As a songwriter,I have run into the jungle of Copyright Law a few times (LOL).
It only seems to be applied when there is money involved, and ignored when it is just a no-name composer or author being screwed over.
Case in point:
A friend of mine attempted to get a school system to CEASE AND DESIST photocopying and selling HIS guitar instruction book. The Federal Government, BMI, and Copyright Lawyers all REFUSED to help him even though he was totally justified because the case was so small.
Meanwhile ASCAP sued the GIRL SCOUTS for singing “God Bless America” in Public.
Yep, these outfits never have the slightest interest in protecting the actual “creator” of any given work, but when there’s a major corporation and its money involved, it’s all different. I am also a songwriter who has had copyrights “mechanically infringed” and, really, nobody cares. I often wonder how many of the writers of the songs in these “compliations” are getting screwed out of their money. Most of them, I expect. “Airplay” is the only place any writer has the slightest hope of being compensated as per the agreement unless he is an independent record label selling his own product directly.