P Line
Type: noun, copyright term
Pronunciation: /p-line/
Also spelled or known as: P-Line, ℗ Line, Phonographic copyright, Sound recording copyright
Plural: P Lines
P Line Symbol: ℗
What does P-Line mean? The copyright notice that identifies legal ownership of a sound recording.
A P Line is the copyright notice used to identify who owns the rights to a sound recording or master recording. It is represented using the ℗ symbol followed by the year and the owner’s name. The P in P-Line for stand for “phonogram”.
In music, the P Line refers specifically to the recorded audio version of a song, not the underlying composition. The P Line is commonly owned by a record label, distributor, or independent artist who financed or released the recording.
The ℗ Line is usually printed on vinyl sleeves and CD booklets accompanied by the year that the work was first released and the name of the owner of the sound recording. For digital music, the P Line is included within the metadata associated with an audio file.
Example: ℗ 2026 Recording Business Records
P Line synonyms: Phonographic copyright, Master recording copyright
Example sentence: “The DSP rejected the release because the P Line information was missing.”
Related Terms
PRE-ORDER RECORDING BUSINESS DICTIONARY