How Can I Legally Use Heartbeat Lyrics In My Cover?

When I first started posting covers online, I learned the hard way that singing the words isn’t the same as being allowed to use them. If you want to legally use lyrics from a song like 'Heartbeat' in a cover, you’ve got a couple of distinct rights to think about: mechanical rights for making and distributing an audio recording, sync rights for pairing music with video, and reproduction rights if you want to display or print the lyrics.

A quick, low-friction path for audio-only covers is the compulsory mechanical license route (in the U.S.). Agencies like HFA or online tools like Songfile let you license the song and pay the statutory rate per copy/stream. Most distributors can also take care of mechanicals when you upload to streaming stores. For video (YouTube/IG/TikTok), you’ll typically need a sync license — publishers control this and can say no or demand different terms. Note that YouTube often handles monetization via Content ID deals with publishers, so uploads sometimes stay up but are claimed and monetized by the rights holders; that’s not the same as you having a legal sync license.

Also keep in mind: printing lyrics (in captions, descriptions, merch) and changing the words require permission from the publisher because they’re separate reproduction/derivative rights. To find the publisher, use PRO databases (ASCAP/BMI/SESAC or PRS/MCPS in the UK) and contact them or a licensing service. If costs or refusals block you, consider performing at venues (where PROs usually take care of performance rights) or creating original material inspired by the song instead. Credit the original writers visibly — it’s polite and often required.

Bottom line: mechanical license for audio distribution; sync license for video; explicit permission for printing or altering lyrics — and if you want to monetize, be proactive about contacting the publisher instead of hoping the platform’s blanket deals will cover you.

I tend to keep things simple when I’m in a hurry: singing a cover live at a café is different from posting a recorded, lyric-filled YouTube clip. For a quick checklist — and speaking from the many small covers I’ve uploaded — remember these core points.

If you’re just releasing an audio-only cover of a song like 'Heartbeat' to streaming services or digital stores, get a mechanical license (you can do this through HFA/Songfile or let your distributor handle it). If you’re putting the performance in video form, you need a sync license from the publisher — and that often means negotiating or using a sync licensing service, because there’s no automatic right. Displaying printed lyrics or changing lines? Ask permission; that’s a separate right and publishers are strict about derivative works.

Platforms sometimes have deals (YouTube’s Content ID, Instagram’s music deals), which can allow uploads but result in claims or revenue-sharing controlled by the publishers — so it’s not the same as having permission. My little workaround when clearance is costly: create an arrangement that’s clearly transformative or write an original chorus inspired by the vibe. If you plan to make money from the cover, though, do the paperwork up front — it keeps things clean and lets you sleep at night.

I've been down the cover-singing rabbit hole more times than I can count, so here's the practical route I take when I want to sing something like 'Heartbeat' and be on the safe side legally.

First, know which rights you actually need. If you’re just recording an audio-only cover to sell or distribute (downloads, CDs, streaming services), you need a mechanical license. In the U.S. that’s often obtained through agencies like the Harry Fox Agency (HFA) or via services such as Songfile; many distributors (DistroKid, CD Baby, etc.) will also help clear mechanicals for digital distribution. If you post a video of you singing (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok), that’s a different beast: you need a sync license — and there’s no compulsory sync license, so you have to get permission from the song’s publisher. For live performances, the venue usually covers public performance rights via PROs (ASCAP/BMI/SESAC), but if you print lyrics in a video description, on merch, or change the words, you’ll need direct permission from the publisher because printed reproduction and derivative works aren’t covered by the standard mechanical.

Practical steps I use: (1) Look up the song’s publisher via ASCAP/BMI/SESAC repertoire search or services like MusicBrainz. (2) If it’s audio-only, get a mechanical license through HFA/Songfile or through your distributor. (3) For videos, contact the publisher for a sync license or use a licensing middleman that negotiates syncs. (4) Don’t alter lyrics without explicit permission. (5) Credit the songwriter and publisher in your description and be ready to pay royalties or split revenue if required. If the publisher refuses or the cost is too high, I either do an instrumental cover with my own melody, record an original inspired-by piece, or perform the cover live where the venue handles the PRO fees. It’s a bit of paperwork at first, but once you get used to the lookup-and-license routine, it’s straightforward — and it saves a headache later when you want to monetize or keep the video up.