Affordable Song Licensing
General Questions About Licensing
What are mechanical licenses?
Mechanical licenses are a legal way for you to release your rendition or cover of a song that you didn't write. These licenses are granted by the copyright holder. If you record a song that you didn't write, you can contact the copyright holder yourself and negotiate directly with them. They can say "No, you can't use my work," or ask for a one-time fee. Some of them will direct you to a less affordable third party licensing firm.
However, copyright law has included compulsory licensing provisions so that anyone can obtain a compulsory mechanical license. Compulsory licensing provisions allow you to release your rendition or cover of any song (with some limitations) legally.
We follow the series of steps required to obtain a compulsory mechanical license for you (as stated in Copyright Act Section 115).
What are custom licenses?
Custom licenses are needed for anything outside of our compulsory mechanical license option. We charge $100 fee to negotiate your license with the appropriate rights holder(s)/publisher(s). This is the most affordable rate online, and if we don't get a response from the other party/parties, we don't keep your $100. We are the risk-free option for custom licensing negotiations. Instances where you would need a custom license include:
changing the lyrics
using master audio or samples in a song
covering a song in a video
using master audio for a film/commercial/TV show
distributing your covers in countries outside of the United States
With custom licenses, the rights holder(s)/publisher(s) have the option to decline your request, not respond to your request, or charge whatever they want for your request. They can also take as much time as they want to respond. We will always go over expectations with you on the phone or through email regarding your requests prior to invoicing you.
If you think you need a custom license, give us a call at 323-776-6475.
What do you send me when I pay?
An ASL Licensing Certificate will be e-mailed to you, stating that we have followed all of the compulsory mechanical licensing provisions as outlined in the Copyright Act Section 115 as your agent. Keep this Licensing Certificate for your records. Many times, manufacturers ask for proof of licensing. Information regarding publishers and songwriters is included.
For custom licenses, you will receive final paperwork between you and the copyright holder(s)/publisher(s) with the specific terms regarding your licenses. Any fees regarding your custom licensing request charged by the copyright holder(s)/publisher(s) will be paid directly to them. We do not charge a percentage of any negotiated fee.
How are royalties calculated?
Royalty rates for compulsory mechanical licenses have been set by the federal government. The amount of royalties you pay depends on the format and the length of your song. These royalties go directly to the copyright holder.
Statutory mechanical licensing rates as of 2021 are:
FORMAT SONG LENGTH ROYALTY RATE
CDs/Digital Downloads/Physical Format 0:01 – 5:00 $0.091 x # of copies
5:01 – 6:00 $0.105 x # of copies
6:01 – 7:00 $0.1225 x # of copies
7:01 – 8:00 $0.14 x # of copies
9:01 – 10:00 $0.175 x # of copies
We will send you a confirmation e-mail once you have submitted a project. Click the button to PAY NOW in the email, or within your artist dashboard on our site. When paying by card, there is a 3.5% processing fee. There is no processing fee when paying by cashier's check. Checks can be sent to our Midwest office. Your ASL Mechanical Licensing Certificate will be e-mailed to you within 48 hours of your check clearing.
For custom licenses, we will send an invoice to your email via Stripe.
We are unable to refund your fees and royalties after we send off the Notice of Intention for your project. If you change your mind about your purchase, please contact us immediately and we will see if we've already sent your Notice.
For custom licenses, we will refund your $100 custom licensing fee if the publishers do not respond. If the publisher(s) respond with "No," or with a fee that is outside of your budget, our $100 fee will not be refunded. This fee is for our time spent reaching out to and negotiating with the publisher(s), and is kept as low as possible. We will go over expectations with you on the phone or through email regarding your requests prior to invoicing you.
I sold out of the downloads/CDs that I paid royalties for. Now what?
If you sell out of the quantity that you paid royalties for, you can re-order with ease by contacting ASL Support. We give a 50% fee discount if there hasn't been any changes to who owns the rights to the song(s) since the last time you purchased the licenses. You are responsible for keeping inventory of the songs you have sold. Do not over-sell.
How do I determine the quantity of digital downloads I should pay royalties for?
The amount of downloads you initially pay royalties for is up to you. In our experience, we have seen a lot of people start off with 100-500 downloads to gauge interest. If your available downloads are close to selling out, we suggest re-ordering more if you plan on continuing to sell that cover song.
What do I get as Proof of Licensing?
An ASL Mechanical Licensing Certificate will be e-mailed to you, stating that we have followed all of the compulsory mechanical licensing provisions as outlined in the Copyright Act Section 115 as your agent. Keep this Mechanical Licensing Certificate for your records. Many times, manufacturers ask for proof of licensing. Information regarding publishers and songwriters is included.
Do I get the actual licenses signed by the copyright holder?
For compulsory mechanical licenses (for cover songs), copyright holders are not required to respond or return any paperwork. If the steps and provisions required by Copyright Act Section 115 are followed, a license is automatically granted.
