Verifying a cover song’s publishing rights means confirming three things before you upload: who owns the underlying composition, whether that composition is actually eligible for a compulsory mechanical license, and whether the song has already been commercially released in the way the law requires. Skipping this step is the single most common reason cover releases get pulled from streaming platforms after they’ve already gone live. The good news is that the check itself takes about ten minutes once you know where to look.

This isn’t a legal formality you can safely ignore because a distributor handles licensing automatically. Automatic mechanical licensing, which Globex Music includes at no extra cost on every release, depends on the underlying song actually qualifying for that license. If it doesn’t qualify, no distributor’s automation can fix that after the fact.

What does it actually mean to «verify publishing rights» on a cover?

It means confirming that the composition — the melody and lyrics, as distinct from any specific recording of it — is registered with a recognized publisher or Performing Rights Organization, and that the version you’re covering is a faithful rendition rather than a substantial reimagining. Publishing rights belong to the songwriter and their publisher, separate from whoever owns the master recording you might be inspired by. You never need permission from the original recording artist to release a cover. You do need the composition to be properly licensable, and that’s a narrower category than most new cover artists assume.

How do I find out who publishes a song I want to cover?

Start with a PRO database search — ASCAP’s ACE, BMI’s Repertoire search, or SESAC’s catalog — and search by song title and songwriter name, not performer name. These databases list the registered writers and publishers of the composition itself. Most well-known songs, especially anything commercially released in the United States, will show up with a clear publisher listed. If a search turns up nothing, that’s a signal to dig further rather than assume the song is free to use.

For songs originally released outside the US, cross-check with the relevant international PRO (PRS for Music in the UK, SOCAN in Canada, APRA in Australia) since a song can be absent from US databases but fully registered elsewhere. If you genuinely cannot find any publishing information after checking multiple sources, treat that as a red flag rather than a green light — an unregistered song isn’t automatically public domain.

How do I know if a song qualifies for a compulsory mechanical license?

In the US, a song qualifies for a compulsory mechanical license under Section 115 of the Copyright Act only if it has already been distributed to the public in an audio recording, with the copyright owner’s authorization. This is why you can’t cover a song that hasn’t been officially released yet, even if you’ve heard a leaked demo or a live bootleg. It’s also why you generally can’t change the fundamental character of the composition — altering the melody or lyrics substantially moves you from «cover» into «derivative work,» which requires a separate negotiated license the compulsory framework doesn’t cover.

A straightforward arrangement change — new instrumentation, a different tempo, a stripped-down acoustic version, a different vocal style — stays within compulsory licensing. Rewriting lyrics, adding a rap verse, or interpolating the melody into a new song does not, and needs direct clearance from the publisher.

Is the song actually in the public domain?

Public domain status is one of the most commonly misjudged parts of this process, because «old» and «public domain» are not the same thing. In the US, compositions published before 1928 are in the public domain as of 2026, with the cutoff advancing by one year every January. But a huge number of «old» folk and traditional songs have been re-arranged and re-copyrighted by later publishers, meaning the specific arrangement you’ve heard on a popular recording may still be under active copyright even though an earlier version isn’t. If you’re covering a traditional song, verify which specific arrangement you’re basing your version on before assuming it’s free and clear.

What happens if I skip this check and submit anyway?

The most likely outcomes are a takedown after the release has already gone live, a moderation rejection at submission, or — in rarer cases — a rights dispute that affects your entire distributor account. None of these are hypothetical: publishers and their rights-management partners actively monitor new releases across major platforms and file claims against unlicensed or improperly licensed covers. A takedown after release doesn’t just cost you the song, it also disrupts any playlist placement or algorithmic momentum the track had already built, which is often worse than a same-day rejection at the review stage.

Fast moderation cuts your exposure here rather than increasing it. Because Globex Music typically reviews cover submissions quickly, problems tend to surface within days of upload rather than after weeks of it sitting live and accumulating streams you’d otherwise have to unwind.

What should I have ready before I submit?

  • The exact original songwriter name(s), not just the performer
  • Confirmation from a PRO database that the composition is registered and commercially released
  • A clear understanding of whether your version counts as an arrangement or a derivative work
  • Accurate metadata crediting the original songwriter, since this is what licensing systems match against

Getting the songwriter credit right in your metadata matters as much as the legal research itself, because automatic licensing systems match submissions against registered composition data. A misspelled writer name or missing credit can delay or derail a license that would otherwise process cleanly.

Why does this matter more at low per-release costs?

When a single release costs $1 instead of carrying an annual platform fee, the economics change how you should think about verification. At Globex Music’s pricing, a rejected or pulled cover costs you a dollar and a short delay, not a chunk of a $24.99 or $44.99 annual commitment sunk into a single problematic track. That’s a real advantage of per-release pricing over annual-fee models, but it’s not a reason to skip the verification step — it’s a reason resubmitting after doing it properly is cheap and fast rather than a strategic setback.

The artists who release covers consistently over time treat this ten-minute check as a standard part of their workflow, the same way they’d check song length or file format. It’s a small habit that prevents the two outcomes that actually cost you: a rejected submission that delays your release calendar, and a live takedown that erases streaming momentum you can’t get back.

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