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

Here's an overview of the different types of tracks and the legal requirements for distributing them:

The Different Types 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

• If your track is a cover, generally you won’t need to provide a mechanical license to distribute it. However, you must label the track as a cover, credit all original rights-owners, and reference the original publishers. Additionally, if the right-owners are from North America, you must exclude this territory.
  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 even if you provided all the right credits.
  You can identify the rights holders by using PRO databases or platforms like Discogs.
• For edits, a mechanical license is required to use the composition (melody, lyrics, and underlying musical work) in your own recordings. This permission must be obtained from the copyright holders, typically the songwriter or their publishing company.
  You can identify the rights holders by using PRO databases or platforms like Discogs, and contact them directly via their preferred method or through specialized services like Songfile.
• For remixes, a master use license is required if you're using parts of the original recordings. This license must be provided by the owner of the master recording, which is usually a record label.
  You can identify the rights holders by using PRO databases or platforms like Discogs, and contact them directly via their preferred method or through specialized services like Songfile.
• For mashups and medleys, a master use license is required if you're using parts of the original recordings. A mechanical license is also required to authorize the combination of each song with the others.
  You can identify the rights holders by using PRO databases or platforms like Discogs, and contact them directly via their preferred method or through specialized services like Songfile.

In order to distribute such tracks 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 that are being licensed to you, along with the songwriters and/or artists to whom they belong. 
• State that the distributor cannot be held responsible for revenue sharing.
• Detail the payment terms (e.g., a single payment or payment splits) agreed upon for obtaining the license.

You must have all the necessary documents and permissions ready before submitting your release to us. Our team may require you to provide such documents in order to check their validity and approve your release. Incomplete documentation at the time of submission constitues a violation of our terms of service.

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