Can you copyright a song titleUsually not, because titles are too short, though other protections may apply

TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes.

The file stays on your device. Your browser makes a digital fingerprint of the file. TimeBinder records the fingerprint and the time, not the file.

Short answer

In the US and many other countries a song title on its own cannot be copyrighted, because titles and short phrases lack enough authorship. The lyrics and music are protected, and a title may sometimes be protected by trade mark or unfair-competition law. Ask a lawyer about yours.

Why titles are treated differently

The US Copyright Office says names, titles and short phrases do not contain enough authorship to be registered, even when they are novel or clever (Circular 33). Other countries differ in detail, but many take a similar approach.

That does not mean a title is free to use however you like. A name used to sell goods or services can sometimes be protected as a trade mark, and copying a well-known title to mislead listeners may raise other legal issues. See what is a poor man’s copyright for what does protect a song.

Protecting the song you wrote

Your lyrics, melody and recording are what copyright usually covers, and in many countries that protection arises automatically when the work is fixed. If you want a dated record of your song, a TimeBind records a SHA-256 fingerprint of the exact file and a time, anchored to Bitcoin. The fingerprint is made in your browser and the file is not uploaded. See how to prove I created a song.

A TimeBind shows a file existed by a recorded time and has not changed since. It does not register copyright or a trade mark and is not legal advice.

Make a TimeBind: first one free →

First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. An ASAP TimeBind is US$15.

Frequently asked questions

Can two songs have the same title?

Yes. Because titles are generally not protected by copyright, different songs often share a title. Trade mark or passing-off rules may apply in some cases.

Can you trademark a song title?

Sometimes, for example a title of a series, but a single work title is often hard to register. Check with a trade mark attorney or your national office.

Are lyrics protected even if the title is not?

Original lyrics and music are generally protected by copyright, subject to national rules.

Does a timestamp protect my song title?

No. A timestamp records that a file existed at a time. It does not create copyright or trade mark rights.

Sources

US Copyright Office, Circular 33: Works not protected by copyright.
TimeBinder, How to prove I created a song.

Related guides and tools

Your file’s fingerprint, anchored to a global network secured by real electricity and cryptography.

Editing a file—including with AI—changes its fingerprint, not its existing network record.

How this works

Your file’s SHA-256 fingerprint, a short code worked out from its exact contents, is made in your browser, and the file itself stays on your device. A cryptographic commitment to that fingerprint, which may be combined with others, is then anchored in a block on the Bitcoin blockchain. Bitcoin is secured by proof of work: computers around the world spend real electricity to add each block, and changing an earlier block would mean redoing that work faster than the rest of the network. Until that block is confirmed, your proof is pending. Once the Bitcoin anchoring is confirmed, you can verify the proof against that recorded commitment. The confirmed record can then be checked; Pooled TimeBinds are checked through TimeBinder, while ASAP TimeBinds can also be checked independently. If you check the file later and its fingerprint still matches, that shows the file existed no later than the recorded time. The record doesn’t show who made the file, whether AI was used, or that its contents are true.

Your filestays on your device
FingerprintSHA-256
Network timestampon Bitcoin

Record a fingerprint of the file you rely on

Add a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes: a dated, checkable record of the exact file you hold.

Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
Add your files. They stay on your computer.
Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.

Open TimeBinder →

First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. See pricing.