Group Registration of Works on an Album of Music

The U.S. Copyright Office has established a new group registration option for musical works, sound recordings, and associated literary, pictorial, and graphic works contained on an album. This option is known as “Group Registration for Works on an Album of Music” or “GRAM.”


Under this option, an applicant may register up to twenty musical works or twenty sound recordings contained in an album, if the works are created by the same author or have at least one common author and if the claimant for each work in the group is the same. In the case of an application to register sound recordings, the applicant may also register any associated literary, pictorial, and graphic works in the album, such as cover art, liner notes, and/or posters.


The Office is providing two new electronic applications specifically for GRAM claims. To register works under this option, applicants must submit the online application designated for musical works or sound recordings, as appropriate. Instructions for completing the applications will be provided here when this option becomes available. The final rule takes effect on March 26, 2021, to coincide with the expected completion of system development for this new option.