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slanted towards recent events. (October 2013) |
In the music industry, a pre-release cover version is a type of cover version that arises when a cover artist releases a version of a song before the original artist does. [1] This practise takes advantage of a 'release window'; [1] it occurs when an upcoming song receives much airplay despite not yet having been released. [2] Pre-release cover versions are common in the UK because of the unique [3] situation there in that songs by big acts get weeks of airplay before being released, [3] giving cover artists enough time for session musicians and computer experts to record a near-exact cover version of the song. [4] For example, UK number one " Talk Dirty" by Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz, [5] made No. 71 the week before it made No. 1 in the form of a pre-release cover version by Select Hits. [6] Usually the original artist's record label will notice the cover version and release the original early; one example is when Can You Blow My covered Flo Rida's " Whistle" and making the top 40 at No. 38, [7] causing Rida's record label to rush-release the song mid-week. [8] Avicii's " Wake Me Up!" was intended to be released on 8 September 2013 [9] however on 15 July 2013 the Official Charts Company announced that it would be released that week [10] after a group called Spark Productions recorded a pre-release cover version and made No. 26 on the UK Singles Chart with it. [11]
A successful pre-release cover version is Precision Tunes' version of Maroon 5's " Payphone", which sold 34,492 copies [4] and charted in the top ten on three charts. [12] [13] [14] After The Sunday Telegraph tracked him down, he said that "We have currently restructured [PT Records [4]] and its employees, [and] are in the process of issuing takedowns [of our previously released covers] and researching accounting for those releases and plan to relinquish any monies made on the nine releases". [1]
While the practice is legal, [3] the area of licensing they are operating in has been described by PRS for Music as "tricky". [15] Barney Hooper from PRS for Music said that along with record labels and publishers the trend was something they were "investigating" and "thinking about a bit more". [15]
Let's say if they chart very highly - that could be quite a bit of money that the performer who was meant to perform it would be losing out on. We want consumers to know that they are buying a track or a song that's by the people they think should be performing it.
In the United States, a songwriter has the preemptive right to determine who will record the first version of a song, making pre-release covers less common there. [16]