Paying royalties to do covers?

[Matt Wildman]

What’s up guys, my band and I are recording songs right now and we are wanting do do some covers and some original songs and make it all into one album. (Check us out on Instagram our band name is Infinite Contention!! Give us a follow) anyway, I was told that in order to legally do covers and sell it online you have to pay royalties to the original artist, and I was also told that you don’t have to as long as you state who the song was originally written by. I just want to know before I go recording songs and wasting my time. And I don’t want to do anything illegal. Thanks everyone

 

[Ed Seith]

In the US, in most cases if the song is over 20 years old, there are no royalties.
Officially, to do newer covers than that, you have to pay royalties, even if you’re just playing them in a club, but that’s ever enforced.
If you use a service like DistroKid, they can help you work through the legalities for free as part of the service.

 

[Matt Wildman]

Gotcha thanks Captain

 

[Calvin Phillips]

Imo if you add covers done go over 2. Avenged only for away with it cause it was a little different. Bit ideally especially for a 1st release.. I’d rather hear what your band can come up with rather then hear you play songs that we already know. But that’s my personally opinion. I’m a original music guy.

 

[Andrew Fernandes]

Captain Ed to the rescue! Am I right in saying if I check DistroKid I can potentially get stems if I spend a big dollar?

 

[Matt Wildman]

Thanks everyone, I’ll probably use distro kid