Re: [ARSCLIST] Scanning LP covers

[Michael Biel <m.biel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Elliott Hancock wrote:
> I have been told that album covers were never copyrighted.

Sometimes the album covers were the ONLY part of the package which
was copyrighted in the pre-1972 era.  Decca (U.S.) albums in
particular often carry dated copyright notices on the covers.  Since
the recorded sound couldn't be copyrighted at that time, what else
was there left?  As has been noted in some of the other postings, a
cover can often contain many separate elements with their own
underlying rights--the photograph or drawing, the lettering, the
layout of these elements, and the company's trademarks.  On the
other hand, when going thru the listings of copyright registrations,
it is amazing what albums were never registered.

Mike Biel  m.biel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx