Fullscreen and Universal Music Publishing Group Allow Musicians to Monetize Cover Songs
Every day, artists spend countless hours devoted to their instruments, cameras and computer screens, composing original melodies to share with the world. Thanks to the YouTube partner program, these creators have been able to monetize their original work.
In addition to composing original music, many musicians also “cover” songs on YouTube. They reimagine songs originally written by another songwriter and creatively rework them in their unique style. Despite the hard work put in producing the video and the success of the final product, they have historically been unable to monetize from their covers.
I’m thrilled to announce today that Fullscreen and Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), the largest music publisher in the world, have reached a landmark deal that allows musicians in the “FAM” (Fullscreen Artist Mix) network to legally monetize any song they cover in UMPG’s enormous library. The deal also ensures that the original songwriter will share in the cover song’s revenue.
This deal recognizes that cover songs are beneficial to both the original songwriters and the artists reinterpreting their material. A fantastic rendition of a popular song playing on Top 40 radio stations can bring millions of views and incredible exposure to emerging artists on YouTube. By the same token, a successful cover by a popular artist on YouTube of a song that has long faded from the Billboard charts can bring back old fans and introduce new ones to the original recording.
In the coming days, artists in our FAM network will be receiving more information on how the process of uploading new covers—and monetizing existing ones—will work. If you’re an artist outside of FAM looking to monetize your covers, I encourage you to apply to become a partner to learn more.
Our FAM network has more than 700 incredibly talented musicians who are extremely passionate about sharing their music with the world. Armed with the ability to properly monetize their work, this passion becomes something greater than a fun pastime; it becomes a dream career.
I applaud our artists for the powerful and inspiring content they continue to create. You delight hundreds of millions of fans all around the world, and we are so honored to be part of your amazing journey.
