Can I have permission to use a Shane & Shane or Worship Initiative song or video?

We are honored that you would like to use our song or video!

Whether you're wanting to create your own version of one of our songs, use a video in one of your church's ministry settings, or use a song in a video you're creating, this article will cover what is allowed and how to request permission.

Why permission must be granted

Simply put, it's because the musical work or sound recording belongs to someone else.

Musicians, other creators, and even churches often use the works of others to create new compositions, public performances, and recordings.

Generally, to use the sound recordings or musical works of another artist, you must:

• Use a work that is already in the public domain.
• Get permission from the copyright holder directly, or license the work according to the terms set by the licensing contract.
• Rely on a statutory limitation or exception, such as fair use or the section 115 license for musical works.

The copyright owner of a musical work has the rights to make and distribute copies of it, publicly perform or display it, and make derivative works from it (including interpolations, remixes, or even videos using the musical work). Anyone else who wants to do these things must either get a license from the copyright owner, use a statutory license, or have an exemption apply, like fair use.

Similarly to musical work, the copyright owner of a sound recording has the rights to make and distribute copies of the work and make derivative works from it (including remixes or videos using the sound recording). The public performance right for sound recordings, however, is limited to digital audio transmissions. This means that AM/FM radio stations do not have to get permission (or pay royalties) to publicly perform sound recordings. Anyone else who wants to use a sound recording must either get a license from the copyright owner, use a statutory license, or have an exemption apply, like fair use.

Remember:

• There’s no hard and fast minimum amount of music you can use without getting permission when you need it.
• When you plan to use someone else’s work, such as for the recording of a cover song, always compare all of your intended uses with the rights of the other works rights holder and make sure you are lawfully engaging in each use.
• Trying and failing to contact the rights holder is not a substitution for permission. Copyright owners often have representatives in charge of licensing their works and certain types of uses of their works. This might be, for example, a music publisher or performing rights organization.

How to request permission

The first step is to find out who owns the rights to the song you're wanting to use. This can usually be done by searching for the song on CCLI Song Select. There, you will see two important sections:

• The copyright owners
• The copyright administrators

You will need to request permission from the Administrator which can usually be done by emailing them or by filling out a form on their website.

If you are wanting to request permission for the use of a Shane & Shane or Worship Initiative song, you can do so by filling out this form.

Requesting permission for a live performance/display of one of our songs

If you are wanting permission for the live performance of a song, you will need to have a CCLI license. CCLI manages the usage of performance and streaming licenses for music in our catalog. Since The Worship Initiative doesn't own the copyrighted lyrics for the song, we cannot make this approval on behalf of the writers.

Your church will need to have the correct CCLI license for the performance/display of the lyrics or for streaming the song, and would then be responsible for reporting the utilization of the song!

If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to our team at hello@worshipinitiative.com or through the chat bubble on our site!