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  1. Affordable Song Licensing
  2. Cover Song Licensing
  3. Restrictions

Restrictions

  • Can I license international songs (songs written by non-US residents)? plus icon minus icon
  • If a song has a copyright holder from a different country, but has publishing representation in the US, we will be able to obtain a compulsory mechanical license on your behalf. In the cases where ... See more
  • Can I rearrange the song? plus icon minus icon
  • Yes, you can!A compulsory mechanical license still allows the freedom of arranging your cover song recording.  See more
  • Can I change the style/genre/key/time signature? plus icon minus icon
  • Yes, you can!A compulsory mechanical license still allows the freedom of arranging your cover song recording with a different tempo, genre, key, etc.  See more
  • Can I change the melody? plus icon minus icon
  • Yes, and well... No? You have freedom to play with the melody, but you cannot change the "fundamental character" of the melody. Essentially, the song needs to still be recognizable as the song that... See more
  • Can I change the lyrics to my cover song? plus icon minus icon
  • We get contacted regularly by artists that cover a song need a license. As we're discussing their project with them, the artist suddenly hits us with those fateful words..."I changed the lyrics." I... See more
  • Can I license a song that hasn't been released yet? plus icon minus icon
  • No. A songwriter has the right to release their songs first. If you heard an unreleased track at a concert, or if a song leaked before the album comes out, you cannot obtain a compulsory mechanical... See more
  • Can I distribute internationally? plus icon minus icon
  • No. You will need a custom license from the rights holder(s)/publisher(s). See more
  • How do I get licenses for a medley? plus icon minus icon
  • You covered a few songs in the same song, kind of like Weird Al does with those polkas of his. Do you need to get a license for ALL of the songs?Well...You will need to get permission from each cop... See more
  • Can I use samples from the original audio in my recording? plus icon minus icon
  • No. Using master recordings requires a custom license in addition to the license for the musical composition. You will need to contact the record label and rights’ holder(s)/publisher(s) directly.C... See more
  • I'm from a country other than the United States. Can I still get a license from you? plus icon minus icon
  • Yes, you can, but only for releases that are hosted digitally in the United States, or are distributed within the United States. If you need to release worldwide, we can help with requesting a cust... See more
  • I’m going to release the same cover song on multiple releases. Do I need just one license? plus icon minus icon
  • If you're releasing your cover song as a single, and then releasing it on a full length album, that requires two separate licenses, as they are two separate releases according to Copyright Law. If ... See more

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