songstheir
Songstheir is a term used in discussions of music copyright to denote the party that holds the rights to a song's musical composition and lyrics—typically the songwriter or their publisher. The term emphasizes ownership of the underlying work, as distinct from the rights to a specific recording of that work.
Etymology: Songstheir is a portmanteau of "songs" and "their," intended to reflect ownership by the creators
Usage and scope: In legal and policy contexts, songstheir rights determine licensing for public performance, mechanical
Context and discussion: Scholars and industry practitioners discuss how songstheir rights are valued, monetized, and protected,
See also: Copyright, music publishing, master recording, royalties, licensing.
Note: This article describes the term as it appears in contemporary discourse; definitions and applications may