Legal Definitions - sound recording

A sound recording is a type of work that consists of a series of sounds, such as music or speech, that have been fixed or recorded onto a tangible medium. This medium can be a disk, tape, or phonorecord. However, sounds that are part of an audiovisual work, such as a movie or TV show, are not considered sound recordings but rather derivative works.

• A music album on a CD or vinyl record is a sound recording.
• A podcast episode that has been recorded and saved as an audio file is a sound recording.
• A live concert recording that has been released as a digital download is a sound recording.
• The soundtrack of a movie is not considered a sound recording, but rather a derivative work.

These examples illustrate how a sound recording is a fixed or recorded version of sounds that can be played back on a device. It is important to note that while the sounds in an audiovisual work are also recorded, they are considered part of a larger work and not a standalone sound recording.