For custom licenses, you will receive final paperwork between you and the copyright holder(s)/publisher(s) with the specific terms regarding your licenses.
We provide a Mechanical Licensing Certificate for cover song licensing within 2 business days of receiving payment.
For custom licenses, the copyright holder(s)/publisher(s) are in control of their music/compositions. Because of this, they can dictate the timeframe in which they respond or if they even respond at all. We will go over expectations with you on the phone or through email regarding timeframes of custom licensing requests prior to invoicing you.
What if I sell out and need to distribute more copies of my album?
If you sell out of the quantity that you paid royalties for, you can re-order with ease. We give a 50% fee discount if there hasn't been any changes to who own the rights to the song(s) since the last time you purchased the licenses. You are responsible for keeping inventory of the songs you have sold. We highly recommend not over-selling.
How does licensing for digital downloads work?
For digital downloads, you need to pay royalties for a set amount of downloads before you can distribute legally. That amount of downloads is up to you. In our experience, we have seen a lot of people start off with 100 downloads to gauge interest. If your available downloads are nearing the amount you purchase, we suggest reordering more licenses if you plan on continuing to sell your music.
How does licensing for CDs, vinyl, tapes, and other physical formats work?
For physical formats, you need to pay royalties for the amount of CDs/tapes/vinyl that you are manufacturing. If you're manufacturing 500 CDs, you will need to pay royalties for 500 copies of that song. If you're manufacturing 250 CDs and 250 cassettes, you will need to pay royalties for 500 copies of that song.
Does having more than one format of the song require an extra $12 fee?
No. The $12 fee is per song, and that's it! Regardless of how many formats of that song that you get.
What is interactive streaming? Do I need a license for streams?
Spotify, YouTube, Google Play, and most other streaming services already pay mechanical royalties directly to HFA (and HFA then pays those royalties directly to the publishers), so charging you for interactive streaming licenses is unnecessary on most platforms. You can read more about what players and platforms you would need to purchase interactive streaming licenses for on the article, "How to Legally Release Cover Songs" .
I covered a few songs in the same song, kind of like Weird Al does with those polkas of his. Do I have to get a license for ALL of the songs?
You do. Each song in your medley needs its own license. So if it is a medley of 4 different songs, that medley will require 4 different licenses.
We accept credit cards through our site. We also accept cashier's checks that can be mailed to our offices. If using a cashier's check, please call us.
Can I make changes to my project after it is started?
You are able to make changes to your project up until you pay for the licenses because at that point we send out your paperwork to the copyright holder.
I changed the lyrics. Is that okay?
No. Section 115 of the Copyright Act states: "A compulsory license includes the privilege of making a musical arrangement of the work to the extent necessary to conform it to the style or manner of interpretation of the performance involved, but the arrangement shall not change the basic melody or fundamental character of the work, and shall not be subject to protection as a derivative work under this title, except with the express consent of the copyright owner."
So, can I change the melody?
Yes. Section 115 of the Copyright Act states that "the arrangement shall not change the basic melody or fundamental character of the work…" So, putting a spin on the melody is okay. However, the song needs to be recognizable.
Can I distribute internationally?
No. You will need a custom license from the rights holder(s)/publisher(s).
I'm from a country other than the United States. Can I get a license from you?
Yes, you can. Our compulsory mechanical licenses are good for releases that are hosted digitally in the United States, or are distributed within the United States. If you need to release worldwide, we can help with requesting a custom license from the rights holder(s)/publisher(s).
I'm going to release a song as a single, and on my full-length album, and on a compilation. It's the same recording, just on different releases. So can I just get one license?
No. Every license specifies the album that it is released on and the license is specific to that release. So if you put your cover song on one album and then decide to put it on a different album in the future, that will require a new license, as well as an additional $12 fee.
I'm putting a Creed sample in the background of the recording. That's okay, right?
No. Using master recordings requires a Master License. You will need to contact the rights holder(s)/publisher(s) directly. This requires a custom license.
Can I license that new Blink 182 song that leaked?
No. A songwriter has the right to release their songs first. If you heard an unreleased track at a concert, or if a song leaked before the album comes out, you cannot obtain a compulsory mechanical license for that song until the artist has released it.
Do the licenses expire?
These licenses do not expire.
I represent a publisher or am self-published. How can I be sure I am getting all of my royalties?
We always love working directly with publishers and artists. Give us a call so we can add your information to our growing database.
What is Public Domain?
The public domain consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable.
Questions About AffordableSongLicensing.com
I want to make changes to my song(s) but it's not letting me change anything after I clicked SUBMIT. How come?
You are able to make changes to your project up until you hit SUBMIT. After you click SUBMIT, we use the information you provided to search for the copyright holder. If you need to make changes to song length or the release information, you can contact your Affordable Song Licensing representative.
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