Releasing a cover song legally: the mechanical licence, what you can't change, and who gets paid
In the US, anyone can record and release a cover of a song that has already been released, without asking, as long as they get a mechanical licence and pay the writers the legal rate. Here is what that licence covers, what you must leave alone, why streaming and downloads are treated differently, and a pre-release checklist.
Artist rightsvia Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School