Musicologize is the most visited forensic musicology site in the world, and its main contributor, highly respected forensic musicologist, Brian McBrearty, intends to grow and nurture leading-edge discussion about music copyright from the musical, human, economic and legal angles Musicologize always has.
Musicologize simply grew large enough to be its own thing — mostly a news and commentary platform. And so, to clarify and distinguish the forensic musicology practice, and music services offerings, Brian has launched a forensic musicology services site at brianmcbrearty.com.
Brian McBrearty has provided expert witness services and testimony in cases involving top recording artists, and copyright risk analysis for broadcast and advertising clients such as HBO, Google, and Mercedes.
Preventative musicology services are foremost. It’s far better to avoid litigation than to engage in it. Preventative musicology has become a standard procedure among major broadcasters and advertisers. And it makes sense. We’ve been observing the increase in copyright litigation and claims of plagiarism and infringement for so many years we might begin to accept that it’s a function of the modern world. Thousands of small studios enable thousands of creators to publish music every day, and the reach of modern media — tik tok, snap, Instagram, on top of broadcast and streaming — more music, more eyeballs, more observations of perceived copying and stealing music. It has become something around which it’s rational to mitigate risk and, in some measure, insure against it.
Of course, Brian is happy to continue his work with clients who feel their work has been misappropriated and others who’ve been accused of misappropriation. McBrearty hopes preventative musicology will become his most popular offering. Forensic musicology is more rewarding when it helps clients avoid conflict, rest easier and concentrate on more creating. Above all, McBrearty’s new site hopes to streamline that process, bring down the costs, raise the standard. There’s a not yet open clients-only area, password protected, that will improve the whole process for everyone. It’s in development and should launch by the time Brian’s kids go to school.
In the meantime, Brian can be reached at (212) 217-9512 and at brianmcbrearty@gmail.com and is pleased to accept new clients.
He has appeared on a few podcasts this summer, including this most recent one from Courthouse News Service, Give Me A Beat. And is pleased to accept invites and inquiries from reporters and podcasts to discuss the most interesting cases in music copyright news. There are certainly enough of them.