Covers: what you need
Permissions to publish your version of a song composed by someone else.
A cover is your own recording of a song composed by someone else.
What you need
A mechanical license (reproduction license): the permission of the composition's owner to record and distribute your version.
You don't need it if the composition is in the public domain (see Public-domain content).
What's yours and what isn't
- Yours: the master of your recording.
- Not yours: the composition. You still credit the original songwriter, and the author royalties go to them.
Substantial changes
If you significantly change the lyrics or the arrangement, it's no longer a standard cover: it may require a different authorization than a mechanical license.
In UXEM
You can request the cover license from the panel. See Request a cover license on UXEM.
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Master and composition: what you must have cleared before publishing.
Two different rights over the same song.
The request flow, payment and resulting document.
What authorizations you need in each case.