Music Rights Basics Before You Give a Track Away
Free doesn’t mean rights-free. A few checks now can save a lot of trouble later.
Offering a track for free is a great growth move. But the track still has owners, and giving it away doesn’t change that. Here are the basics every independent artist should check first.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws differ between countries. For specific situations, talk to your collecting society or a music lawyer.
Two layers of rights in every track
- The composition (melody, lyrics, structure) — owned by the songwriters and their publishers.
- The recording (the actual audio) — owned by whoever made or paid for the recording, often the artist or label.
When you share a download, you are distributing both.
Check 1: Do you own everything in the track?
- Original music made by you: you are in control.
- Samples: using a piece of another recording usually requires permission from its owners. Royalty-free sample packs are fine within their licence terms — read them.
- Covers, edits and bootlegs: they involve someone else’s composition and often their recording. See our guide on edits and bootlegs.
Check 2: Are your collaborators on board?
If you made the track with others, agree on:
- Who owns what share (a simple split sheet signed by everyone helps).
- Whether the track can be released for free.
- How everyone is credited.
Check 3: Any existing contracts?
If you are signed to a label or publisher, your contract may restrict free releases or require approval. Check before you share.
Check 4: Register your works
Registering your compositions with your collecting society (for example SACEM in France, or the relevant society in your country) and your recordings where applicable helps you get paid when your music is played publicly — including in DJ sets and on radio. A free download that becomes a club favourite can still generate income this way.
Check 5: Credit properly
In your gate description, credit co-writers, featured artists, vocalists and, for edits, the original artist and label.
A quick checklist before you publish
- I own or control the composition and recording, or have permission.
- All samples are cleared or covered by their licence.
- All collaborators agree on the free release and credits.
- My contracts allow it.
- My works are registered with my collecting society.
Rights sorted? Share it. Create your free download gate at fangate.eu.
