For many years laws, rules, and guidelines have been in place globally to protect copyrighted musical works. State association administrators (and administrators worldwide) from all sports that use music have to address its copyrighted use by their participants and in their events, including the online / virtual world. The consequences of not doing so are costly - per the US Copyright Office website: https://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html Statutory damages allow the owner of a copyright to recover a specified amount of damages, up to $150,000.00 per work that is infringed. There is also the possibility of criminal liability for wilful infringement, with penalties of imprisonment for 5 years and fines up to $250,000 per violation. NFHS and state associations have a strong focus on copyright law compliance.

LVS allows state association administrators to quickly, easily, and comprehensively manage the music licenses used in the sports and performing arts they oversee to ensure they meet both copyright law and their needs. LVS accepts ANY type of music as long as you upload valid licenses for each of the following rights: editing / adapting to create a derivative work, use in a mash-up / medley copying the resulting music mix for team members’ practice choreographing a routine to the music mix performing the choreographed routine to the music mix for EACH song used, from BOTH the master (recording artist) AND 100% of publishing (composers / songwriters) rightsholders. This includes bespoke music, ‘public domain’ music, production music libraries, and cover music libraries.

The system is easy to use, and includes comprehensive online help. Using Seasons Participants will generally start off by being invited to take part in a ‘Season’ (they will be emailed a URL link). This is a special type of long-term (e.g. 1 year) 'event' that does NOT have one specific venue and allows teams to: Submit music and applicable licenses to the license verification process right at the start of the season as they choose their music. Cover any general non-competition uses of the music in the season (such as homecoming, game day, etc.). ​Seasons also greatly simplify the process of verifying music at specific competitions / events teams may subsequently take part in during the Season. ​Competitions / Events Participants may be invited through an emailed URL to specific LVS events. These events will contain a certain date, at a particular venue, for example national/state championships, local competitions, etc. Please note that music licenses should be submitted in readable PDF form whenever possible (ie not scanned PDFs).

Yes. After setting up a Season to verify music, moving the music to specific competitions throughout the participant’s season becomes very easy. Participants can choose to use their existing music and its associated verification results from the Season for the competition, or can change their music. Participants can enter multiple competitions / events during a season, each managed by the same or different organizers.

The specific rights needed for each and every song used in your music mix are: For more information, see https://www.clicknclear.com/rights-required-for-performance-spo There are two ‘sides’ to music rights and each song is owned by two sets of copyright owners, the Master Recording (recording artist) and Publishing (song composers). BOTH MASTER AND PUBLISHING SIDES OF EACH SONG MUST BE 100% LICENSED FOR THE ABOVE USES. Publishing rights are particularly complicated, as normally several writers have a percentage share in each song, which can range from less than 1% to 100%. In order to license a piece of music, permission is required from ALL owners of EACH song - the record label or master owner of the song and each and every writer who owns a share of the song’s publishing. For more information please see https://www.clicknclear.com/what-is-copyright Please note that music licenses should be submitted in readable PDF form whenever possible (ie not scanned PDFs).

Participants will be asked to upload their music mix (audio file), names of the songs used, and the license files associated with each song that is used in the mix. Please note that music licenses should be submitted in readable PDF form whenever possible (ie not scanned PDFs). For each song, the license(s) must: be from a valid source (i.e. someone who owns the copyright or has the necessary authorization to issue licenses for it). have been issued to the correct team. cover the master rights for each of the rights needed. cover 100% of the songwriting / composition owners for each of the rights needed. be current (i.e. validly entered into, and not expired or expiring during the season). be valid for the territory in which your events take place. LVS uses Content ID technology (as used by YouTube, Facebook, Shazam, etc.) to AUTOMATICALLY identify the music in the files. LVS reads pdf license files to AUTOMATICALLY check each of the above points. If there is some information that LVS hasn’t been able to find in the license files and the event organizer needs further information to clarify, then the participant will be notified on the LVS Actions tab, and may be contacted directly by the event organizer. LVS looks for the information set out above in the license files, and only this information. Then LVS will cross check the submitted music mix with the licenses submitted which must: be from a valid source (i.e. someone who owns the copyright or has the necessary authorization to issue licenses for it). have been issued to the correct team. cover the master rights for the above rights. cover 100% of the songwriting / composition owners for the above rights. be current (i.e. validly entered into, and not expired). be valid for the territory in which your events take place. This provides a comprehensive analysis of the music used by, and the rights licensed to, the participant. LVS uses a traffic light system to show its results as seen below:

In addition to the use of automated Content ID on uploaded music files to provide robust checking that the stated music is included in the music mix, LVS also offers a music playback functionality for specific events, allowing an event organizer to playback the event music from a single source rather than several devices. LVS has a caching feature that allows for robust playback where internet connections are sub-optimal.

USA Cheer replaced their approved vendor list in 2022 with a music provider directory, which deliberately takes a step back from any notion of approval and puts the responsibility fully on teams and music producers to understand and check licenses - https://usacheer.org/music-provider-directory On the music provider directory landing page, USA Cheer states: Regardless of whether or not a music company is on this list, it is still the responsibility of the team and music provider to obtain the proper licensing for the intended use of the music provided. Appearance in this directory does not in any way suggest any vetting by USA Cheer or preference for any music producer. Music producers who are not on this list may still provide music legally for cheer or dance routines. USA Cheer does not audit any of the music producers on this list in connection with their representations, and disclaims any responsibility for the actions or inactions of any of the companies on this list. Be aware that the use of any recordings without the proper licenses from the owners of the recordings and the owners of all the publishing rights, regardless of who sells that music, may be prohibited by law. Music copyright compliance is the responsibility of the parties involved in producing, purchasing, performing to, and publicizing the music used in a cheer or dance routine. It is important that all parties understand what the license(s) for the music allows, and that all music copyright laws are followed. As an end user of music, it is important that you understand music copyright law and know the limits of any licensing agreements undertaken with your music producers. The LVS system checks music and licenses in accordance with USA Cheer's statements above. Please read the sections of this FAQ about the different types of music that can be used for cheer and dance - these provide an overview of the typical situation of the types of music you may be planning to use.

