Cover Songs on MOOSYC
Rights, Royalties & Ownership

Covers are welcome, and the licensing is simpler than most artists expect.

Streaming in the US

For streaming, you usually don't need to buy a separate licence. US streaming services hold a blanket mechanical licence administered by the MLC, which covers the songwriter's side for cover recordings on their platforms. You record it, you upload it, and the songwriter gets paid through that system.

Downloads and physical in the US

These aren't covered by the blanket. If you're selling downloads or pressing physical copies in the US, you need a mechanical licence, Songfile, from the Harry Fox Agency, is the standard route. It's inexpensive and priced per copy.

Outside the US

Local collecting societies handle it: PRS and MCPS in the UK, GEMA in Germany, SACEM in France, and so on. Most run a blanket system for streaming similar to the US one.

Public domain

Traditional songs, hymns and anything old enough to be out of copyright need no licence at all. Your arrangement is your own.

Two things to get right

Credit the original songwriters in your metadata, not yourself. And don't imply the original artist is involved. Your name is the primary artist, theirs isn't.

We review covers like any other release, but we don't verify licences and can't confirm that you're cleared. Where the rules are genuinely unclear for your situation, an hour with a music lawyer is worth it.