Pinpointing Recording and Release Dates — Pinpointing Recording and Release Dates

When establishing a career timeline, researchers must distinguish between a song's creation year and its publication date. The year of creation is when the work was first fixed in a tangible form.

In contrast, publication occurs when phonorecords are distributed to the public by sale, rental, lease, lending, or transfer of ownership. Under official guidelines, a public performance of a work does not in and of itself constitute publication.