What are some of your FAVORITE cover songs? Original "Post Cover Songs LEGALLY on UA-cam 2025" Video: ua-cam.com/video/OegBwyRBw2c/v-deo.html 🎤 My Cover Songs: ua-cam.com/play/PLEMhlPbIQ92MKYSIbTwGkYzvE_qvQHfrR.html&si=orbVrqca4K8hCYNI 🟡 Become your Own Record Label: www.topmusicattorney.com/becomeyourownrecordlabel 💻 #1 Resource For Artists And Producers: www.topmusicattorney.com 🟢 Free Split Sheet Template: www.topmusicattorney.com/splitsheet 📄 Music Contracts Templates: www.topmusicattorney.com/music-contracts 📺 Get Your Music Into Tv/Film/Games: www.topmusicattorney.com/sync ⚖ Hire An Attorney: www.delgadoentertainmentlaw.com 📰 Get My Newsletter: www.topmusicattorney.com/newsletter/ 🎧 Listen To The TMA Podcast On All Streaming: www.topmusicattorney.com/podcast 🟢 Free Stuff: www.topmusicattorney.com/free-stuff
Andie Case has a huge list of covers that I love. I've found that I don't generally like the originals of the songs she covers. But a lot of what she does is stripped or acoustic only, that's a sound I love.
Heartbreak Hotel - Klaus Nomi. This version is so different from the original that I'm not sure if it counts as a cover legally. From a musical perspective yes, but from a legal perspective?
So, if I've done a cover / my own unique version of a very famous song that happens to be in the AAA format, and I've preserved all three of the verses, but I've replaced the three guitar solos entirely with my own, and extended two of the three solo sections significantly -- being that I preserved the lyrics, melody, and the chord progression throughout, as well as the order of all the verses, that should constitute still preserving the essence of the song, correct? (Because the guitar solos on top of the chord progression should technically be considered part of the arrangement changing in my opinion, correct? Does/could this count as a cover still? Thank you.
30:02 I've been told by another IP attorney that Fair Use is NOT a legal defense, just a judge's determination, and that anyone can contest Fair Use to make me go to court and waste money I don't have to find out if (say) my parody song actually is Fair Use. Who's correct, you or the other attorney.
Hey there, that was very informative, I recently reached out to one of my distributors, asking about licenses for a Medley, I took 4 different songs from a popular band that I was part of a few years ago, out of those songs, I took like the first verse and chorus for all four, and ended the medley with the ending of one of them, so... my question, one of the distributors said they didn't have a license to put out medleys, the other one said they did, and it alright to distribute, as long as I stated correctly in the name that it was a medley, and named all 4 of the songs in the title so that when it shows on Spotify for example, people would see what was included, some sort of "disclaimer", and that we wouldn't get in trouble if we did it like that, so... do you have any suggestions about this? or can you guide us on it, we made an 8min, 40 sec medley out of those 4 songs.
18....you say that a still image with a cover but yet also say it is covered in your DSP with your distributor eg Spotify etc, but even there they have an image with each track - colour me confused
Thanks so much for all this info! Quick question- i'm working on a cover of a super popular artist where i keep the exact lyrics and structure the same, but i completely change the chords and melody of the song- like wildly different. I'm assuming I'll need a license before releasing this, yes? And if so- which license should I be acquiring for it? Thanks again for any insight
Thank you so much. You are legendary. So am I right to assume/understand if you only do the first verse and chorus of a somg as a cover, that would be NOT ok? Does that fall under your “trimming” q&a early in this video?
Wow, so many rules to do a cover song, Is it worth your time to do it? The definition of cover song interpreted in so many ways. Guessed I will take time to digest what you have said. Thanks for the legal headaches point of view, I guessed have to be careful not to get into legal issues while doing something good for a purpose.
This is an awesome session! Thanks once again. One question for the live performance - What if the live performance is done at my home studio & go live on UA-cam and other social media. Does that mean I need to get a sync license? Does this consider as streaming? But after the live session, the platform usually will save a recording copy.
I’m still baffled as to why the original artist/label wld care if u changed structure. Also, here’s my most recent cover. Not sure I’ve kept the original “essence” but I dig it anyway. 😊 DjSiN SiNfidelity- she’s not there
Wow, there was a lot covered in that video. I was quite surprised about that person that just wanted to send a song to their mum lol. I'll probably need to watch this again because there was loads to take in. Thanks for the video.