LVS accepts ANY type of music as long as you upload explicit and valid licenses for each of the rights required, for each song you use. LVS’s definition of Bespoke Music is original music that was custom made for the participant and does NOT contain any production music or other licensed components. If you plan to use music derived from production music libraries please select the license type ‘Other’. ​ For each track used, participants enter the track name and the artist who performed the track, and the name of the composer / musician who provided the music to them. ​ You must then send a URL link and email it to the composer / musician who provided the music to you. This gives the provider access to a simple online form, allowing them to send LVS details about the agreement under which they provided the music.

LVS accepts ANY type of music as long as you upload explicit and valid licenses for each of the rights required, for each song you use. If you use Public Domain Music, you need to ensure that BOTH the recording AND 100% of the publishing rights meet the legal requirements for being out of copyright in the country(s) in which the participant plans to use the music. From the US Copyright office website www.copyright.gov: The term of copyright for a particular work depends on several factors, including whether it has been published, and, if so, the date of first publication. As a general rule, for works created after January 1, 1978, copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years. For an anonymous work, a pseudonymous work, or a work made for hire, the copyright endures for a term of 95 years from the year of its first publication or a term of 120 years from the year of its creation, whichever expires first. For works first published prior to 1978, the term will vary depending on several factors. To determine the length of copyright protection for a particular work, consult chapter 3 of the Copyright Act (title 17 of the United States Code). More information on the term of copyright can be found in Circular 15a, Duration of Copyright, and Circular 1, Copyright Basics. ​ You will be asked to fill in a form with the required information for each song to demonstrate that the music uploaded is out of copyright or has been placed in the public domain by all copyright owners: ​ 1. Song Title 2. Year of Release 3. Recording Artist(s) Each Song Composer’s: 4. Full name 5. Year of death 6. The ISRC number of the recording (optional) 7. The ISWC number of the work (song) (optional) 8. The source (if any) you used to verify that the recording is in the public domain 9. Any supplementary notes to support your assertion that the music is public domain (options) This will then be checked.

LVS accepts ANY type of music as long as you upload explicit and valid licenses for each of the rights required, for each song you use. Tracks licensed from NFHS.clicknclear.com contain all the rights needed. Each license is a 3 way agreement between the music producer, team, and ClicknClear. Either your music producer or someone else associated with your team can therefore purchase licenses for you to use to create your team’s mix. License agreements don’t need to be uploaded for tracks licensed from NFHS.ClicknClear.com, because the LVS system has access to the NFHS.ClicknClear.com license database. ClicknClear hopes to add such integration with other license providers in future.

LVS accepts ANY type of music as long as you upload explicit and valid licenses for each of the rights required, for each song you use. Production Music Library elements used in participant’s music must be shown to have been licensed properly with the rights needed, as is the same with any other music track. Music using production music libraries is accepted by LVS if participants upload valid licenses for both the master and 100% of the publishing for each of the rights required, for each song / track used, as per copyright law. Please upload original pdf licenses rather than scans. As part of this process you will need to name each track used and declare the production music library source. Please note that music licenses should be submitted in readable PDF form whenever possible (ie not scanned PDFs).

LVS accepts ANY type of music as long as you upload explicit and valid licenses for each of the rights required, for each song you use. Please note that music licenses should be submitted in readable PDF form whenever possible (ie not scanned PDFs). The licenses offered for cover music typically offer the master rights for their version of the song, but specifically exclude any publishing rights to edit and adapt the song or choreograph a routine to the resulting mix. Before using cover music please confirm whether the licenses contain authorizations from the owners of 100% of the music publishing for each track to: edit / adapt the track to create a derivative work, and/or use in a mash-up / medley copy the resulting music mix for team members’ practice choreograph a routine to the music mix perform the choreographed routine to the music mix If you use cover music that doesn’t offer these publishing rights, your music producer or a representative of your team will need to license the appropriate rights from the music publishers / songwriters representing 100% of the publishing rights for the song. Cover music is accepted by LVS if participants upload valid licenses for both the master and 100% of the publishing for each of the rights required, for each song / track used, as per copyright law. Please upload original pdf licenses rather than scans. As part of this process you will need to name each track used and declare the source of the track.

LVS accepts ANY type of music as long as you upload explicit and valid licenses for each of the rights required, for each song you use. Paid for downloads or streams from sources like Apple, Amazon, Spotify, YouTube, etc. is licensed to the individual downloading or streaming for PERSONAL USE only. It is NOT sold (i.e. you don’t own the tracks you pay to download or stream, or rip whether that is from CDs you bought or any other source). The personal use licenses do NOT grant any rights to edit the music into a mix, choreograph a routine to the music, copy the track or mix, etc. Public Performance licenses from PROs such as ASCAP, BMI etc. are licenses that allow the playing of unedited music in public venues. They do NOT grant any rights to edit the music into a mix, choreograph and perform a routine to the music, copy the track or mix, etc. Therefore receipts for Apple, Amazon, etc. downloads and ASCAP / BMI licenses are not valid - LVS does NOT accept them. See information on the music licenses that you need elsewhere in this FAQ. Please note that music licenses should be submitted in readable PDF form whenever possible (ie not scanned PDFs).