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Music is a form of intellectual property protected and regulated by aspects of intellectual property law, including copyright laws and various licensing regulations. Together, these laws work to safeguard the rights of musicians, performers, producers, and others in the music industry as well as the music itself. A current issue in music law revolves around technological developments in online file-sharing systems that increase the prevalence of illegal distribution – that is, without the copyright owner’s permission – of protected music. Music law attempts to address this and other issues related to the dissemination of music, and to reconcile the protection of the rights of artists with the rights of consumers. To learn more about the regulations governing the music industry and the field of music law, visit the links on this page.