Thank you for doing this and clarifying things. You can read tons of contradicting things on the internet from people with no music law background so it's good to have a video like this to refer to if needed.
Are you aware of Jonathan Coulton's "cover" of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back"? He really stretched the definition of a "cover", using an original melody and arguably completely changing the character of the song, but he kept the same "arrangement" (structure) of the original, and (as I understand it) he chose to call it a cover and used a compulsory license instead of negotiating a mechanical license with the rights holder. A problem arose, however, when the Fox TV series "Glee" chose to use Coulton's version of the song in one of their episodes. Because he had determined his version to be a cover, he had no legal rights to the composition of his version of the song! The show did not pay him any royalties, and he couldn't sue them for using his version without permission, because legally he wasn't a composer. You mentioned that changing "her" to "him" is probably a small enough change that it wouldn't be significant. Coulton made a small change like that, changing the lyric "Mix-A-Lot's in trouble" to "Johnny C's in trouble". Glee's version kept Coulton's alteration intact, but aside from that, did not credit him in any way. Completely separate from that, the show ALSO apparently sampled Coulton's audio, digitally removing his vocal track and using his instrumentals, which they also didn't get permission or pay any royalties for. That's very clearly illegal, but because he was already on shaky legal ground with the composition and because Fox has far more money than he does, he chose not to sue them for infringement. He did, however, re-release his single, labeling it "in the style of Glee", throwing the ball into their court in case they wanted to try to sue him for the thing that they stole, which of course they didn't. I have no idea how Sir Mix-A-Lot feels about any of this.
@@grnphroggy so Glee paid the original composer/writer? This is also interesting because I heard one of my favorite cover bands on a film soundtrack. It had me wondering how that works exactly. Is there a market for cover bands for sync placement?
On #31 - before mechanically (and later, electrically) recorded music all music was cover because it was sung and played by persons other than the creators of the works - the family, friends, and guests who were gathered together. IIRC license for the private use of copyright works is conveyed with the purchase of the physical media (at least back in the printed sheet music days), so as long as the performance of a cover is not in public or in a place where the public could hear the performance, it's likely private use.
Question - there's a new trending product being sold on Amazon and various social sites where pop-up companies are selling fridge magnets with songs on them. My wife just got me one with my own song on for my birthday. Whilst it was a lovely personal gift, it made me quite angry that this exists as this company is selling my song for $10-20 and I get nothing from that, they obviously didn't ask permission and illegally ripped my song onto this fridge magnet. Literally nobody else in the world is going to do that with my songs, but that's not the point, this is very much illegal. How are these companies getting away with doing this and what is the end game here? Surely they're going to be held liable for this in some way by the major labels?
Arrangements: you didn't create confusion. At the opposite you cleared out what a Lawyer mean and what we as producers/musicians etc are meaning. Believe me or not, this was oen of the most misunderstood thing between me,a as label and producer, and SABAM in Belgium :-D The real problem is that the Legal Office of SABAM was NEVER able to explain me what they meant with "arrangement" ... this because both we were convinced that the term "arrangement" was univocal :-D so definitely: thank you to have cleared it out.
what if the original (epic instrumental music without vocals) was in a different time division (3/4 or 6/8), and I replayed it in 4/4 to make it danceable. Is it still a cover or interpolation or some other derivative work?
I have the same question, my band having just recorded, mixed, mastered a Depeche Mode song as a slow waltz (probably making it less danceable, LOL), and am figuring out what we can do with it.
If we’re allowed to upload cover songs bc the DSPs are required to get the mechanical license here in the US, that includes pretty much every DSP *EXCEPT* Apple, right? Bc Apple and iTunes are tied together..?
I write from a UK perspective as a song copyright owner. A cover version is simply a secondary version of a song that someone has taken out of a song previously issued, no matter how it is arranged. A semi alteration of a copyright work is an adaptation and copyright remains with the original work that it is based on. In the UK we have the right to be identified as author/composer, though this is difficult to enforce. When there are millions of songs many with the same title, correct authorship identification is needed to link the works. I often refuse to let versions stand on youtube unless correct linking is given. Remember as well when you give advice that your advice is based on your American perspective and the 1988 copyright act stands in the UK.
These videos are so high quality and helpful. How do you have time to lawyer and have a music career? I’m struggling just to work part time and get my music going while learning how to release a cover song legally😂 Grateful to have your videos to help. 🙏
Thanks for the kind words! Please feel free to check out the other resources on the website: www.TopMusicAttorney.com. And of course reach out any time - smartcards.pro/RfSetG
So what does one do if one wants to record a "cover song" that actually *does* change the structure of the original? Take Tommy Emmanuel's version of "Classical Gas", for example, which has RADICALLY different structure and arrangement from the original. (Countless Beatles covers follow this pattern, too.)
