Eagles rockers Don Henley and Joe Walsh and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler have petitioned the U.S. Patent and Trade Office to reject proposed changes to copyright laws.

The musicians have joined together to urge officials at the agency to keep the laws the same in order to protect artist's rights to their work.

Bosses at the organisation are reportedly considering a change of the laws to reflect the digital innovations in the music industry, which could lead to individuals using the artist's music without permission as long as they pay a licensing fee.

In a letter to the agency filed this week (begs10Feb14), Henley writes, "As a songwriter and recording artist, I can tell you that approval over how my music is used is very important to me. Every song I write is personal and has meaning to me. A sample or a remix takes a piece of art, cuts it up and then either reassembles it into something different or combines it with another person's work."

Joe Walsh, adds, "It denies my rights under the Copyright Act to engage in fair market negotiation with respect to the exploitation of my work. It strips me of my right to say, 'No,' and I fear it is a harbinger to the dissolution of copyright protection in the United States, rendering copyright an economic utility rather than a property right."

A statement from Tyler's music attorney Dina LaPolt, reads, "If an artist does not want his or her music used in a certain way, no amount of money will change his or her mind. If recording artists or songwriters do not want their music associated with a cause, message or ideology, forcing them to allow these uses would be extremely unfair and potentially harmful to their brands and reputations."