Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is ICG a publisher?
ICG is not a publisher. ICG administers copyrights on behalf of music publishers.
2. Does ICG maintain or sell lyric sheets or any type of product?
ICG does not carry or sell product such as CDs or sheet music. Contact a local bookstore or music store to see if they have what you need, or they may be able to order it for you.
3. How do I find out who owns the copyright to a song that I want to use?
The best way to find out who owns the rights to a song is to look on the music for the copyright notice. The copyright notice will tell the year the song was published. Immediately after the year it will list the publisher(s) of the song. If that information is not present on the product, you may look up the song through database searches on the three U.S. Performing Rights Organizations websites (www.ASCAP.com, www.BMI.com, www.SESAC.com), or through other rights organizations.
4. What types of uses require a license from ICG?
All types of uses require a license from ICG (if it is a song we represent), including: an audio recording; photocopies of sheet music; overheads/transparencies of songs that can be displayed in front of a group; the use of a song(s) in a songbook; quoting the words of a song in a book; videocassette or DVD copies of a song; the broadcast of a song on television, in a movie, or on the internet; and digital downloads. For more information on these types of uses and their licensing fees, please see the Licensing section.
5. What if I want to perform a song publicly?
ICG does NOT normally issue performance licenses for radio, television, or venue broadcasts. If you need a license for the public performance of a song, please contact the three (3) performing rights organizations: The American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) and The Society of European Songwriters, Authors and Composers (SESAC).
6. Does ICG do the same thing as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC?
No. ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC license and collect royalties on behalf of their members for public performances of songs, such as when a song is played on the radio or television. All ICG domestic clients belong to either ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC for the administration of their performing rights.
7. What if I want to make a recording using an accompaniment track?
If you are using a pre-recorded track when you are recording a song, ICG does NOT grant you permission to use that specific track. You must obtain a mechanical license from ICG for the publishing rights to the composition, but then you must ALSO receive a license from the product company that owns the track you are using. Normally, the record company that released the track you are using will be able to issue you a Master Use license for the track.
8. Is ICG affiliated with The Harry Fox Agency?
No. ICG and The Harry Fox Agency perform similar services, such as mechanical licensing, but the two are not affiliated with one another.
9. Does ICG pitch songs and/or accept unsolicited material?
Since we are not a publisher, we do not perform these services or accept material from non-members.
10. How do I become a member of ICG?
ICG represents music publishers, not songwriters. If you own or have control rights to a publishing company and are interested in our services, please e-mail your contact information to info@icgcopyright.com.
11. How long does it take to get a license?
ICG's normal turn around time is ten (10) business days from the date that we receive your request.
12. When do I send in my payment for my license?
You will receive two copies of your license via e-mail. Once you sign both copies, send one copy back to us along with your royalty payment. Please do not send in any payment until you receive your license.
13. What do I do if I want to make more copies than the number of units that is stated on my original license?
The Total Royalty Due on your license has been calculated on the number of units stated in your request. If you initially manufacture more or less units than stated above, please multiply the ACTUAL number of copies manufactured by the rate given and adjust the royalty payment due accordingly. (For more information, please see the Licensing section.)
14. Do I need to request a new license if I am making additional copies of my project?
Yes. Please send us a new license request and include your original license number, which is found in the upper left-hand corner of the contract. We will send you a new license with the new Total Royalty Due. (For more information, go to the Licensing link.)
15. Do I have to pay royalties if…
ICG requires payment on all units manufactured rather than units distributed. In other words, ICG charges the same fee to each Licensee (depending on the license type) whether the project is being given away free of charge, sold at cost, or sold for profit.
16. What information about the song do I need to put on my project?
The information that you will need to include on your project will be listed on your license.
