Rights & Services
P-Line and C-Line (℗ and ©)
The two copyright lines on every release: the ℗ line names the owner of the recording, and the © line names the owner of the release and its artwork.
Every release carries two copyright lines, and stores like Spotify and Apple Music show them at the bottom of the release page. Each one is a symbol, the year the release first came out, and the name of the owner.
Good to know
P-Line and C-Line (℗ and ©): common questions
- Should my PRO go in the © line?
- No. A PRO licenses and collects for your songs. It doesn't own your release, so your PRO name and IPI never go in the © line.
- Does my publishing administrator go in the © line?
- No. An administrator, including Notes, collects for you while you keep ownership. Put the owner's name: usually you, your company, or your label.
- Are the ℗ line and the © line the same?
- Often, for self-released music. The ℗ line names the owner of the recording and the © line names the owner of the release and its artwork, so they differ when a label owns the master but someone else owns the release.
- Which year goes in the lines?
- The year the release first came out anywhere. A re-release keeps its original year.