If you record and distribute a song that you did not write, you need to obtain a mechanical license to use the song. When you receive a mechanical license you are given permission by the song’s copyright owner to record and distribute it. In return, you agree to pay royalties (pennies per CD, record or tape) to the owner of the song.

You can obtain a mechanical license through the Harry Fox Agency website. This is the easiest route because Harry Fox does all the legwork for you. At the agency, they have already researched the copyright owners and actually “represent” these owners for the public. For a fee of $45 - $50 per song, Harry Fox will issue the permission to use an artist’s song.

Included in the $45 - $50 is a paperwork processing fee ($8 - $10) and the projected royalties due to the artist for a minimum quantity of 500 copies of the song. But the whole process is streamlined, online, and a mouse-click away. (Copies between 500 and 2,500 will be more costly). When applying for mechanical licensing online, using a credit card and Harry Fox's database of song titles, you can receive permission to use the song within 24 hours.

Another way is less expensive but labor intensive. This is to apply for permission to use another artist’s song through the US Copyright Office

In addition, there are some songs for you which you do not need to apply for permissions. These are songs that are not “owned” by anyone and are considered property of the public domain and that means us. These songs are usually old folksongs, ballads, and the like, written by the famous composers Trad and Anon. They are responsible for thousands of works. The PD Info website has a large database of songs in the public domain.

Click Here for Mechanical Licenses through the Harry Fox Agency