I don’t think the composer Mason Williams would object to this performance. Artistic integrity of the composition is well intact. The bottom line is this: Composer (or publisher) can file a copyright claim and keep all the money from streaming and ads. Why would a copyright owner block a great cover version when they instead can "copyright claim" the video and collect the proceeds for the music part of the video.? If you put a cover song on UA-cam without required permissions, you should also assume that your video will be de-monetized eventually, depending on how long it takes the algorithm to sniff you out.
Having fun- having circled back to this video. Question: I few acquire the sync license for live (cover song) video performance, do we keep monetization?
Hi, If I sing only the main Chorus of a popular song, and use my own stems, and voice, is it considered a cover? Or is this now derivative because it's not the full song?
In some interviews, Weird Al has claimed that he asks permission. However, it's unclear if that was strictly verbal or if he also got a license. Given his high level of success, I assume he got licenses, and those artists got some residuals. So assuming you do a parody, audio and video (unlicensed), it goes viral and you make money you don't have to share the proceeds? If the words are no longer the same the writer has no claim, correct? The person who penned the music might. However, if I'm splitting hairs, the words are the parody, and the music since unchanged, is the cover. In this case, neither needs a license. ??
In several interviews that I've seen, Al has had songs written, recorded and sometimes even getting AirPlay before he has permission from the copyright holder. A perfect example is My Bologna or Another One Rides the bus. When he tried to do a parody of James Blunt's song You're beautiful, James said no and I'll said, "Okay, I'll just release it on the internet for free instead of putting it on the album for sale."
Thanks! This is a wonderfully helpful offering... However, I've closely watched both this video & the one leading to this one and I remain unclear about a few points BUT mainly this one: What is the reference term/name applied to what would otherwise be considered a Cover Song, except the song's structure IS changed from the original recording? i.e. repeating the chorus or changing the lead guitar solo from 8 measures to 16 measures. Is such a music piece an interpolation-even when the integrity of the original composition is intact? There must be a categorical term for this "altered structure" (yet not a Cover Song) and therefore a separate process to license the arrangement for duplication and broadcast. What is it called? If I get two questions... How about changing meter of a song, say from 4/4 to 6/8? Is that the same as you taking a song in a major key and re-do in a minor key?
It sounds like regardless of the law if I don't want ANY problems I need to stick with writing my own songs and so glad my buddy is building a recording studio and he and I have already started some writing and will continue AND have a way of recording so we don't have to try to remember what we came up with in the previous session. I did have one question in reference to time frame of compositions. What if I take something written before the year 1600 and mess around with an improvisation of it on my acoustic guitar? Just wondering about the copyright situation with that. Having fun. ;-)
How about a breakup song into a get back together song? Tweaking a few words can change the directions somewhat significant but would love your advice. Thanks Krystle
Question: How about a single instrument cover (guitar/bass/drums) by removing this instrument and replacing it with your own but not playing exactly what the original instrument is and experimenting or improvising or interpretation and posting on UA-cam.
You keep saying that it is legal to upload a cover song to streaming sites without a license, but you also say that an accompanying image would require a sync license. So, cover songs should be presented without any album art whatsoever? Or, how is having the static AlbumArt.jpg on Spotify different than having the static AlbumArt.jpg on a UA-cam video?
@@playtolose4 She clearly stated that as of now it is the responsibility of the streaming sites, not the uploading artist, to get those mechanical licenses.
I have surely broken most of these rules at least once, and will continue to do so into the future with scant regards for the law. What is the worst anyone who comes at me with a civil suit or the courts that would be finding against me in judgement do? Fine me? I have no money or assets to speak of to be extracted! Force me into bankrupcy? Well I fail to see how that might prevent me form making the music I make. Besides I think that you would find that when I do use an "illegal sample" from another artist I do it in a way that is quite transformative, perhaps unusually so. So much so that maybe a judge might actually be ruling in my favour as far as my usage of the original recordings being a fair usage of the original material. Would the establishment music industry really be willing to roll the dice, even if loaded in their favour that a new precedent might be set that would go against their interests moving forwards? Especially for a defendant that has little in the way of assets that they might be able to claim even if they do succeed in having a judge rule against me. Indeed I have previously submitted compositions and or performances of mine in competitions, distribution platforms, music stores live venues and other similar places both online and real-world where these were subject to manual review by a human well-versed in the law before being hosted often with terms and conditions explicitly stipulating that uncleared samples were not allowed, and after their expert has listened to my music they were in fact approved 100% of the time. So maybe the laws are not quite so black and white as you might suggest.
