Getting an estimate on song royalties

December 28, 2014 4:55 PM

I've started to consider the possibility of recording a covers EP. Before I do so, I'd like to find out how much it would cost to get a license to release these songs. Most of the places I've seen online look like they have an application process, but is there a way to find out what the royalty rate would be before I record these songs?
posted by pxe2000 to Media & Arts (2 answers total)

Best answer: It's set by law, and it's basically 9.1c per song, per copy, plus however much it costs for any help you get in taking care of the paperwork.
posted by rhizome at 5:33 PM on December 28, 2014 [3 favorites]

It is a fixed rate (per copy), as rhizome said. The magic phrase to search for is "mechanical license".
posted by dfan at 6:09 PM on December 28, 2014 [1 favorite]