Is this stealing intellectual property?

[Glenny]

My friend is designing shirts, her own designs, but on the front. Are lyrics. From which ever artist you want. It's their intellectual property, is this stealing? And secondly, how can she get permission to use it, especially considering how many people and how varied their tastes in music are. wouldn't this pretty much sink her business in costs before it even starts?

 

[Michael Wechsler]

My friend is designing shirts, her own designs, but on the front. Are lyrics. From which ever artist you want. It's their intellectual property, is this stealing? And secondly, how can she get permission to use it, especially considering how many people and how varied their tastes in music are. wouldn't this pretty much sink her business in costs before it even starts?

Yes, lyrics are copyrightable and usage without permission would be infringing activity. You may want to contact ASCAP and find out whom the artist is represented by in order to determine if you could obtain rights to use as intended.