Comment The NMPA, NOT the RIAA (Score 1) 65
Actually, it is the NMPA (National Music Publishers' Association) and the publishing companies, who shut down the lyrics databases. The RIAA has no jurisdiction over the use of lyrics.
If you want to start such a database, my advice would be to lay the groundwork for it, software-wise. Then, contact the publishers to get lyric reprint licenses. It would be nice to say that the publishers would be happy to provide you with such licenses, but chances are they would be difficult to obtain, since you are not actually making a recording with said lyrics attached.
To find out who owns the publishing rights (and therefore lyric reprint rights) to songs, at least in the U.S. you can search databases like ascap.com and bmi.com. You will find out quickly that the major music groups, i.e. Warner Brothers, EMI, Sony/BMG, and Universal, own a vast majority of these rights. ASCAP and BMI will provide you with contact information for the publishers.
In short, get the licenses, or at least investigate how much it would cost to do so before you start such an undertaking. Chances are it will be more than you expected, but a lot less that court costs when you get sued for copyright infringement. Don't say I didn't warn you.
If you want to start such a database, my advice would be to lay the groundwork for it, software-wise. Then, contact the publishers to get lyric reprint licenses. It would be nice to say that the publishers would be happy to provide you with such licenses, but chances are they would be difficult to obtain, since you are not actually making a recording with said lyrics attached.
To find out who owns the publishing rights (and therefore lyric reprint rights) to songs, at least in the U.S. you can search databases like ascap.com and bmi.com. You will find out quickly that the major music groups, i.e. Warner Brothers, EMI, Sony/BMG, and Universal, own a vast majority of these rights. ASCAP and BMI will provide you with contact information for the publishers.
In short, get the licenses, or at least investigate how much it would cost to do so before you start such an undertaking. Chances are it will be more than you expected, but a lot less that court costs when you get sued for copyright infringement. Don't say I didn't warn you.
