Copyright Policy

Last updated: March 27, 2026

WorshipChordBook is committed to respecting the intellectual property rights of songwriters, composers, and publishers. This page explains how we handle different types of worship music content and how copyright holders can contact us.

1. Our Approach to Copyright

WorshipChordBook is a worship-musician workflow platform, not a lyrics site. We provide chord charts, arrangement tips, key and tempo metadata, and playability tools to help worship teams prepare for services. We do not host or display full lyrics for copyrighted songs.

All content on WorshipChordBook falls into one of four categories:

Public Domain Hymns Full content

Songs written before 1928 with verified public domain status. Full lyrics, chord charts, and arrangements may be displayed. Each public domain song is verified through our review process with source documentation.

Original / Indie Songs With permission

Songs submitted by the original creator or with explicit written permission from the copyright holder. Content is displayed according to the permissions granted by the rights holder.

Licensed Songs Metadata only

Songs covered by licensing agreements (e.g., CCLI). We display metadata, chord structures, and arrangement tips only. Users must hold their own valid license to use these songs in their services.

Modern Copyrighted Songs No lyrics

Contemporary worship songs under active copyright. We display only song metadata (title, artist, key, tempo), chord progression structures, and original arrangement tips written by our community. Full lyrics are never hosted or displayed.

2. What We Display for Copyrighted Songs

For songs that are not in the public domain and not submitted with explicit permission, WorshipChordBook only displays:

  • Song title and artist/composer credits
  • Musical key, tempo (BPM), and time signature
  • Chord progression structure (chord names and sequence)
  • Section labels (Verse, Chorus, Bridge, etc.)
  • Original arrangement tips written by our community (strum patterns, dynamics, transitions)
  • Capo positions and difficulty ratings

We believe this information constitutes factual musical data and original editorial content, not a reproduction of copyrighted lyrics or melodies.

3. What We Never Do

  • Host or display full lyrics of copyrighted songs without authorization.
  • Reproduce copyrighted sheet music or melody notation.
  • Encourage users to upload copyrighted lyrics they do not have rights to.
  • Claim ownership of songs created by others.

4. User-Private Lyrics

Premium users may paste lyrics into their private notes for personal reference during worship practice. These notes are:

  • Stored privately and tied to the individual user's account.
  • Never indexed by search engines.
  • Never displayed to other users or the public.
  • The user's responsibility. We advise users to only paste lyrics they have the right to use (e.g., through their church's CCLI license).

5. Song Submissions and Review

All songs submitted to WorshipChordBook go through a manual review process before publication. During review, we verify:

  • Public domain claims are supported by evidence (publication date, source documentation).
  • Original songs are genuinely created by the submitter.
  • Permission-based submissions include valid authorization.
  • No copyrighted lyrics are included without proper rights.

Submissions that do not pass review are declined with an explanation. We reserve the right to remove any content that raises copyright concerns at any time.

6. DMCA Takedown Policy

WorshipChordBook respects the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and will respond promptly to valid takedown notices. If you believe that content on WorshipChordBook infringes your copyright, please send a written notice containing:

  1. Identification of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed.
  2. Identification of the material on WorshipChordBook that you claim is infringing, including the URL or page where it appears.
  3. Your contact information: full name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.
  4. A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
  5. A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the owner's behalf.
  6. Your physical or electronic signature.

Where to Send DMCA Notices

Email: hello@worshipchordbook.com

We aim to acknowledge all valid DMCA notices within 48 hours and remove or disable access to the infringing material promptly.

Counter-Notification

If you believe your content was removed by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notification containing:

  1. Identification of the material that was removed and its former location.
  2. A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification.
  3. Your name, address, phone number, and a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the relevant court.
  4. Your physical or electronic signature.

Repeat Infringers

WorshipChordBook will terminate the accounts of users who are repeat copyright infringers. We maintain records of DMCA notices received and track repeat violations.

7. CCLI and Licensing

WorshipChordBook is not a replacement for proper licensing. If your church or worship team performs copyrighted songs, you should hold a valid license from the appropriate licensing body (such as CCLI, OneLicense, or similar). WorshipChordBook does not grant any performance, reproduction, or distribution rights for copyrighted songs.

8. Attribution

We strive to properly credit all songwriters, composers, and artists. If you notice incorrect or missing attribution on any song, please contact us so we can correct it.

9. Questions

If you have questions about our copyright practices, licensing, or wish to report a concern, please contact us at:

Email: hello@worshipchordbook.com

For general legal inquiries, see our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.