How to post a cover song on YouTube without copyright trouble
A cover is one of the fastest ways for a new artist to be found on YouTube, TikTok and Reels, but the song belongs to its writers and publishers. Here is what YouTube's help says about covers (checked 17 October 2026), when a cover can earn money, when you need a license, and how to cut it into Shorts.
Who owns a cover
A cover has two layers. The song (melody and lyrics) belongs to its writers and their publishers. The recording of your cover is yours, as long as you made it yourself: your voice, your band, your backing track.
That is why a cover is different from a video with someone else's record playing. If you use the original recording, an instrumental you downloaded or a karaoke track, there is a second owner, and YouTube says those videos are not eligible for monetization.
What happens when you upload it
YouTube has agreements with many music publishers. The Harry Fox Agency, which licenses songs in the United States, says it does not issue licenses for YouTube uploads for that reason and suggests asking the publisher directly if you need to know about a specific song.
What you will usually see is a Content ID claim in YouTube Studio. A claim is not a copyright strike: it tells you who owns the song and what they chose to do with videos that use it. Most publishers monetize: ads run on your cover and they get the money, or share it with you. Some block the video in certain countries.
Earning money from a cover
According to YouTube Help (checked 17 October 2026):
| What YouTube says | |
|---|---|
| Who can share revenue | Creators in the YouTube Partner Program |
| When | Once the publishers who own the song claim the video through Content ID and choose to monetize |
| How much | A pro rata share of the revenue |
| How you know | Studio shows "Sharing ad earnings" on the video, on its copyright page and in the claim email |
| What you do | Turn monetization on for your account, then set that video to On |
| Older uploads | Can be eligible too |
| Not eligible | Unclaimed songs, and covers over a commercial recording such as an instrumental or a karaoke track |
So the cleanest cover for YouTube is one where everything you hear was played by you.
Covers on Spotify and other stores
Streaming or selling your cover is a different right from posting a video. TuneCore's help (checked 17 October 2026) says:
- You need a mechanical license before you distribute a cover. In the United States you can get it from the Harry Fox Agency or from TuneLicensing; many distributors offer it during upload.
- Stores don't accept soundalike covers that sound almost identical to the original; they get hidden.
- The license lets you release the recording, but it doesn't make you a writer of the song, so you can't register it as your composition.
- In India, a cover can't be licensed until five years after the original recording was made.
If you are not in the United States, ask your distributor how it handles covers in your country.
TikTok and Reels
TikTok and Instagram also have deals with music companies and recognize audio automatically. Post covers from a personal or creator account: business accounts are limited to TikTok's Commercial Music Library. A cover can still be muted or claimed. If you have a label or publishing deal, check that it allows you to post. For contract questions in plain words, there is TONTRIA Law.
How to post it, step by step
- Record everything yourself, backing track included. It's what makes the cover eligible to share revenue on YouTube.
- Title it clearly: "Song title (Cover) – Your name", and name the original artist and the songwriters in the description.
- Keep the lyrics. Changing them, or adding a verse, is a new version of the song: ask the publisher first.
- Upload and check Studio. A claim on a cover is normal. If Studio shows "Sharing ad earnings", turn monetization on for that video.
- Cut the chorus into Shorts, Reels and TikToks that point to the full video. TONTRIA Clips finds the strongest moments and puts the lyrics on screen, synced to your voice: song clips. How to make those Shorts send people to the full video: how to promote music on YouTube.
- Release your own songs next to the covers. A cover brings people in; your songs are what they can follow, stream and buy.