{{Short description|American pop punk band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Copyrights | background = group_or_band | image = The_Copyrights_2.JPG | image_size = | landscape = yes | caption = The Copyrights performing in Chicago in 2013 | origin = Carbondale, Illinois | genre = {{hlist|Pop-punk|punk rock}} | years_active = 2002–present | label = {{hlist|Insubordination|It's Alive|Red Scare Industries|Transparent|No Idea|Fat Wreck Chords}} | associated_acts = | website = [https://thecopyrights.bandcamp.com/ The Copyrights] | current_members = Adam Fletcher<br />Brett Hunter<br />Luke McNeill<br />Kevin Rotter | past_members = Jeff Funburg<br />Ken Clifford<br />Nick O'Neal<br />Justin Telephone }}
'''The Copyrights''' are a pop-punk band from Carbondale, Illinois, made up of Adam Fletcher (lead vocals, bass), Brett Hunter (vocals, guitar), Kevin Rotter (vocals, guitar), and Luke McNeill (drums). They are currently signed to Fat Wreck Chords. They are known for what ''Alternative Press'' calls "both the sloppy, slacker pop-punk of, say, early Green Day with the slightly more polished sheen of Teenage Bottlerocket or recent Bouncing Souls".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/reviews/entry/the_copyrights_report|title = The Copyrights - Report|website = Alternative Press|date = 5 September 2014}}</ref>
==History== The Copyrights were formed in 2002 in Carbondale, Illinois. Before long, the punk scene was "buzzing about these kids from southern Illinois redefining pop punk with fun lyrics, big hooks, and infectious choruses that you couldn't help but sing along with."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/43664/interviews-luke-mcneill-the-copyrights|title = Interviews: Luke McNeill (The Copyrights)}}</ref>
In 2003<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Copyrights-We-Didnt-Come-Here-To-Die/master/416090|title = The Copyrights - We Didn't Come Here to die|website = Discogs}}</ref> they released their first album, ''We Didn't Come Here to Die'', which was produced by Mass Giorgini.<ref>[http://music.aol.com/album/we-didnt-come-here-to-die/990532 We Didn't Come Here to Die - The Copyrights<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Their next album, ''Mutiny Pop'', was released in 2006. When ''Make Sound'' was released in 2007, Punknews.org, a respected source for news of all things punk, called them "one of pop-punk's finest bands".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/24337/interviews-the-copyrights|title = Interviews: The Copyrights}}</ref> ''Learn the Hard Way'' followed in 2008. Independent entertainment periodical Verbicide called the band's fifth effort, ''North Sentinel Island'', released in 2011, a "deeper-than-usual slice of power-punk."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.verbicidemagazine.com/2011/10/21/the-copyrights-north-sentinel-island/|title=THE COPYRIGHTS – North Sentinel Island}}</ref>
Leading up to their next full-length album, the band issued the ''No Knocks'' EP on Fat Wreck Chords, a release New Noise Magazine called "a continuation of the same great quality pop punk that The Copyrights have been delivering for over 12 years now."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newnoisemagazine.com/album-review-copyrights-no-knocks/# |title=Album Review: The Copyrights – "No Knocks" {{!}} New Noise Magazine |website=newnoisemagazine.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418222724/http://newnoisemagazine.com/album-review-copyrights-no-knocks/ |archive-date=2015-04-18}}</ref> In their review, Alternative Press stated the difficult task of writing catchy music is one "Illinois pop-punk four-piece the Copyrights have mastered throughout the past decade since their humble beginnings."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/reviews/entry/the_copyrights_no_knocks_ep|title = The Copyrights - No Knocks EP|website = Alternative Press|date = 24 July 2014}}</ref> The band's next album, ''Report'', was released August 26, 2014, on Red Scare Industries. Vice imprint Noisey called the album "the stuff that keeps pop punk alive. The good pop punk, anyway."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-copyrights-report-stream/|title=Let the Copyrights Remind You What Pop Punk Should Sound Like}}</ref>
In 2019, the group released a collaboration with Kepi Ghoulie of the Groovie Ghoulies, an entirely redone version of the classic Ghoulies' album Re-animation Festival. Referencing her personal connection to the original album in her review for Razorcake, Kayla Greet said "this re-imagining of one of my favorite records actually makes me like The Copyrights more."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://razorcake.org/kepi-ghoulie-and-the-copyrights-re-animation-festival-lp/|title=KEPI GHOULIE AND THE COPYRIGHTS: Re-Animation Festival: LP – Razorcake}}</ref>
