08/16/2025
Chord progressions (like C–G–Am–F) are considered too common and too fundamental to music to be owned by anyone. Countless songs share the same progressions, so copyright law treats them as “building blocks,” not original works.
Individual chords (like just a C major chord) definitely cannot be copyrighted, since they’re just basic musical elements, similar to single words in language.
What is copyrightable is the original expression of music, such as a melody, lyrics, full arrangement, or a unique composition that combines chords, rhythm, and melody in a specific way.
So, while you can’t copyright “chords,” you can copyright the song that uses those chords if your melody or overall composition is original.