What does a cover recording create in terms of copyright?

What does a cover recording create in terms of copyright?

• A. A new recording copyright; the original composition copyright is unchanged.
• B. A new song copyright.
• C. A joint song and recording copyright.
• D. No copyright.

Answer: (A)

A cover recording creates a separate sound recording copyright for that specific performance, while the underlying composition copyright remains with the original songwriter and publisher. When you record someone else’s song, you’re capturing a new performance and a new recorded product, owned by the entity that produced the recording (the performer or record label). The song itself—the musical work—still has its own copyright owned by the original creators, and that copyright is unchanged by the cover. That’s why a cover isn’t a new song copyright, and you’re dealing with two distinct rights: a new recording copyright for the cover version and the existing composition copyright for the original song. It’s also not correct to call it no copyright, since the new recording is protected, and it’s not a joint copyright melding song and recording into one.

A cover recording creates a separate sound recording copyright for that specific performance, while the underlying composition copyright remains with the original songwriter and publisher. When you record someone else’s song, you’re capturing a new performance and a new recorded product, owned by the entity that produced the recording (the performer or record label). The song itself—the musical work—still has its own copyright owned by the original creators, and that copyright is unchanged by the cover. That’s why a cover isn’t a new song copyright, and you’re dealing with two distinct rights: a new recording copyright for the cover version and the existing composition copyright for the original song. It’s also not correct to call it no copyright, since the new recording is protected, and it’s not a joint copyright melding song and recording into one.