FU Licence A for Music v1.0 — Core Terms

1. Purpose

FU Licence A for Music v1.0 (“FU Music A”) is a copyright licence designed to reduce licensing friction between songwriters and independent creators.

The licence allows eligible creators to incorporate registered tracks into qualifying FU Works without individual sync negotiations, while preserving the songwriter’s ability to retire tracks from future participation.

The licence is intended to support discovery, portfolio development, and career progression during the early and intermediate stages of a songwriter’s career.

2. Definitions

Track

A sound recording that has been registered under FU Music A v1.0 and assigned a valid Track ID.

Songwriter

The individual or entity that owns or controls all rights necessary to place the Track into FU Music A.

Track ID

The unique identifier assigned to a Track upon registration.
Example: "FU-M-A-12345"

FU Work

A film, series episode, music video, game, podcast, or other work that satisfies the requirements of FU Music A and any associated FU licence under which it operates.

Use Registration

The process by which a creator records their use of a Track through fu-license.org.

Grandfathered Use

A registered use of a Track that remains licensed even after the Track has been retired from FU Music A.

Retired Track

A Track that has been withdrawn from future FU Music A participation but remains available to previously grandfathered uses.

3. Eligibility

A Songwriter may register a Track under FU Music A only if:

• The Songwriter owns or controls all rights necessary to grant this licence.
• Any co-writers, producers, performers, or rights holders have agreed to participation.
• The Track is not currently subject to obligations that would prevent compliance with FU Music A.
• The Track is not currently enrolled in Content ID or any substantially similar automated claiming system.

The Songwriter is responsible for ensuring these conditions are satisfied.

4. Registration of Tracks

To participate in FU Music A, a Songwriter must:

1. Register the Track through fu-license.org.
2. Provide accurate ownership and contact information.
3. Obtain a valid Track ID.
4. Publicly identify the Track as participating in FU Music A.

The Track shall be considered active under FU Music A once registration is complete.

5. Grant of Rights

Subject to compliance with these terms, the Songwriter grants creators of FU Works a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to:

• Synchronize the Track within a FU Work.
• Reproduce the Track as part of that FU Work.
• Distribute and publicly display the FU Work.
• Monetize the FU Work.
• Maintain the FU Work indefinitely.

The licence applies only to use of the Track as incorporated into a qualifying FU Work.

No ownership rights are transferred.

6. Conditions for Creators Using Tracks

A creator wishing to rely upon FU Music A must:

A. Register Their Use

The creator must submit a Use Registration within thirty (30) days after publicly releasing the FU Work.

The registration must identify:

• The title of the FU Work.
• The public URL or equivalent identifier.
• The Track ID or Track IDs used.

B. Provide Attribution

The creator must provide reasonable attribution to the Songwriter.

Attribution should include:

• Track title.
• Artist name.
• Track ID.
• A reference to FU Music A.

C. Use the Track Within a FU Work

The Track may only be used as part of a qualifying FU Work.

FU Music A does not authorize standalone redistribution of the Track.

7. Grandfathered Rights

Once a creator:

1. Uses a Track in a FU Work; and
2. Completes a valid Use Registration;

A Grandfathered Use receives a perpetual licence under FU Music A.

The Songwriter may not retroactively revoke rights granted to a valid Grandfathered Use.

8. Retirement of Tracks

A Songwriter may retire a Track from FU Music A at any time.

Retirement affects future uses only.

Upon retirement:

• Existing Grandfathered Uses remain licensed.
• No new Use Registrations may be submitted for that Track.
• The Songwriter may license the Track under different terms going forward.

Retirement does not invalidate existing Grandfathered Uses.

9. Content ID and Automated Claim Systems

While a Track remains active under FU Music A, the Songwriter shall not knowingly:

• Submit the Track to Content ID.
• Submit the Track to substantially similar automated copyright enforcement systems.
• Authorize third parties to do so on their behalf.

If a Track is retired from FU Music A, the Songwriter may subsequently use Content ID or similar systems for future uses.

However, the Songwriter shall not intentionally use such systems to interfere with valid Grandfathered Uses.

10. Prohibited Uses

FU Music A does not grant permission to:

• Re-upload the Track as a standalone music release.
• Distribute the Track outside a qualifying FU Work.
• Create derivative songs based on the Track.
• Sample the Track into new recordings.
• Create remixes, covers, adaptations, or derivative musical works.

Separate permission from the Songwriter is required for such uses.

11. Ownership

The Songwriter retains ownership of:

• Copyright in the composition.
• Copyright in the sound recording.
• Publishing rights.
• Distribution rights.
• Performance rights.
• All rights not expressly granted by this licence.

Participation in FU Music A does not transfer ownership.

12. Misregistration and Ownership Errors

If a Track is registered by a person who lacks sufficient rights to do so:

• The registration may be corrected or retired.
• Co-owners may assert their rights against the registering party.
• The registering party may be responsible for any resulting claims.

Songwriters are strongly encouraged to register only Tracks for which they possess full authority to grant this licence.

13. Substantial Compliance

This licence shall be interpreted according to its practical purpose rather than technical formalities.

Minor or accidental defects shall not automatically invalidate rights where:

• The creator acted in good faith.
• The creator substantially complied with the licence.
• The defect is corrected within a reasonable time after notice.

Examples may include:

• Minor metadata errors.
• Typographical mistakes.
• Incomplete attribution that is promptly corrected.

14. Good-Faith Correction

Where practical, parties should provide notice of correctable compliance issues before treating a use as unlicensed.

This section does not apply to fraud, deliberate abuse, or bad-faith conduct.

15. Permanence of Grandfathered Uses

A valid Grandfathered Use remains licensed permanently under FU Music A v1.0.

Neither retirement of a Track nor later changes to FU Music A may revoke rights already granted to a Grandfathered Use.

16. Versioning

A Track registered under FU Music A v1.0 remains governed by FU Music A v1.0.

Future versions of the licence do not automatically alter rights previously granted under this version.