Is My Track A Cover, An Edit, A Remix, A Mashup or A Medley?

When releasing a track inspired by or containing elements of someone else's work, it’s essential to correctly label it. Here, we define each type of track and provide detailed guidance on the legal requirements for distributing them.

Categories of Tracks

• A cover is a faithful recreation of an existing song. It keeps the original lyrics, melodies, arrangement, and genre unchanged. For example, recording an acoustic version of a pop song while preserving its structure qualifies as a cover.
• An edit is a personalized version of a song where changes are made to the lyrics, melodies, arrangement, or genre. For instance, reworking a rock ballad into an electronic dance track would fall under this category.
• A remix is another artist’s reinterpretion of a song, using its original recordings. This involves significant changes, such as altering the track’s structure, instruments, or mood, while retaining some elements like vocals or melodies. An electronic artist converting a slow piano piece into an energetic club track is a good example of a remix.
• A mashup is when elements from two or more original recordings are blended into one track. Typically, this involves combining vocals from one song with the instrumentals of another to create a unique composition. For instance, layering the lyrics of a classic rock anthem over a hip-hop beat would classify as a mashup.
• A medley combines multiple songs or segments of songs into a single cohesive piece. Unlike a mashup, the original recordings are mostly intact, with transitions creating a unified flow. A medley might involve stitching together choruses from various pop hits into a continuous track.

Legal Requirements for Releasing Your Track

1. If your track is a cover, generally you won’t need a mechanical license. You must identify the track as a cover, credit all original rights-owners using information from PRO databases, and reference the original publishers. Additionally, if the right-owners are based in North America, you must exclude this territory from your distribution. Keep in mind that the original right-owners reserve the right to file a claim at any time, which can result in your track being removed from digital platforms.
2. For edits, a mechanical license is required to commercially use the composition (melody, lyrics, and underlying musical work). This permission must be obtained from the copyright holders, typically the songwriter or their publishing company. You can identify these rights holders using PRO databases or platforms like Discogs, and contact them directly via their preferred method or through specialized services like Songfile.
3. For remixes, mashups, or medleys, a master use license is necessary to commercially exploit the sound recording. This license must be secured from the owner of the master recording, which is usually a record label or, in some cases, the artist. Ownership details can be found on PRO databases or platforms like Discogs, and you can obtain the license either by contacting the rights holder directly or via services such as Songfile.

To distribute music with us, all licenses must meet the following requirements: 

• Be provided in PDF format. 
• Be signed by all parties concerned (both the licensor and license holder).
• Include full and valid contact details for each party who signed the agreement. 
• Not be handwritten, unless certified by a notary. 
• Not exceed 15 years from the date of issuance. 
• Be unlimited with no restrictions on streams, downloads, sales, etc. 
• Be worldwide in territorial coverage. 
• Clearly specify the names of the songs or samples being licensed, along with the songwriter(s) or artist(s) to whom they belong. 
• State that the distributor (us) cannot be held responsible for revenue sharing, as this responsibility lies with the licensor. 
• Detail the payment terms (e.g., a single payment or payment splits) agreed upon between the licensor and license holder for obtaining the license.

⚠️Important: It’s crucial to secure all necessary documents and permissions before submitting your release to us. If our team needs to verify your licenses, you must have them ready for review. Incomplete documentation at the time of submission can not only delay your release date, it’s also a violation of our terms of service. 

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