![]() The catch is that in addition to paying the royalty rate, you’re also required to pay the company a fee. In these scenarios, services such as will help you obtain a cover song mechanical license for any song. Once you reach the number of unit sales estimated, whether physical or digital, you will be required to purchase more mechanical licenses and pay additional fees.Īlthough HFA is the most reputable and straightforward way to license a track, there are cases where they may not be able to obtain a cover song mechanical license. ![]() So, if you expect to sell 1,000 units, at a 9.1 cents royalty rate you would have to pay $91.įor digital downloads, you’re required to keep track of how many downloads have been made. You then pay the fee for that number up front. This organization requires you to let them know the number of physical versions being pressed or expected download sales. ![]() The royalty rate that you need to pay for covering a song legally is known as a cover song “ mechanical license.” This allows you to make and sell “phonorecords” of a song, originally composed by another artist. Obtain a Mechanical License for Online Releases We’ll dig a little deeper into how to pay this rate and what it covers in our next cover song tip. If the song is over 5 minutes the rate is 1.75 cents per minute or a fraction thereof. The current royalty rate, per purchase/download, is 9.1 cents for music under 5 minutes. Second, you must pay a specific royalty rate per song being purchased or downloaded. Once again, this isn’t asking for permission, it simply lets them know what’s going on with their composition.Ģ. ![]() First, you must notify the owner of your intent to cover the song. However, you must do two things if you wish to go this route.ġ. This is thanks to something known as “compulsory licensing.” Compulsory licensing basically states that the owners of a song can’t deny you releasing a cover song (your own interpretation). However, US copyright law makes it much easier than that for artists wishing to cover a piece of music. You Don’t Need Permission to Cover a SongĪ common misconception in the music industry is that you need to receive permission from the original composer in order to record a cover version of their song. This is something we’ve talked about in the past and you can delve a little deeper into the benefits of a cover song in our previous post on the subject here. Also, check out our post on How To License Christmas Songs In July.īelow are some of our top tips to keep in mind on how to release a cover song legally. Not only that, but many music supervisors actually seek out cover song licensing for TV or film. First, covering a well-known song, especially a current hit, is a great way to capitalize on an already attentive audience and introduce yourself to a larger fan base. There are a number of reasons why one may want to legally record and release a cover song. If done properly and ethically, the rewards of such a release can really benefit an artist’s career. However, covering a song legally is not as daunting as one might think. This is usually due to the concern regarding the legalities of releasing a cover of another person’s composition. Although there are plenty of benefits to recording and releasing a cover song, many artists never do.
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