Q&A

Can I post cover songs on YouTube?

Can I post cover songs on YouTube?

Once a musical work has been published, anyone can record a cover version of the song by obtaining a mechanical license. The mechanical license only covers the audio portion of your YouTube cover. To post video along with the song, you’ll need a synchronization license, also called a “sync” license.

How do I get permission to cover a song?

There are two ways to get permission and pay the mechanical royalty: A compulsory license may be used, and the preset statutory mechanical royalty rate paid directly to the music publisher—the easiest, least stressful method.

Can you release a cover song for free?

Releasing cover songs for free Because streaming services like Spotify already pay licensing fees, you don’t have to cover them on your license. You would count services like Bandzoogle, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and other similar sites.

Can you legally post a cover song on YouTube?

How to legally post a cover song video on YouTube. Cover song videos are hugely popular on YouTube, and making a cover song video is one of the most proven ways to get new listeners and viewers to check out your other songs, including your original material.

What happens if you put a cover on YouTube?

Some covers will get a note immediately saying that if monetized, any noise will go to the Song owner but the video can still be shown with no limits. This is not entirely fair but a workable solution in the short term. Hope for one of these.

How can I make a cover song on YouTube?

So now, if you want to upload a cover song to YouTube and not worry that it may get flagged by YouTube and ripped down, you can just signup for an account with We Are The Hits. You can search their database to see if the song is available, upload your video to We Are The Hits and they will post it to your YouTube channel and monetize it.

When do you have the right to cover a song?

Once a song is published, you have the right to cover it (as a recording, but NOT as a video). …the distribution of copies or phonorecords of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending.

What happens if you post a cover song on YouTube?

Songs are protected by copyright, and if you don’t get the right licenses, your YouTube cover song could be removed and you risk losing your entire channel. Indie bands do it to get exposure. Fans do it to display their devotion. Parents do it to show off their cute kids. Thousands of times a month, someone posts a cover song on YouTube.

What kind of license do you need to post a cover song on YouTube?

You can obtain a mechanical license through the Harry Fox Agency. The mechanical license only covers the audio portion of your YouTube cover. To post video along with the song, you’ll need a synchronization license, also called a “sync” license.

Is it illegal to put cover songs on YouTube?

My suggestion: do your research. If you want to avoid getting permanently banned from YouTube, look into what songs are covered in YouTube’s 2012 agreement with the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) and the Harry Fox Agency (HFA). Try to reach out to the song’s owner.

How many views has the cover song had on YouTube?

As of the writing of this article, the cover has 175 million views, the original 825 million views. The band then parlayed their sudden success into a major label deal with Columbia Records.