Do I need a license to put a cover song on Spotify?

Most popular music streaming services such as Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, and TIDAL already pay streaming royalties out to music publishers. Aside from streaming uses, if you intend to distribute a digital download of your cover song, you do need to obtain a mechanical license.

How can other artists legally cover someone else’s song for a recording?

If you want to record and release your own cover version of someone else’s song, then you’ll need a “mechanical license” for your cover song. A mechanical license is the right to make copies of the song’s musical structure such as the lyrics and notes, which is called the musical composition.

How do you get a music covering license?

Cover Song Licensing The song’s copyright owner must give you a mechanical license if you pay a royalty fee based on estimated revenue from your cover song. You can obtain a mechanical license through the Harry Fox Agency. The mechanical license only covers the audio portion of your YouTube cover.

Do I need permission to cover a song?

Once the song is released, anyone can do a cover of it and sell it without asking permission. The composers of the songs will get royalties, no matter who sings the song – but the performer only gets royalties if they’re the one singing on the recording.

Are covers copyright free?

No, you must pay a royalty to the song owners to create a cover song, or use a cover song in a project.

Do you have to ask permission to cover a song?

Do you need copyright permission to cover a song?

Answer. Everyone loves a cover song. To record a song for release to the public, a performer must obtain permission from the music publisher of the song and pay a fee, called a mechanical royalty. A mechanical royalty must be paid when songs are reproduced, for example on compact discs or records.

Do you need permission to cover a song live?

You do not need to personally ask for permission to perform another songwriter’s work at a live show, as concert venues are responsible for obtaining a blanket license from their local PRO(s) to ensure the legal status of songs that are played within their premises.

Can I release a cover song for free?

If you are recording a cover song, you’re required to get a license from the copyright owner, regardless of whether you are going to sell it or give it away for free. When it comes to copyrights, a cover song actually has two separate copyrights — the copyright to the recording and the copyright to the song itself.