@Top Music Attorney I have edited my comment to be far less needlessly combative and the questions contained within are far less hypothetical. I am genuinely curious as to the answers to these. Tuning into a live stream to pose my questions is not something I will be doing, but if you might have any thoughts on these matters, even if only a few words. Any of the sentences in the above post which terminate in the query symbol are what I am curious about the answers to in context of the larger comment.
What about recreating a real song as an educational video on how to recreate the song? It might be only a portion of the arrangement rather than the entire track. Such as what Dr. Mix did for Staying Alive?
@@FiLipiNoJezus Parodia and fair use is hard. If it falls to certain parameters… it can be called parody… and in some cases not. So it depends. Aika it is case to case. I did see one parody made from Ecuador by Sash flagged. For my yees it was parody, but record company did not agree…
@@haukikannel yeah that’s the same conclusion I came to when doing some research. I just wanna make good music entertain and enlighten without getting in trouble
@@FiLipiNoJezus In your use case you actually ”sample” the who song, so it would not be a cover. If you play the whole song by using ukulele it could be considered cover/parody. So don’t use ready instrumental without getting official lisense to make a parody. Weird Al Jankovits allways ask permission before makin his parody version. Just to be sure!
Guns N Roses made millions from their covers and they're all over UA-cam. Knocking On Heaven's Door is nothing like the original. Granted they may have been awarded certain rights, but I feel like you can pretty much do whatever depending on the artist you're covering. The Eagles are no-go apparently lol Just post that shit and see what happens. I'm not gonna stress it
I went out on Saturday night. Performed a cover song and recorded it and post it on UA-cam. Bruno Mars song call when I was your a copyright for it? It's clear that the biased opinions on what's a copyright and what not to is running rampant all of the internet.When it comes to music people just steal enough everybody
@JeremyTaylorNZ sorry about that I was drunk messaging basically I posted a cover song by Bruno Mars "When I was your man " I got a copyright strict but don't show a link to the original song to him... I have copyright hits on my own music I published also I have direction to be brave and say I am being taken advantage of nobody cares about my music influence and the vibes of someone reposting me FreshAir and copyright my own music to make money in other countries 🎶 the events of the music industry is if you don't play by their rules or praise them for making money off others hard work and career opportunities don't come around like this the more influence you have the more their copying me... God bless I'm the original FreshAir vocal recording artist but everywhere people literally use my name look it up on all music platforms
I wish you would trash cd baby! they hold copyright forever due to , if you want to cancel their service you have email them from within their site so you have no record of it, and of course they don't respond.
What are some of your FAVORITE cover songs?
Original "Post Cover Songs LEGALLY on UA-cam 2025" Video: ua-cam.com/video/OegBwyRBw2c/v-deo.html
🎤 My Cover Songs: ua-cam.com/play/PLEMhlPbIQ92MKYSIbTwGkYzvE_qvQHfrR.html&si=orbVrqca4K8hCYNI
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Hurt - Johnny Cash
Sounds of Silence - Disturbed
Twist and Shout - Beatles
Call Me Maybe - The Ataris
Andie Case has a huge list of covers that I love. I've found that I don't generally like the originals of the songs she covers. But a lot of what she does is stripped or acoustic only, that's a sound I love.
Heartbreak Hotel - Klaus Nomi. This version is so different from the original that I'm not sure if it counts as a cover legally. From a musical perspective yes, but from a legal perspective?
My fav cover song is Jason Mraz - Summer Breeze 🍃☀
Thanks!
I've been searching all over for this information and your recent videos have been invaluable!
Thanks for the kind words!
having all the fun!
So, if I've done a cover / my own unique version of a very famous song that happens to be in the AAA format, and I've preserved all three of the verses, but I've replaced the three guitar solos entirely with my own, and extended two of the three solo sections significantly -- being that I preserved the lyrics, melody, and the chord progression throughout, as well as the order of all the verses, that should constitute still preserving the essence of the song, correct? (Because the guitar solos on top of the chord progression should technically be considered part of the arrangement changing in my opinion, correct? Does/could this count as a cover still? Thank you.
