Making available a musical work and/or sound recording on a streaming and/or download platform when you do not control all the rights
Type of use
Uploading the sound recording of a piece of music to which you do not own all the rights on legal streaming or download platforms. For example, commercializing via Bandcamp a compilation of songs that already exist on iTunes, the digital release of a cover version, mash-up or remix that uses, in whole or in part, one or more existing pieces of music.
What To Do
- Identify the rights holders of the piece or music and/or sound recording to which you don’t control all the rights.
- Ask those rights holders for the permission to commercialize their piece of music and/or sound recording online.
- Negotiate a rate of royalty repayment for the exploitations, a share of the rights and/or a lump sum.
Clarifications and cautionary statement
We strongly recommend obtaining counsel from an entertainment and/or copyright lawyer if you are not familiar with production, licensing and/or distribution agreements.
Do not record a piece of music without prior permission if this work has never been recorded, commercialized and was not directly destined to you. The songwriter and publisher have a right of first publication that allows them to decide which version of their work will first be made available to the public.
Related uses
The material on this web site is provided for informational purposes only.