Mechanical License for Cover Songs: Everything Independent Artists Need to Know
Mechanical License for Cover Songs: Everything Independent Artists Need to Know
You’ve recorded a cover song. It sounds great. Now you want to put it on Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok. Before you hit distribute, there’s one legal step you can’t skip: a mechanical license.
Most artists either don’t know what a mechanical license is, get confused by the terminology, or assume it’s complicated and expensive. In reality, it’s neither. This guide explains exactly what a mechanical license is, when you need one, how much it costs, and the simplest way to get one in 2025.
What Is a Mechanical License?
A mechanical license is a legal authorization that gives you the right to reproduce and distribute a copyrighted musical composition in a new recording. The name comes from the early days of recorded music — when songs were first reproduced mechanically, via piano rolls and phonograph cylinders.
Today, a mechanical license covers:
Streaming your cover on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, and similar platforms
Digital downloads on iTunes, Bandcamp, and download stores
Physical copies — CDs, vinyl, cassettes
What a mechanical license does not cover: video. If you record a music video for your cover or upload a performance to YouTube, you need a separate sync license for the visual component. More on this below.
Why Do You Need a Mechanical License for a Cover Song?
Every song has two separate copyrights:
The composition — the melody, lyrics, and chord progression. This is owned by the songwriter and their publisher, regardless of who recorded the song or how famous the performing artist is.
The master recording — the specific recorded performance. This is owned by whoever made the recording (typically the artist or their label).
When you record a cover, you create a new master recording that you own. But you’re building it on top of someone else’s composition. The mechanical license is what makes that legal — it gives you permission to reproduce and distribute the composition in your version, and ensures the original songwriter receives their royalties.
Without a mechanical license, you’re distributing an unlicensed reproduction of a copyrighted work. The original publisher can issue a takedown at any time, claim all revenue your release has generated, and in cases of willful infringement, pursue statutory damages of up to $150,000 per song.
Do You Need Permission from the Original Artist?
No — and this surprises many artists. You do not need to contact or get approval from the original artist or their record label to release a cover song.
Under U.S. copyright law, once a song has been publicly released, a compulsory license provision kicks in. This means any artist can record and distribute a cover version by simply paying the required mechanical royalties — the copyright holder cannot legally refuse. You’re not asking for permission; you’re exercising a statutory right.
The conditions for a compulsory mechanical license are:
The song must have been previously released to the public
You must pay the statutory royalty rate
Your version must not substantially alter the fundamental character of the song — no rewritten lyrics, no radical changes to melody
You must follow proper notice and accounting procedures (which a licensing service or distributor handles on your behalf)
Similar compulsory licensing provisions exist in most major music markets outside the United States, though the specific rules vary by country.
When Exactly Do You Need a Mechanical License?
Use this quick reference:
Use case
License needed
Notes
Streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer
Mechanical license
Most distributors handle automatically
Digital downloads (iTunes, Amazon Music)
Mechanical license
Required in US, Canada, Japan, and others
Physical copies (CD, vinyl)
Mechanical license
Required per copy manufactured
Cover music video on YouTube
Sync license
No compulsory license — publisher can refuse
Live performance on stage
None (for you)
Venue’s blanket PRO license covers it
Personal practice, not distributed
None
No distribution = no license required
Song in the public domain
None
Compositions published before 1928 (US) are typically free
How Much Does a Mechanical License Cost?
The cost of a mechanical license depends on how you obtain it and what format you’re releasing:
For streaming: Most distributors bundle mechanical licensing fees into their cover song distribution cost. At Globex Music, this starts from $1 per single — one of the lowest in the market. DistroKid charges $12 per year per cover song (on top of their annual subscription). LANDR charges $15 per cover license.
For digital downloads and physical copies: The statutory mechanical royalty rate in the United States for 2025 is set per copy manufactured or sold. For songs under 5 minutes, the rate is approximately 9–13 cents per download or physical unit. Licensing services like Harry Fox Agency (Songfile) or Easy Song Licensing handle this calculation and filing for you, typically charging $15–30 in processing fees plus the per-unit royalty.
For most independent artists releasing cover songs to streaming platforms, the simplest and most cost-effective path is using a distributor that handles licensing automatically. The total cost is the distributor’s per-release fee — no separate licensing service required.
How to Get a Mechanical License for Your Cover Song
There are three ways to obtain a mechanical license, in order of simplicity:
Option 1 — Through Your Music Distributor (Recommended)
The easiest approach. When you upload your cover to a distributor like Globex Music, you flag the release as a cover song and provide the original songwriter’s name. The distributor handles the licensing process automatically — identifying the rights holder, filing for the mechanical license, and routing royalties to the original publisher every time your cover is streamed.
This method costs the least, requires no separate paperwork, and is the most common approach for independent artists releasing covers to streaming platforms.
Option 2 — Through a Licensing Service
If you need a license for download stores or physical copies, or if your distributor doesn’t handle licensing automatically, you can use a dedicated licensing service:
Harry Fox Agency / Songfile — the largest mechanical licensing organization in the US. Search for your song, select format and quantity, pay the fee. Standard processing takes 1–2 weeks.
Easy Song Licensing — handles the entire process including rights holder research. Provides proof of licensing within 1–2 business days. Charges $16.99 per format per song plus royalties.
Option 3 — Direct Contact with the Publisher
For standard cover releases, this is rarely necessary — the compulsory license system means you don’t need the publisher’s permission. Direct negotiation is typically only required if you want to significantly alter the lyrics or melody (which would make it a derivative work rather than a cover), or for certain international territories with different licensing rules. For most independent artists, Option 1 is the right approach.
