Legal issues with Green Day covers on SoundCloud?

[Amber Age]

Hello, people of the internet in general and GDC in particular!

So I've been thinking about starting to do covers on YouTube, and since I'm a fan of doing things right, I'd like to upload them to soundcloud as well. I created an account there the other day, for original music to come, but I'm unsure as to the legality of covers on soundcloud.

I know YouTube has made contracts with almost all major record labels that allow for covering songs from their artists, but I've heard no such thing about Sound Cloud, and SC themselves advise users to obtain written permission (yeah, nobody does that). So I wondered, does anybody know how Green Day (or rather, their label / management) handle covers on SoundCloud (or other platforms, like Bandcamp and MySpace and the likes), or what their stance on covers is in general? I don't really feel like getting legal problems with Reprise Records when I'm just trying to have fun and pay tribute to one of my favourite bands through covers.

Thanks for any helpful tips,

Greetings,

Tim Age

[Second favourite son]

Will you be making money from the covers?

[Amber Age]

Just now, Second favourite son said:

Will you be making money from the covers?

Nope.

[21guns&novacaine]

As long as you're not making money from it, it falls under the Fair Use law. Now if you upload your covers to a monetized platform, say iTunes or Amazon music, then you'd need permission of some kind I believe. But since you're just doing it for fun, you should be good.  When you do some, be sure to share them here! I'd love to check them out. 

[Trotsky]

If you're not profiting from it, then you're covered under Fair Use. Even if they don't respect your right to Fair Use, the worst that could happen is they take it down - you won't get sued or anything. 

[Second favourite son]

9 hours ago, 21guns&novacaine said:

As long as you're not making money from it, it falls under the Fair Use law. Now if you upload your covers to a monetized platform, say iTunes or Amazon music, then you'd need permission of some kind I believe. But since you're just doing it for fun, you should be good.  When you do some, be sure to share them here! I'd love to check them out. 

Yes, this.  The same way that you can put a cover on YouTube but only monetise it (make ad revenue from it) if a copyright claims it and splits revenue with you.  Uploading covers to iTunes and Spotify doesn't necessarily require permission, but it does require the money to be shared fairly - this is best done through an agency.

[Amber Age]

Okay, thanks for the answers! Now I only gotta find a vocalist for about half the songs, because many GD songs are out of my vocal range (which is bass, and ends about one and a half octaves below Billie's).

Does Fair Use also apply when I'm in Germany, since GD's label and GD themselves are American? I don't think there is such a thing as Fair Use here.

[Trotsky]

30 minutes ago, Tim Age said:

Okay, thanks for the answers! Now I only gotta find a vocalist for about half the songs, because many GD songs are out of my vocal range (which is bass, and ends about one and a half octaves below Billie's).

Does Fair Use also apply when I'm in Germany, since GD's label and GD themselves are American? I don't think there is such a thing as Fair Use here.

 

There are international treaties regarding copyright laws, and most countries' individual copyright laws are fashioned to comply with these treaties.