Karaoke Forums

Not for professional use.  The copyrightholder loses for not being paid for the format shift.  You can pay the copyright holder to format shift, if they agree.  Copyright holders get a portion on the sale of a disc and a portion for use in a commercial setting (your ASCAP etc)  This is no different than an actor getting paid for their performance and also getting royalties, based on the gate and sales of tapes and DVDs.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Disc companies buy the rights to use a particular song for x amount of copies. This is  bought from the publisher, they own the rights to the songs.  (This is why many artists start their own publishing companies.  So they can make all the money and have total control of their creations.)   Then Michael Bolton gets his cut from the publisher, for that deal.    Once that limit is reached, they must rebuy the rights to use it again.

When you buy the song, it is for personal use only.   Public performance requires that the artists get compensated, from the performing rights groups. ASCAP BMI  This is paid by the venues, via those fees.  

Transfering the song to another media has been considered to be OK if you have the original.   Is it legal, will they drop the ball on you?