Mechanical License vs. Sync License: What’s the Difference?
This is one of the most common points of confusion for artists releasing cover songs:
Mechanical license
Sync license
Covers
Audio recordings only
Music paired with video
Required for
Spotify, Apple Music, downloads, CDs
YouTube music videos, films, ads, TV
Compulsory?
Yes — rights holder cannot refuse
No — rights holder can refuse
Cost
$1–30 depending on service
Varies widely — often hundreds to thousands
How to get it
Through distributor or licensing service
Direct negotiation with publisher
The practical implication: if you upload your cover song as audio to Spotify, you need a mechanical license (automatic through most distributors). If you shoot a music video and upload it to YouTube, you technically need a sync license — which the publisher can refuse and which typically costs significantly more. Most independent artists accept YouTube’s Content ID system instead, which allows covers to stay up while the publisher monetizes the ad revenue.
Mechanical License vs. Compulsory License: Are They the Same Thing?
Essentially, yes — but the terms refer to different aspects of the same process. A mechanical license is the type of license (permission to reproduce and distribute a composition). A compulsory license refers to the legal mechanism under U.S. copyright law that makes the license available without the rights holder’s consent, as long as you pay the statutory rate.
When artists or distributors talk about getting a mechanical license for a cover song, they’re typically using the compulsory licensing system to do so.
What Happens to Royalties When You Release a Cover?
When your cover is streamed on Spotify or another platform, the royalty pool is split between two parties:
You — as the owner of the master recording, you receive master recording royalties for every stream of your version. This is the standard per-stream rate any artist earns on Spotify.
The original songwriter and publisher — they receive mechanical and performance royalties for the composition. Your distributor routes these automatically from the licensing fees built into your distribution cost.
You do not receive publishing royalties from a cover — those belong to whoever wrote the song. But you keep all master royalties, which includes streaming income, sales revenue from downloads, and sync royalties if your cover is licensed for use in a film, TV show, or commercial.
Does a Mechanical License Expire?
A standard mechanical license does not expire as long as the recording remains in distribution. It covers the specific recording and distribution formats outlined in the license for as long as you’re actively distributing the cover.
If you switch distributors, you may need to ensure the licensing transfers or is re-established with the new service. Check your distributor’s policy on cover song licensing when making a switch.
What Qualifies as a Cover Song (and What Doesn’t)?
A mechanical license applies specifically to cover songs — which have a precise legal definition. Your version qualifies as a cover (and therefore falls under the compulsory license) if:
You record it from scratch (no use of the original master recording)
You preserve the original melody and lyrics without substantial changes
You use the exact original song title
The original song has been publicly released
These situations are not covers under the compulsory license, and require different clearance:
Remix — uses the original master recording; requires a master license from the record label
Sample — lifts audio from the original recording; requires both a master license and a composition license
Derivative work — significantly alters the melody or rewrites the lyrics; requires direct permission from the publisher (they can refuse)
Medley or mashup — combines multiple compositions; falls outside the standard compulsory license
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a mechanical license for every cover song I release?
Yes — one mechanical license per song per format. If you release the same cover as a streaming single and a digital download, those are technically two separate license applications (for streaming and for download stores). Most distributors that handle cover licensing automatically manage this across all formats and territories as part of a single upload.
Can I release a cover song without a mechanical license if I don’t charge for it?
No. The mechanical license requirement applies any time you distribute a copyrighted composition — whether you charge for it or not. A free download is still a distribution of the composition, which requires a mechanical license. The only exception is personal practice that is never shared publicly.
What if the song I want to cover isn’t in any licensing database?
If a song isn’t in the Harry Fox Agency or MLC database, it may be independently published — meaning the songwriter administers their own rights. In this case, you can try to contact the songwriter directly to arrange a voluntary mechanical license. For well-known commercially released songs, this is rarely an issue.
Does a mechanical license cover international distribution?
It depends on the licensing service. Distributors that handle international mechanical licensing — like Globex Music — manage this across all territories as part of the upload process. If you use a standalone licensing service like Songfile (HFA), their licenses may be limited to specific territories — check the terms before distributing globally.
Do I need a mechanical license if I change the arrangement significantly?
You can change the arrangement, tempo, instrumentation, and production style freely under the mechanical license — these are considered artistic interpretation. What you cannot change substantially is the melody or the lyrics. If your version departs significantly from the original composition in those areas, it may be classified as a derivative work, which requires direct permission from the publisher rather than a mechanical license.
How do I find out who owns the copyright to a song?
Search the song title and songwriter name on the ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC databases (all free). These PRO databases identify the publisher administering the composition. For songs already in major licensing databases, your distributor will research this automatically when you flag your release as a cover.
What is the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC)?
The MLC is a non-profit organization created by the Music Modernization Act of 2018. It administers blanket mechanical licenses for digital service providers — meaning Spotify and Apple Music pay into the MLC, which distributes royalties to songwriters. The MLC handles the platform side of mechanical licensing. As an independent artist releasing a cover, you still need to obtain your own mechanical license through your distributor or a licensing service — the MLC doesn’t handle individual artist releases.
The mechanical license is the one step between recording a cover and releasing it legally — and with the right distributor, it takes about 30 seconds. Globex Music handles mechanical licensing automatically for every cover song upload, distributes to 150+ platforms worldwide, and charges from $1 per single with no annual fee.
