Modifying the integrity of a music work (translation, modifications, etc.)
Type of use
Translating and/or adapting a music work into another language, creating arrangements that alter the integrity of that work and/or modifying a music work in whole or in part. For example, translating an English-language song into French, singing one song’s lyrics over a different melody, suppressing parts of the lyrics or making substantial changes to the melody, or creating a mash-up, etc. These do affect the integrity of that piece of music and must therefore be approved by the rights holders.
To arrange a music work without modifying its integrity, please refer to that page.
What To Do
- Identify and contact all of the music work’s rights holders.
- Obtain the permission of those rights holders to modify the music work.
Clarifications and cautionary statement
Any modification to a music work that is not in the public domain must be approved.
All of its rights holders have to be contacted and give permission, even if only part (lyrics or music) of that work is modified. A music work is a whole that cannot be dissociated.
An exception in the Copyright Law makes it so that modifying a music work as a parody or satire does not constitute a copyright infringement. However, marketing that parody or satire must provide for the payment of royalties to the rights holders of the original music work.
Related uses
The material on this web site is provided for informational purposes only.