What is a Cover Song License?

A cover song license is a legal permission that allows an artist to record and distribute their own version of a song that was originally written and recorded by someone else. This license applies to the musical composition, including the melody and lyrics created by the songwriter.

When an artist records a cover song, they must obtain a mechanical license from the copyright holder of the composition, which is usually the songwriter or music publisher. This license allows the new recording to be distributed through formats such as streaming platforms, digital downloads, CDs, or vinyl.

A cover song license typically requires the artist to pay mechanical royalties to the songwriter or publisher for each copy sold or stream generated. However, the artist does not need permission to record a cover as long as the original composition has already been publicly released and the required licensing and royalty payments are handled properly.