Licensing a cover song for release on LP

Recording, Mixing and Producing
#1

Hey guys and gals,

we’re working on finishing out LP and one of the songs that we’ve decided to use is a cover that we do a bit of an original take on.

We have licensing through our digital distro - Distrokid.com but for the CD version we don’t and I am not sure how to acquire copyright permission/disbursement, etc.

Hope you can help on this.

Thanks!

#2

I’m thinking that maybe contacting the artist or their management directly, might be the route to go. You’ll have to pay to license the song but in most cases the original artist allows other artists the use of their song for a financial compensation.

#3

Usually the best place to start is the Harry Fox Agency. They’ll put you in touch with artist management and they will tell you how much you owe for usage rights. Depending on the amount of CD’s you make will determine how much you owe. I think it’s about $250 for 500 or 1000 CD’s or something like that. Don’t hold me to that, just taking a guess as a friend of mine did this 3 years ago. I don’t know how many discs he had manufactured, but he paid around $250.

2 Likes
#4

This also looks promising
http://www.songfile.com/

1 Like
#5

Phonorecord licenses are compulsory in the USA. You don’t need anyone’s permission.

https://www.copyright.gov/licensing/sec_115.html

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#6

I wrote artist’s mgmt but nothing has come back.

Distrokid licenses it direct and automatic for digital release/streaming.

Songfile does so under 2000 copies for mechanical so that should cover it.

Too bad I have the full cd info to get the fee structure. They ask you to fill in all info on CD release. Yet I wouldn’t know if I want UPC until I get licensing fee. Maybe I’ll reach out their cust support.