Spotify, Apple Music etc). There also needs to be a public release of the first recording. CD Baby no longer licenses cover songs directly, but we'll continue to support and pay mechanical royalties for all tracks that were previously licensed through our cover song licensing service. And there’s a good reason why; some very large artists gained popularity and exposure by first publishing cover versions to get discovered. A mechanical is any song recording, including vinyl, CDs, or digital downloads. Not for resale. Is it necessary to get licenses to release cover songs if I plan to only release them on Spotify? Mechanical Licenses for the sale and distribution of cover songs. In the UK, you won’t need any licenses to release a cover song. Last week Loudr announced that they are making it super easy for artists to obtain a mechanical license to (legally) release cover songs through any digital distributor (not just them). Learn how it works > Licensing Questions. If you have created a recording of a song that was written, recorded, and previously released by another artist, this is classified as a cover song. You can obtain a mechanical license through the Harry Fox Agency. Cover Song Licensing. Has posting cover songs on YouTube benefited your career? In order to use these platforms, you agree to comply with their terms and conditions policy. If the song is not on the PRS for Music database, this does not mean that it isn’t covered by UK copyright law. Songfile is the quick and easy way to license cover songs for physical and digital formats such as CDs, downloads, ringtones and interactive streams. Physical product and downloads: $0.091 (9.1 cents) per unit for songs that are five minutes and under in length or $0.0175 (1.75 cents) per minute or fraction thereof, … License your song. Like most forms of intellectual property, copyright, and large automobiles — if you don’t own or control it, you need a license to use it. The easiest way to look at mechanical royalties is to think about a … You need a mechanical license from the original writer or publisher to record and release cover songs. The reason that is it called a Mechanical Licence is that it refers to physical copies of a song, such as a vinyl record and or a CD (DVDs and Video tapes). However, YouTube has recently changed how they operate. We’ll make sure your license never expires. Cover song licences for the vast majority of music in the UK can be obtained from PRS for Music — and their affiliated organisations — who ensure that original creators receive the royalties. Instead, you’ll need to seek permission and make arrangements with the original writer or their publisher — depending on who is in possession of the rights. Performances in the UK are covered by a venue’s PRS license but cover songs will need their own license. Many artists don’t know that sharing a video of a cover song on YouTube, without proper licensing, is in breach of UK copyright law. Distributing recordings of cover songs on sound-only streaming platforms, like Spotify and iTunes will also require a mechanical licence. Royalty Solutions is a partner that provides mechanical licenses for TuneCore distributed tracks through TuneLicensing.com. Mechanical License for the USA and Canada: Grants the licensee the right to reproduce an underlying composition for the purpose of phonographic sales (ie downloads, CDs, vinyl, etc.) Visit the following websites for more information: It costs nothing to cover a song when singing it live. Powered by the largest database of music compositions matched to sound recordings, HFA connects music users and rightsholders to get royalties to music creators. You DON’T need streaming licenses to distribute your cover song to our streaming partners (i.e. By law, YouTube cannot give you the rights to publish covers of copyrighted songs on their platform. Clear any cover song in 1-2 business days. This applies to all songs published before 1922, as well as songs whose writer died more than seventy years ago (although, this rule only applies to music written since 1989). Royalty Solutions keeps track of your license to make sure everyone gets their fair share of every sale. I don’t make anything from it just enjoy sharing. That means if you were to then sell 1,000 CDs with the cover song on it, it would cost you $91. *The mechanical license provided by Royalty Solutions only covers digital downloads. I’m guessing that the answer is no – which is about as much as I know after trying to find out over the last few months. The statutory rate does not apply, as the license fee would need to be negotiated with the copyright owner in all instances. A mechanical license for cover songs gives you the right to reproduce and distribute a copyrighted song on a permanent digital download.