To legally sell a cover song, you need to obtain the proper license and pay the publishers.
How to license your single song release:
CD Baby’s cover song licensing service is the easiest solution out there because it’s seamlessly paired with your music distribution. Upload your track to CD Baby ($14.99 per cover song) and we will secure the proper mechanical licenses AND manage the payment of the mechanical royalties you owe to publishers for every sale.
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How to license cover songs on your album:
CD Baby Cover Song Licensing is currently only available for singles. We’re working to have a full-album cover song licensing service in place soon, but until then, please check out this solution:
Important: derivative works, including works that contain samples, cannot be cleared through a compulsory mechanical license. You need to seek the permission of the publisher.
For any other questions please refer to our Cover Songs, Copyrights, Samples, and Royalties FAQ.