If you are planning on releasing a cover song there are a few things you need to consider before submitting to us.
Do I need a license to release globally?
To distribute your release to the United States you will need to obtain a Harry Fox license. If you do not have this license you cannot release in the US. For the rest of the world you do not need a license. If you would like to omit the United States from you release but would like to release everywhere else please enter in the ISO code: “US” in the ‘Licensed territories to exclude’ field.
Your release will be distributed everywhere except the United states. All other territories are dealt with by the stores at the point of sale (stores pay the collection societies from cut of sales).
You should make every effort to ensure that your cover of the chosen song is not too similar to the original as these will not be accepted by certain stores; try to make the song your own – make it as unique as possible.
Who do I need to credit to release a cover song?
When releasing covers you must credit the original songwriters and the publishers. You can do this by entering them in the ‘Composers’ and ‘Publisher’ fields on your release.
You should always try to get permission from the original publisher.
You must not mention the original artist in the track or release title. Phrases such as “originally performed by” or “in the style of” should also not be used.
You can obtain a license from Loudr.
What happens about my royalties?
Royalties for cover songs are processed in the same way as usual. The amount you have earned will appear on MyClientZone in the normal way, however the PRS for Music cut will have already been taken at the point of sale.