*. This is where you need to go to acquire the mechanical licence for a song. This is totally okay—DistroKid makes it easy and legal to sell cover songs. DistroKid will obtain the required compulsory mechanical license for you. Copyright is attributed to the original songwriter whenever a song is written or recorded, provided that there is tangible evidence. It can help increase the exposure of the original artist’s music. We’ve gone into this in more detail in our article on covering songs at an open mic night and discuss this matter further down in this guide. These two licences might be held by different people or organisations, even for the same song. First steps – find the composer and publisher. Whether you are new to publishing or you’ve got decades of hits under your belt, HFA is here to help you with mechanical licensing and collecting the royalties you’re due. Best practices for creating and uploading a cover version – SoundCloud Help Center. Videos that are uploaded directly appear to gain more exposure compared to videos embedded from other platforms. You may have to find, contact and negotiate with the right's holder directly. We use cookies to improve your experience on our website, assess how you use our website and for website security purposes. If you’re a small service, then our entry-level Limited Online Music Licence (LOML) could be for you. YouTube will simply pay royalties to the publishers from the monies collected through ads displayed on your video. These licences cover the communication to the public and associated mechanical rights (excluding synchronisation) of our members’ music through all digital services, including websites. Give us a call and we can help you with your questions and custom licensing needs. Learn more about our privacy policy, Best suited for artists who intend to sell more than 500 digital downloads (units), Pay-as-you-go processing fees assessed quarterly, Best suited for artists who intend to sell less than 500 digital downloads (units), Pre-pay all fees, even if units are unsold, Re-licensing, converting to a Standard License, or ending the sale of the download is required once 500 units are sold. Planning on releasing a cover song? Split revenue with all your collaborators (at no cost) Distribute your cover song today. How to Sell Music on iTunes UK – Sell Your Songs! A mechanical license is required for selling songs online or in physical format. DistroKid will obtain the required compulsory mechanical license for you. Nobody seems prepared to provide this information. Uploading video cover songs on Facebook (directly), without the necessary licences (both mechanical and synchronisation), is in breach of their terms and conditions. (323) 776-6475. These policies directly forbid the violation of copyright law. Request a mechanical license within minutes and you’ll be good to go in a matter of days. However, if you wish to use copyrighted songs in a video, a synchronisation licence is necessary. However, you always should comply with the proper UK cover song licencing procedure. Pick the license that fits your needs - choose a standard license or limited license based on how many downloads and streams you’ll receive. Facebook favours videos uploaded to their own platform. Clear cover songs now. Mechanical Licensing for Cover Songs: If you’ve recorded a version of another artist’s song and you plan to distribute it online, you’ll need a mechanical license. A "cover song" is a song that you performed & recorded yourself, but the music was written by someone else. Royalty Solutions offers the music clearance services you need. That said, the copyright holder could choose to mute or even take down the video — though this is rarer in recent years. By continuing to navigate this website, we’ll assume you agree to this. This means that the owner of the song’s copyright has an obligation to give you a license. A mechanical license is an agreement between a music user and the owner of a copyrighted composition (song), that grants permission to release the song in an audio-only format (interactive audio streams, digital downloads, CDs, vinyl). 30 Music Industry Terms Every Musician Should Know, Open Mic Manchester – The Top 10 Best Nights Near Me, 9 Simple Tricks to Learn Song Lyrics With Ease, Registered in England & Wales | Future Productions Limited. TIP: Master licenses can be a little trickier to obtain compared to Mechanical licenses. Distribute as CD’s, vinyl records, and digital downloads; Register the remake cover song with a PRO so you can also receive royalties. On the Songfile website, they say the current cost for a mechanical license (e.g recording a cover song) is 9.1 cents per track. You can check if CSI cover a song license by searching either CMRRA’s or SODRAC’s repertoires. For example, if you are recording “Let it Be” by the Beatles, you are going to need to obtain a mechanical licensing agreement from Sony. Quick and Easy. By requesting a mechanical license, you are ensuring that the original creator of the song is getting their fair share of the sales of the cover. We use cookies on this website to enhance your user experience, By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies, Home >> Advice >> Cover Song Licensing Guide: Permission, Costs, & Royalties. Our partner—Easy Song Licensing—can help you get a mechanical license for your cover songs. Company registered Office: Lumsden Avenue, Southampton SO15 5EL, https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/do-you-need-a-licence-to-do-cover-songs/. To date, Facebook does not have a way to compensate the copyright holder(s). Soundrop will distribute your cover songs to the world’s top platforms. Get a mechanical license to release your cover song on