What does a compulsory mechanical license allow?

What does a compulsory mechanical license allow?

• A. Requires permission from the rights holder.
• B. Gives anyone the right to record a faithful cover without permission, provided credit is given and the original songwriter is paid.
• C. Only applies to songs in the public domain.
• D. Allows recording any cover regardless of faithfulness.

Answer: (B)

A compulsory mechanical license lets someone record a cover of a song without getting permission from the rights holder, as long as they pay the statutory mechanical royalties and comply with the required terms. This mechanism ensures that artists can release covers and still compensate the original songwriter. Credit to the songwriter is typically required, and the royalties must be paid. This option is correct because it captures the essential idea: you don’t need to obtain direct permission to make a faithful cover, you just pay the statutory rate and follow the rules. It’s not limited to public-domain songs, and it doesn’t permit recording any cover regardless of faithfulness—the cover must faithfully render the underlying composition, with standard limits on changes.

A compulsory mechanical license lets someone record a cover of a song without getting permission from the rights holder, as long as they pay the statutory mechanical royalties and comply with the required terms. This mechanism ensures that artists can release covers and still compensate the original songwriter. Credit to the songwriter is typically required, and the royalties must be paid.

This option is correct because it captures the essential idea: you don’t need to obtain direct permission to make a faithful cover, you just pay the statutory rate and follow the rules. It’s not limited to public-domain songs, and it doesn’t permit recording any cover regardless of faithfulness—the cover must faithfully render the underlying composition, with standard limits on changes.