Question regarding Music, Copyright & Youtube: Fair Use, Public Domain & DMCA The aim of this article is to help you better understand the copyright principles, such as fair use, public domain and creative commons licensing, that you need to be aware of when including music in your YouTube videos. At the end of the page, there are also a few links regarding where to find music that you can legally use as background music in your video. 1.What parts of the song are copyrighted? The composition (including the music and any lyrics) and recording are protected by copyright. The purpose of copyright is to try to ensure people responsible for making the music can earn a living from their work. It is important to note that the composition and recording are covered by separate copyrights, so even if you were to change the words to the song and record all the instruments yourself, the music (melody, harmony and basic arrangement) is still protected by copyright. Things that might br...