per la sincronizzazione, il management del cantante rivendicò il 60% dei diritti master, citando file di versione salvati localmente che mostravano l'hook in uno stato successivo. Karim non aveva alcuna registrazione sigillata di ciò che esisteva al termine di ogni sessione. La questione di chi avesse contribuito a cosa divenne una questione di quale cronologia delle versioni fosse più convincente. La disputa gli costò otto mesi e una parcella legale che assorbì la maggior parte dei proventi della sincronizzazione.

Questa non è una storia di furto. È una storia di ciò che accade quando una collaborazione produce qualcosa di prezioso e nessuna delle parti riesce a dimostrare, con prove certificate, cosa ha contribuito e quando. A quel punto, la disputa si risolve con la negoziazione, non con i fatti. La parte meglio documentata vince.

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Il vostro catalogo musicale è un bene finanziario. È pronto per un audit forense?

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