Having fun! I usually have to pay good money for my head to spin this fast! 😅
30:02 I've been told by another IP attorney that Fair Use is NOT a legal defense, just a judge's determination, and that anyone can contest Fair Use to make me go to court and waste money I don't have to find out if (say) my parody song actually is Fair Use.
Who's correct, you or the other attorney.
Having fun and love this set of information
Having fun~ And, learning! 🎉
Hey there, that was very informative, I recently reached out to one of my distributors, asking about licenses for a Medley, I took 4 different songs from a popular band that I was part of a few years ago, out of those songs, I took like the first verse and chorus for all four, and ended the medley with the ending of one of them, so... my question, one of the distributors said they didn't have a license to put out medleys, the other one said they did, and it alright to distribute, as long as I stated correctly in the name that it was a medley, and named all 4 of the songs in the title so that when it shows on Spotify for example, people would see what was included, some sort of "disclaimer", and that we wouldn't get in trouble if we did it like that, so... do you have any suggestions about this? or can you guide us on it, we made an 8min, 40 sec medley out of those 4 songs.
18....you say that a still image with a cover but yet also say it is covered in your DSP with your distributor eg Spotify etc, but even there they have an image with each track - colour me confused
Yaaaaaay! I’m empowered by you! Thanks for leaning into this. Loved the first one. You’re a beast.
Thanks so much for all this info! Quick question- i'm working on a cover of a super popular artist where i keep the exact lyrics and structure the same, but i completely change the chords and melody of the song- like wildly different. I'm assuming I'll need a license before releasing this, yes? And if so- which license should I be acquiring for it? Thanks again for any insight
Thank you so much. You are legendary.
So am I right to assume/understand if you only do the first verse and chorus of a somg as a cover, that would be NOT ok? Does that fall under your “trimming” q&a early in this video?
Wow, so many rules to do a cover song, Is it worth your time to do it? The definition of cover song interpreted in so many ways. Guessed I will take time to digest what you have said. Thanks for the legal headaches point of view, I guessed have to be careful not to get into legal issues while doing something good for a purpose.
This is an awesome session! Thanks once again. One question for the live performance - What if the live performance is done at my home studio & go live on UA-cam and other social media. Does that mean I need to get a sync license? Does this consider as streaming? But after the live session, the platform usually will save a recording copy.
I’m still baffled as to why the original artist/label wld care if u changed structure. Also, here’s my most recent cover. Not sure I’ve kept the original “essence” but I dig it anyway. 😊
DjSiN SiNfidelity- she’s not there
I have told many people on x/twitter to tune into your channel. By far the most informative person out there on the legalities of music!
Wow, there was a lot covered in that video. I was quite surprised about that person that just wanted to send a song to their mum lol. I'll probably need to watch this again because there was loads to take in. Thanks for the video.
Yeah, Definitely a good video to bookmark.
Thank you for this. It was very helpful. 🤗
Yes, having fun!
Havin’ fun!
This is really useful to know, currently working on solo acoustic melancholy covers of heavy metal songs 😁 thank you!
Religious personality Pat Boone has an album of big band, swing style metal songs, "In A Metal Mood."
@raygunsforronnie847 cheers I'll have to check that out 🙂
Thank you for doing this and clarifying things. You can read tons of contradicting things on the internet from people with no music law background so it's good to have a video like this to refer to if needed.
The musical term for a song structure is the “form.”
The musical term for the instruments used is the “arrangement.”
My favorite cover is the one Whitney Houston made of Dolly Parton's I'll Always love you.
Damn, I feel dumb…I don’t think I knew that was a cover 😂 Incredible song and incredible version !
Are you aware of Jonathan Coulton's "cover" of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back"? He really stretched the definition of a "cover", using an original melody and arguably completely changing the character of the song, but he kept the same "arrangement" (structure) of the original, and (as I understand it) he chose to call it a cover and used a compulsory license instead of negotiating a mechanical license with the rights holder. A problem arose, however, when the Fox TV series "Glee" chose to use Coulton's version of the song in one of their episodes. Because he had determined his version to be a cover, he had no legal rights to the composition of his version of the song! The show did not pay him any royalties, and he couldn't sue them for using his version without permission, because legally he wasn't a composer.
You mentioned that changing "her" to "him" is probably a small enough change that it wouldn't be significant. Coulton made a small change like that, changing the lyric "Mix-A-Lot's in trouble" to "Johnny C's in trouble". Glee's version kept Coulton's alteration intact, but aside from that, did not credit him in any way.
