What types of uses does a Cover Song License allow?

Your Cover Song License is a compulsory mechanical license. It gives you permission to record and release your own new version of a song that someone else already wrote and released. It is for audio only. It does not let you use the original artist's recording, add video, change the song, or perform it publicly. Here is exactly what you can and cannot do with it.

What your Cover Song License covers

• Your own recording of a song someone else wrote and previously released commercially.
• Audio-only formats: CDs, vinyl, and digital downloads (for example iTunes and Amazon).
• Selling copies. You can sell your release to the public. This license covers music that listeners enjoy privately, which is the normal way people buy and stream music. It does not cover public performance, background or in-store play, or karaoke.
• Distribution through digital distributors. Distributors such as CD Baby, Too Lost, TuneCore, and Symphonic typically require proof of a mechanical license before they will accept a cover, and your Proof of Licensing satisfies that requirement.

You can start a Cover Song License in a few minutes. 

For pricing: See How much does a cover song license cost? or run the numbers with the Cover Song Pricing Calculator.

Streaming, downloads, and CDs: what do I actually need?

You license by format and quantity, so it helps to know how each one works:

• Interactive streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, and similar): you no longer need a license specifically for these platforms, because they report and pay songwriter royalties through The MLC. Most distributors still require you to hold a digital download license to use their service, so in practice you will still get a cover song license. (Learn More: What kind of licensing do I need for interactive audio streaming?)
• Digital downloads: you pre-pay for a set number of downloads and are covered up to that amount.
• Physical (CDs, vinyl): licensed by the number of units you manufacture.

How many copies should I license?

We generally recommend you license what you realistically expect to sell or distribute in about a year, then keep an eye on your actual numbers. If you go over, you can come back for more units, and re-orders are half price (or completely fee-free if you add the Seal of Authenticity). See How do I know how many copies to license?, plus volume discounts and half-price re-orders.

Can I distribute worldwide?

You can distribute internationally, but each territory handles licensing differently. Physical media must be licensed in the territory where it is manufactured, and downloads must be licensed where they are sold (the US is one of the few countries that requires its own download license; many others are covered through blanket licensing). (Learn More: Can I distribute internationally with a Cover Song License?)

What your Cover Song License does NOT cover

The uses below fall outside a standard cover song license. Most of them are handled through our Custom Licensing service, where our team requests permission from the rights holders directly on your behalf:

• Video of any kind: YouTube, TikTok, Reels, lyric videos, or a performance filmed on your phone. Pairing audio with visuals is a synchronization ("sync") use. (Learn More: Do I need a license to post a cover song video on YouTube or social media?)
• Public performance, background or in-store music, and karaoke.
• Changing the song: new or translated lyrics, a fundamentally altered melody, an arrangement, a medley, an interpolation, or a sample of the original recording.
• A song that has never been commercially released before in the US.
• Licensing after you have already released the music (retroactive use).
• Any use beyond private listening, such as commercial, theatrical, or advertising use.

If your cover song project was flagged for Custom Licensing and you are not sure why, see Why is there custom licensing on my cover song project? (To learn what Custom Licensing can clear, see What types of uses does Custom Licensing allow?)

Good to know

• Public domain songs: if a song is in the public domain, you do not need a license for the underlying composition. With Cover Song Licensing, if a song turns out to be public domain or we cannot find the copyright owners, we automatically refund the royalties and our service fee. (Learn More: What makes a song public domain? and our Money Back Guarantee.)
• After you are licensed: learn when your paperwork arrives in Where is the license I just paid for?, and how to list the songwriters and publishers on your release in How do I credit the copyright holders?

Still not sure?

If you are unsure whether your project fits a standard cover song license, we are glad to point you to the right path before you buy. Request a free consultation or contact us.