A cover is a new recording of a song somebody else wrote. You own your recording. You do not own the song, so the question is never whether the song's owners get paid, only how. Get the answer right before release and a cover can earn for years; get it wrong and it is the release most likely to be claimed or taken down.
Three rights, three different answers
| Where the cover is used | What you need | Who usually handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming in the US (Spotify, Apple Music and similar) | No separate licence from you | The services license the song and pay publishers through The MLC |
| Downloads and physical copies in the US | A mechanical licence | You, through a licensing service or the publisher |
| A video of the cover (YouTube and similar) | A synchronization licence | You, directly with the publisher |
| Outside the US | Permission from the publisher or the local rights society | You |
Songtrust, a publishing administrator, puts the US streaming position plainly: services such as Spotify and Apple Music license songs and pay royalties to publishers through The MLC, so an artist releasing a cover only to streaming is not responsible for those payments. For downloads and physical records the same source says a mechanical licence is needed, at the US statutory rate it quotes of 13.1 cents per copy. A live version and a studio version of the same cover are two recordings, and each needs its own licence.
Outside the US there is no automatic licence
The US has a compulsory licence for audio covers: once a song has been released, anyone may record it if they pay the statutory rate. Most countries do not work that way. You need permission from whoever controls the song, usually its publisher, or from the rights society that represents it where one exists.
For Arabic songs this matters more than artists expect. Many Gulf and Arab songs are controlled by the label or production company that first released them, not by a separate publisher. Ask in writing, keep the reply, and do not treat silence as permission.
Video is the strictest case
Putting a cover in a video joins the song to pictures, which is a synchronization use. Songtrust's guidance is that a YouTube cover should carry a sync licence, and that without one the rights owner can ask YouTube to remove it at any time. In practice many owners choose to collect the money from a cover through YouTube's systems instead of removing it, but that is their choice, not your right.
The credits that keep a cover online
- Credit the real writers. The original composer and lyricist go in the composer and lyricist fields, spelled exactly as they appear on the original release.
- Never put the original performer in the artist field. The artist is you. Listing the original singer as an artist misleads listeners and is a common reason for a store to reject or remove a release.
- Keep the original title. A cover keeps the song's title. Use the version field, not the title, for words such as Live or Acoustic.
- Keep your licence and permission. If a store or a rights owner asks, the document is the answer.
Releasing a cover with Mazufa
Releasing with Mazufa is free: no upload fee, no subscription and no per-release fee, with the revenue share set out in your written agreement. Covers go through the same review as every release, and you may be asked for the licence or the written permission before delivery. Having it ready costs a few days at the start and saves a takedown later. Apply at mazufa.com/apply.
Sources
- Songtrust, How do I get permission to record and release a cover song? — https://help.songtrust.com/knowledge/who-do-i-need-to-get-permission-from-to-record-and-release-a-cover-song
- Harry Fox Agency, Songfile (cover licensing for physical and digital formats) — https://www.harryfox.com
On the limits of this guide. It describes common practice and the published positions above. It is not legal advice, rates change, and the rules differ between countries. For a song that matters to your career, ask the publisher or a lawyer in your country.