Completely separate from that, the show ALSO apparently sampled Coulton's audio, digitally removing his vocal track and using his instrumentals, which they also didn't get permission or pay any royalties for. That's very clearly illegal, but because he was already on shaky legal ground with the composition and because Fox has far more money than he does, he chose not to sue them for infringement. He did, however, re-release his single, labeling it "in the style of Glee", throwing the ball into their court in case they wanted to try to sue him for the thing that they stole, which of course they didn't.
I have no idea how Sir Mix-A-Lot feels about any of this.
@@grnphroggy so Glee paid the original composer/writer? This is also interesting because I heard one of my favorite cover bands on a film soundtrack. It had me wondering how that works exactly. Is there a market for cover bands for sync placement?
My question is how does postmodern jukebox post and record cover tunes. I know they keep the melody and the lyrics the same
On #31 - before mechanically (and later, electrically) recorded music all music was cover because it was sung and played by persons other than the creators of the works - the family, friends, and guests who were gathered together. IIRC license for the private use of copyright works is conveyed with the purchase of the physical media (at least back in the printed sheet music days), so as long as the performance of a cover is not in public or in a place where the public could hear the performance, it's likely private use.
Exactly the information I needed👍🏾✔Thank you much✌🏾
Question - there's a new trending product being sold on Amazon and various social sites where pop-up companies are selling fridge magnets with songs on them. My wife just got me one with my own song on for my birthday. Whilst it was a lovely personal gift, it made me quite angry that this exists as this company is selling my song for $10-20 and I get nothing from that, they obviously didn't ask permission and illegally ripped my song onto this fridge magnet. Literally nobody else in the world is going to do that with my songs, but that's not the point, this is very much illegal. How are these companies getting away with doing this and what is the end game here? Surely they're going to be held liable for this in some way by the major labels?
Please tell me you didn't hit her with a lawsuit, not even as a joke
@@alasdairdrake8507 🤣it was easy to serve her the papers, and imagine the look on her face when I buy that car I've always wanted using her money 😆
having fun, tyvm
Arrangements: you didn't create confusion. At the opposite you cleared out what a Lawyer mean and what we as producers/musicians etc are meaning.
Believe me or not, this was oen of the most misunderstood thing between me,a as label and producer, and SABAM in Belgium :-D The real problem is that the Legal Office of SABAM was NEVER able to explain me what they meant with "arrangement" ... this because both we were convinced that the term "arrangement" was univocal :-D so definitely: thank you to have cleared it out.
Thanks for the explanations. I was having fun!
what if the original (epic instrumental music without vocals) was in a different time division (3/4 or 6/8), and I replayed it in 4/4 to make it danceable. Is it still a cover or interpolation or some other derivative work?
I have the same question, my band having just recorded, mixed, mastered a Depeche Mode song as a slow waltz (probably making it less danceable, LOL), and am figuring out what we can do with it.
If we’re allowed to upload cover songs bc the DSPs are required to get the mechanical license here in the US, that includes pretty much every DSP *EXCEPT* Apple, right? Bc Apple and iTunes are tied together..?
I write from a UK perspective as a song copyright owner. A cover version is simply a secondary version of a song that someone has taken out of a song previously issued, no matter how it is arranged. A semi alteration of a copyright work is an adaptation and copyright remains with the original work that it is based on. In the UK we have the right to be identified as author/composer, though this is difficult to enforce. When there are millions of songs many with the same title, correct authorship identification is needed to link the works. I often refuse to let versions stand on youtube unless correct linking is given. Remember as well when you give advice that your advice is based on your American perspective and the 1988 copyright act stands in the UK.
These videos are so high quality and helpful. How do you have time to lawyer and have a music career? I’m struggling just to work part time and get my music going while learning how to release a cover song legally😂 Grateful to have your videos to help. 🙏
Thanks for the kind words! Please feel free to check out the other resources on the website: www.TopMusicAttorney.com. And of course reach out any time - smartcards.pro/RfSetG
Having fun!
So what does one do if one wants to record a "cover song" that actually *does* change the structure of the original? Take Tommy Emmanuel's version of "Classical Gas", for example, which has RADICALLY different structure and arrangement from the original. (Countless Beatles covers follow this pattern, too.)
