The Business of Music

Provides a searchable database of who owns 7.5 million song titles.

Details the difference between musical composition and sound recordings and how to copyright them.

Provides legal and technical infrastructure to allow digital sharing.

Searchable list of music in the public domain as well as information about intellectual property with respect to musical works.

From the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Also a performing rights organization, SESAC is a business designed to represent songwriters and publishers and their right to be compensated for having their music performed in public.