I write fanfiction.  I enjoy it tremendously.  I also write songfics, utilizing songs that I find fitting for certain situations.  My fics are mainly slash, and I also have some crossovers.  My primary domain is Harry Potter, with crossovers into Death Note, Kuroshitsuji, Ouran High School Host Club, and Fullmetal Alchemist.  I tell you all of this because I have a bit of a rant.

I make absolutely NO money with these songfics.  I don't think I'm doing any of the musicians or songwriters any disservice in using their songs to base oneshots off of.  In fact, in posting the lyrics into a fanfic, I'm actually spreading the word of their musical talents and prowess, free of charge.  I'm doing them a favor, for fuck's sake.  So, I find it a little ridiculous that anyone would take offense, or be angered at the idea of songfics. Yet, when I recently posted one, a Fullmetal Alchemist songfic to the Ginuine song "Pony", I received a rather terse email, suggesting politely that I should take it down before someone reports me for it.  I've got several songfics up on the site.  In fact, I've got some that utilize relatively new songs, such as Chevelle's 'The Red'.  I've never received ANY censure for using these songs.  But Ginuine?  Really?  A song done in 1999?  Besides, the version I listen to is by a band by the name of far.  I even enclose the standard industry info at the beginning of the story.  I don't see where I'm infringing on any copyright when I'm making no money whatsoever from the 'fair use' of it.  I get the public domain deal.  I understand that it's not considered public domain until the copyright expires.  If that's true, then how do the lyrics get published EVERYWHERE.  I got them from a lyrics website.  There's tons of them out there.  As well, they're published in the liner notes included in the CDs.  Besides, don't karaoke nights constitute copyright infringement also?  I mean, you can't possibly tell me that some jackass' friends aren't filming them with their smartphones, just to post the video to YouTube.  Come on, already!

In conclusion, I don't think my harmless use of song lyrics in my fanfics harms or in any way steals anything from the artists I'm using.  I don't see what I do hurting them any more than those karaoke dipwads who end up on YouTube, to the humiliation of themselves and their families.  In fact, I think THOSE are the ones who do the artists a great disservice.  After all, who wants to hear some tonedeaf hack warble that Kid Rock/Sheryl Crow country mess duet, which gets one million hits on YouTube.  Might as well watch the auditions for American Idol, come to that.