I don’t think the composer Mason Williams would object to this performance. Artistic integrity of the composition is well intact. The bottom line is this: Composer (or publisher) can file a copyright claim and keep all the money from streaming and ads. Why would a copyright owner block a great cover version when they instead can "copyright claim" the video and collect the proceeds for the music part of the video.?
If you put a cover song on UA-cam without required permissions, you should also assume that your video will be de-monetized eventually, depending on how long it takes the algorithm to sniff you out.
I think that you need lisense directly from the owner of the song.
Having Fun!
having fun! thanks a lot
What if I change just one or two words in the lyrics, but keep the same structure, melody?
Please checkout the copyright playlist! Or search Cover Songs on the channel.
having fun!
Do I need separate licenses for a cover song and my own remixes of my cover version?
Yes… one is cover and one is remix…
Having fun.
Gonna check out your website with the quickness. P.S. HAVING FUN!
Having fun
Having fun- having circled back to this video.
Question: I few acquire the sync license for live (cover song) video performance, do we keep monetization?
Hi, If I sing only the main Chorus of a popular song, and use my own stems, and voice, is it considered a cover? Or is this now derivative because it's not the full song?
wow, your amazing thank you for these videos
Great content - thank you!
In some interviews, Weird Al has claimed that he asks permission. However, it's unclear if that was strictly verbal or if he also got a license. Given his high level of success, I assume he got licenses, and those artists got some residuals. So assuming you do a parody, audio and video (unlicensed), it goes viral and you make money you don't have to share the proceeds? If the words are no longer the same the writer has no claim, correct? The person who penned the music might. However, if I'm splitting hairs, the words are the parody, and the music since unchanged, is the cover. In this case, neither needs a license. ??
In several interviews that I've seen, Al has had songs written, recorded and sometimes even getting AirPlay before he has permission from the copyright holder. A perfect example is My Bologna or Another One Rides the bus. When he tried to do a parody of James Blunt's song You're beautiful, James said no and I'll said, "Okay, I'll just release it on the internet for free instead of putting it on the album for sale."
Having fun 🙂👍
Is "We Are The Hits" still relevant for monetizing covers for channels that do not meet monetizing criteria?
Thanks! This is a wonderfully helpful offering... However, I've closely watched both this video & the one leading to this one and I remain unclear about a few points BUT mainly this one: What is the reference term/name applied to what would otherwise be considered a Cover Song, except the song's structure IS changed from the original recording? i.e. repeating the chorus or changing the lead guitar solo from 8 measures to 16 measures. Is such a music piece an interpolation-even when the integrity of the original composition is intact? There must be a categorical term for this "altered structure" (yet not a Cover Song) and therefore a separate process to license the arrangement for duplication and broadcast. What is it called?
If I get two questions... How about changing meter of a song, say from 4/4 to 6/8? Is that the same as you taking a song in a major key and re-do in a minor key?
Hi. Loving your videos. I’m from England. Please would you do one of these on the British distributor. Ditto.
Many thanks.
It sounds like regardless of the law if I don't want ANY problems I need to stick with writing my own songs and so glad my buddy is building a recording studio and he and I have already started some writing and will continue AND have a way of recording so we don't have to try to remember what we came up with in the previous session. I did have one question in reference to time frame of compositions. What if I take something written before the year 1600 and mess around with an improvisation of it on my acoustic guitar? Just wondering about the copyright situation with that. Having fun. ;-)
First time I have queued up to beginning of video immediately after the first listen. I predict a lot of likes for this one.
What about online livestreams? Does the platform (e.g., UA-cam, Instagram, Twitch) pay the rights holder like a physical venue?
Having fun being a real rockstar here
Question: Since we have NO rights to the Publisher/Song writing royalties, How do we monetize the Sound Recording? Thanks.
We are having fun making legal covers 😉
Favorite cover from an artist: Artist - Elise Trouw. Cover of LEAN ON from Major Lazer
How about a breakup song into a get back together song? Tweaking a few words can change the directions somewhat significant but would love your advice.
Thanks Krystle
Question: How about a single instrument cover (guitar/bass/drums) by removing this instrument and replacing it with your own but not playing exactly what the original instrument is and experimenting or improvising or interpretation and posting on UA-cam.
what if i added a solo section to a song that doesn’t originally have a solo section?
Besides, what is the legal difference between reprise and cover ?
So NOT having fun. So complicated! All I'd want to do is to just have fun and enjoy music.
