In order to use some or all of a song, photo, book, or any other copyrighted work, you generally need to get permission. However, there are some kinds of uses that do not require permission or payment.
The College Art Association's Code of Best Practices provides visual-arts professionals with a set of principles addressing best practices in the fair use of copyrighted materials. It describes how fair use can be invoked and implemented when using copyrighted materials in scholarship, teaching, museums, archives, and in the creation of art.