Legal Question

[OneAngryDemocrat]

Can I legally make available anti-war songs, in mp3 format, on my website?

The artists, themselves, have made all of these songs available for free, on their own websites, and I do have a ''fair use'' disclaimer on my web page.

Do I have a green light?

[GOPisEvil]

1. You don't own the rights to these songs. So, you have a red light.

If they're YOUR songs, then you have a green light.

[OneAngryDemocrat]

3. Fair Use...

The Fair Use laws don't have any bearing on the question?

[Droopy]

2. I don't see why not

But why don't you contact the sites where the songs have been available and ask them if it's alright?

[SofaKingLiberal]

4. Doesn't Fair Use only allow you to use a portion of the work?

I'm sure these songs are copyrighted, giving the owner the full rights to distrubution. Just because the artist provides the material for free on his/her site, that doesn't imply that the material is free for others to do so. It may be a promotion thing, the user can get the songs at the site and then check out concert dates, purchase other merchandise, or find out about upcoming releases.

You should check with the artists first, or just provide links to their page on your site.

[OneAngryDemocrat]

5. You're right...

Discretion is the better part of valor.

I didn't want to cheat the artists... I just thought it would be easier for me to upload to my own webpage mp3 files I'd collected over the last 3 years, than it would be to try and find the original sources, to put up as links.

[philosophie_en_rose]

6. My advice: Don't take legal advice from a message board.

Also: tread carefully with the property of others.

[YouthInAsia]

7. I concur.

[Floogeldy]

8. They probably won't care unless you're selling them for $$$$$$.

What are they gonna do? Sue you and garnish your paycheck? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

;)