Higher love James Vincent Mcmorrow
You keep saying that it is legal to upload a cover song to streaming sites without a license, but you also say that an accompanying image would require a sync license. So, cover songs should be presented without any album art whatsoever? Or, how is having the static AlbumArt.jpg on Spotify different than having the static AlbumArt.jpg on a UA-cam video?
@@playtolose4 She clearly stated that as of now it is the responsibility of the streaming sites, not the uploading artist, to get those mechanical licenses.
I have surely broken most of these rules at least once, and will continue to do so into the future with scant regards for the law.
What is the worst anyone who comes at me with a civil suit or the courts that would be finding against me in judgement do?
Fine me? I have no money or assets to speak of to be extracted! Force me into bankrupcy? Well I fail to see how that might prevent me form making the music I make.
Besides I think that you would find that when I do use an "illegal sample" from another artist I do it in a way that is quite transformative, perhaps unusually so. So much so that maybe a judge might actually be ruling in my favour as far as my usage of the original recordings being a fair usage of the original material. Would the establishment music industry really be willing to roll the dice, even if loaded in their favour that a new precedent might be set that would go against their interests moving forwards? Especially for a defendant that has little in the way of assets that they might be able to claim even if they do succeed in having a judge rule against me.
Indeed I have previously submitted compositions and or performances of mine in competitions, distribution platforms, music stores live venues and other similar places both online and real-world where these were subject to manual review by a human well-versed in the law before being hosted often with terms and conditions explicitly stipulating that uncleared samples were not allowed, and after their expert has listened to my music they were in fact approved 100% of the time. So maybe the laws are not quite so black and white as you might suggest.
@Top Music Attorney I have edited my comment to be far less needlessly combative and the questions contained within are far less hypothetical. I am genuinely curious as to the answers to these. Tuning into a live stream to pose my questions is not something I will be doing, but if you might have any thoughts on these matters, even if only a few words. Any of the sentences in the above post which terminate in the query symbol are what I am curious about the answers to in context of the larger comment.
What about recreating a real song as an educational video on how to recreate the song? It might be only a portion of the arrangement rather than the entire track. Such as what Dr. Mix did for Staying Alive?
So if I use copyrighted instrumentals and remake the lyrics so that it’s a parody I don’t have to get the license?
Maybe…
@ hahahahaha thanks for nothing damnit! Jk, Love you
@@FiLipiNoJezus
Parodia and fair use is hard. If it falls to certain parameters… it can be called parody… and in some cases not.
So it depends. Aika it is case to case. I did see one parody made from Ecuador by Sash flagged. For my yees it was parody, but record company did not agree…
@@haukikannel yeah that’s the same conclusion I came to when doing some research.
I just wanna make good music entertain and enlighten without getting in trouble
@@FiLipiNoJezus
In your use case you actually ”sample” the who song, so it would not be a cover. If you play the whole song by using ukulele it could be considered cover/parody. So don’t use ready instrumental without getting official lisense to make a parody.
Weird Al Jankovits allways ask permission before makin his parody version. Just to be sure!
Changing chords is not a significant change while removing a part is? This is really messed up!😂
Guns N Roses made millions from their covers and they're all over UA-cam. Knocking On Heaven's Door is nothing like the original.
Granted they may have been awarded certain rights, but I feel like you can pretty much do whatever depending on the artist you're covering. The Eagles are no-go apparently lol
Just post that shit and see what happens. I'm not gonna stress it
I went out on Saturday night. Performed a cover song and recorded it and post it on UA-cam. Bruno Mars song call when I was your a copyright for it? It's clear that the biased opinions on what's a copyright and what not to is running rampant all of the internet.When it comes to music people just steal enough everybody
want to have another go phrasing that?
@JeremyTaylorNZ sorry about that I was drunk messaging basically I posted a cover song by Bruno Mars "When I was your man " I got a copyright strict but don't show a link to the original song to him... I have copyright hits on my own music I published also I have direction to be brave and say I am being taken advantage of nobody cares about my music influence and the vibes of someone reposting me FreshAir and copyright my own music to make money in other countries 🎶 the events of the music industry is if you don't play by their rules or praise them for making money off others hard work and career opportunities don't come around like this the more influence you have the more their copying me... God bless I'm the original FreshAir vocal recording artist but everywhere people literally use my name look it up on all music platforms
ASCAP shakedown
I wish you would trash cd baby! they hold copyright forever due to , if you want to cancel their service you have email them from within their site so you have no record of it, and of course they don't respond.
Having fun.
Having fun!
Having fun
Having fun!
Having fun!
Having fun!
Having fun!