The band has toured with the likes of Kepi Ghoulie,<ref>[http://www.punknews.org/article/29111 Punknews.org | The Copyrights / Kepi Ghoulie / The Sweethearts<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Masked Intruder,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/58898/tours-masked-intruder-the-copyrights-not-scientists-east-coast-midwest|title=Tours: Masked Intruder/The Copyrights/Not Scientists (East Coast/Midwest)}}</ref> The Falcon<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/60561/tours-the-falcon-the-copyrights-sam-russo-mikey-erg-west-coast-southwest|title = Tours: The Falcon/The Copyrights/Sam Russo/Mikey Erg (West Coast/Southwest)}}</ref> and Teenage Bottlerocket.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thepunksite.com/news/tours-teenage-bottlerocket-the-copyrights/|title=Tours: Teenage Bottlerocket / The Copyrights|date=23 March 2015}}</ref> In 2012, the band played the premier Belgium rock festival, Groezrock.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metalviecher.de/component/content/article/148-konzerte-a-festivals/nachberichte/1236-groezrock-2012-nachbericht.html |title=MetalViecher.de - The MetalZine - MetalViecher.de - The MetalZine |website=www.metalviecher.de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221011522/http://www.metalviecher.de/component/content/article/148-konzerte-a-festivals/nachberichte/1236-groezrock-2012-nachbericht.html |archive-date=2017-02-21}}</ref> Over the years, The Copyrights have had headlining slots at festivals like Baltimore's ''Insubordination Fest'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fortheloveofpunk.com/events-insubordination-fest-full-lineup-and-tickets-available/ |title=Events: Insubordination Fest Full Lineup and Tickets Available {{!}} For the Love of PunkFor the Love of Punk |website=www.fortheloveofpunk.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403172643/http://fortheloveofpunk.com/events-insubordination-fest-full-lineup-and-tickets-available/ |archive-date=2013-04-03}}</ref> Bergamo, Italy's Punk Rock Raduno<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.punkrockraduno.com/ |title=Home |website=punkrockraduno.com}}</ref> and Gainesville's The Fest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/review/11618/the-fest-11-live-in-gainesville|title=The Fest 11 - Live in Gainesville}}</ref>
In August 2021, it was announced the band had signed with Fat Wreck Chords and would be releasing their seventh studio album, ''Alone In A Dome'' in October of that year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fatwreck.com/blogs/news/fat-signs-the-copyrights-new-song-pre-order|title=Fat Signs the Copyrights! New Song + Pre-Order!}}</ref> Punknews.org gave the album four stars out of five.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/review/17612/the-copyrights-alone-in-a-dome|title=The Copyrights - Alone in a Dome|website=www.punknews.org}}</ref>
==Other projects== Several other notable punk acts feature members of The Copyrights: * The Heat Tape<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/bands/theheattape|title=The Heat Tape}}</ref> * ''No Idea Records''' Dear Landlord<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/bands/dearlandlord|title = Dear Landlord}}</ref> * ''It's Alive Records''' Hospital Job<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fortheloveofpunk.com/stream-hospital-job-never-get-cold-lp/ |title=Stream: Hospital Job - 'Never Get Cold' LP - For the Love of Punk |website=www.fortheloveofpunk.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022220745/http://www.fortheloveofpunk.com/stream-hospital-job-never-get-cold-lp |archive-date=2015-10-22}}</ref> * ''Rad Girlfriend Records''' Starter Jackets
Guitarist Brett Douglas Hunter is also a burgeoning name in the Nashville art scene, where gallery owner Julia Martin told ''The Tennessean'' his work "evokes pure joy from everyone that comes in contact with it".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/life/arts/2016/07/03/bevy-new-art-julia-martin-gallery/86468360/|title=A 'Bevy' of new art at Julia Martin Gallery|website=The Tennessean}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== *''We Didn't Come Here to Die'' (2003) (Insubordination Records) *''Mutiny Pop'' (2006) (Insubordination Records) *''Make Sound'' (2007) (Red Scare Industries) *''Learn the Hard Way'' (2008) (Red Scare Industries) *''North Sentinel Island'' (2011) (Red Scare Industries) *''Report'' (2014) (Red Scare Industries) *''Alone in a Dome'' (2021) (Fat Wreck Chords)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alone In A Dome|url=https://fatwreck.com/products/alone-in-a-dome|access-date=December 7, 2021|website=Fat Wreck Chords|language=en}}</ref>
===EPs=== *''Button Smasher'' (2004) (It's Alive Records) *''Nowhere Near Chicago'' (2005) (It's Alive Records) *''Chicago Smasher'' (2009) (It's Alive Records) *”Dead Flowers” b/w “Carmelita” (2009) (Art of the Underground) *''Crutches'' (2011) (It's Alive Records) *''No Knocks'' (2014) (Fat Wreck Chords) *''New Ghosts'' (2024) (Fat Wreck Chords)
===Splits=== *''Handclaps & Bottlecaps'' (acoustic split with Zatopeks) (2006) (It's Alive Records) *''The Methadones/The Copyrights Split'' (2008) (Transparent) *''Songs About Fucking Up'' (2009) (split 7-inch with The Dopamines) (It's Alive Records)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/33427/new-7-inchess-from-the-copyrights-the-dopamines-barrakuda-mcmurder-dazes-wimpys|title=New 7-inchess from The Copyrights, The Dopamines, Barrakuda McMurder, Dazes, Wimpys|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=May 6, 2009|access-date=October 8, 2022}}</ref> *''The Copyrights/The Brokedowns'' split 7-inch (2009) (No Idea Records) * The Copyrights/Grey Area/The Reveling//Luther split 7-inch (2011) (Black Numbers Records) * The Copyrights/Kepi Ghoulie ''Observation Wagon'' (2019) (Red Scare Industries [US], Stardumb Records [Europe/UK])
===Compilations===
*''Shit's Fucked'' (2013) (It's Alive Records) (collects singles & compilation tracks from 2004 to 2010)
=== Live albums ===
*''Live in Italy 2019'' (2020) (self released)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.facebook.com/thecopyrightsband Official Facebook] {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Copyrights}} Category:Musical groups established in 2002 Category:Pop punk groups from Illinois