CD, tape, vinyl, or as a digital download. This is totally okay—DistroKid makes it easy and legal to sell cover songs. Using a cover song in a live performance requires the least licencing procedure because a live performance is not technically a publication. There are two cover song licensing services which let you apply for a license to record a cover song. It’s when you record and publish the song that cover song licensing issues can arise. It sets out the standard terms and conditions of mechanical licensing, including application for licenses, royalty rates, royalty reporting and payment requirements, reserve accounting, promotional copies, treatment of delete products and controlled composition clauses. The statutory rate does not apply, as the license fee would need to be negotiated with the copyright owner in … Is there a European standard for royalty fees and covering songs? Thanks for help. You need a mechanical license if you are planning on recording a song whose rights are owned by a publisher. Easily obtain 100% of the rights you need to release any cover song in 1-2 business days. Remixes. How do you get your cover songs out for the world to hear legally and make money from it too. This permission is also called mechanical rights. Almost all copyright music in the UK will be registered with PRS for Music. The LM licence has a capped limit of 250 units for PPL sound recordings. You can use the MCPS PRS database to look this up, or the Harry Fox Agency’s Songfile.This information will be required on some forms to get the correct licensing, and on materials you send to radio. Great site to get a mechanical license and find those hard to reach music producers to get clearance on popular cover songs. Quick answer: You can, but there are some risks to posting cover songs on YouTube. My band has been asked to do a live concert performance to be broadcast on TV. A mechanical right is the right to record and distribute (without visual images) a song on a phonorecord for private use. Recreating an existing song in your own style can be great fun and a rewarding career move. Share your music and earn revenue while meeting the legal requirements of covering a song. Failing to meet these standards could result in your account could be permanently terminated. Clear any cover song in 1-2 business days. How would we go about finding out where to license all of these… Read more », What licence do I need if I wish to record a cover song to share with family and friends only? You need a mechanical license to distribute your covers. However, this is providing the use of the song falls under a certain set of conditions. Copyright law protects the rights of the original artist, to ensure that they receive due recognition and payment for their creative property. The idea of mechanical licenses came about the turn of the 19th century, with the popularity of player pianos, with the ability to play songs encoded on a roll of paper. One-time fee, lifetime of licensing coverage For a one-time fee of $9.99 per cover song, we will: Secure your cover song license, forever Manually inspect your audio, cover art, and metadata to make sure it meets all DSP guidelines If you are considering legally recording another artist’s song, here are some steps you should think about first. Whether you are new to publishing or you’ve got decades of hits under your belt, HFA is here to help you with mechanical licensing and collecting the royalties you’re due. Our artists are NOT on the hook for royalty payments on those kinds of streams. Find the right mechanical license. All the information I read states that you need a licence to record and distribute for sale or publish publicly. Previously, this could cause your video to be taken-down and repeat offenders risked losing their account altogether. Not always. If you intend to use copyrighted material as an audio-recording only: CD or digital stream, you’ll need a mechanical licence. This allows the owner of the copyright to make a judgement based on the content of the new video. Mechanical royalties are paid by whoever obtains a mechanical license to reproduce and distribute a piece of music, such as in album form or as ringtone, digital download, or interactive stream. Sampling is a completely separate copyright matter. We've partnered with Royalty Solutions to offer two different pricing options to clear your cover songs. When releasing a cover on streaming platforms, let a digital aggregator take care of the legal matters. YouTube but won’t be selling it, you don't need to obtain mechanical license. How you intend to use another musician’s song will dictate whether or not you need a licence and, if you do, what type of licence you need to obtain before you can legitimately cover the song. For example, when your band plays "Smooth Criminal" (written by Michael Jackson). We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. But without help, licensing cover songs can be a huge hassle—the terms are often confusing and time-consuming. Simply pay royalties to the copyright holder will choose to physically distribute your covers legal. Licenses via easy song licensing is providing you have already declared the video — though this rarer. 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