Arabic covers of Turkish and Azerbaijani hits: rights and how to do it

Turkish TV series have been popular in many Arabic-speaking countries for years, and Turkish and Azerbaijani melodies often feel familiar to listeners there, because the scales and ornaments of the region overlap. A good melody travels. What stops many people is the language. An Arabic version lets a new audience sing along, and it can be a real bridge between markets. It also comes with rules you have to follow before you record a single line.

Why covers travel across languages

A listener who does not understand the original still feels the emotion of the melody. When the same song appears in their own dialect, it stops being "that foreign hit" and becomes their song. People also search for "Arabic version" of songs they already know, so a cover starts with an audience that is looking for it.

This works best when you add something yourself: a different arrangement, a voice that suits the new language, an adaptation that sounds natural. A copy of the original with Arabic words laid on top rarely holds attention.

Two different permissions

People often mix up two separate things.

Recording the song as a cover. You perform the same song, with the same words, in a new recording. In many countries this needs a licence from the songwriters or their publishers, often called a mechanical licence, and some distributors ask to see it. The details differ from country to country.

Translating or adapting the lyrics into Arabic. This is a different matter. You are creating a new version of the words, and a standard cover licence normally does not allow you to change the lyrics. For a translation or an adaptation you need permission from the original songwriters or the publisher, ideally in writing. Without it, a release can be rejected or removed later.

Two more points. The people to ask are the songwriters and their publisher, who are not always the same as the singer who made the song famous. And if you want to use the original instrumental or any part of the original recording, that is a third permission, from whoever owns that recording.

This is general information, not legal advice. Ask a local music lawyer or a collecting society if you are unsure.

How to ask for permission

1. Find the rights holders. Look at the credits of the original release, the information on the streaming platform, or the database of a collecting society.
2. Write a short message. Say who you are, which song, that you plan an Arabic version, who will write the Arabic lyrics, and where you want to release it.
3. Ask for a written answer. A signed note or a clear email is enough. Save it.
4. Be patient and ready for a no. Some will agree, some will want a share of the song, and some will refuse. Never release first and ask later.

Credit everyone correctly

Wrong credits cause problems later, so be exact:

• The original songwriters remain credited as composer and lyricist, with their names spelled correctly.
• The Arabic adapter is credited for the Arabic lyrics or adaptation.
• The title can keep the original name, with "(Arabic version)" or the Arabic title added. Check how the song appears on streaming platforms so fans can find it.
• In the description, say it is an Arabic version of a song by the original songwriters. Never present it as your own composition.
• If the rights holders ask for a share of the song, agree on the split in writing before release.

Working with Arabic-speaking singers and writers

• Pick the dialect for your audience. Egyptian, Gulf or Levantine will each sound different and reach different listeners.
• Hire a native lyricist for the adaptation. A word-for-word translation rarely fits the melody. A good adapter keeps the feeling and the rhythm of the syllables.
• Prepare a clean guide. Send the singer the original, a simple reference track and the chord chart. Let the singer choose the key that suits the voice.
• Practise any lines you keep in the original language. Pronunciation matters if you keep a Turkish or Azerbaijani hook.
• Agree on money and credit in writing. Fee, credit, and whether you can release the recording on every platform and use it in videos.

Before you submit the release

When you add a release in the CULT portal, you confirm that you own or hold permission for all the audio, artwork and materials you send. For a cover with translated lyrics, that permission is the written agreement from the songwriters or the publisher. Keep it in a folder with the credits and the singer's agreement.

A quick checklist:

1. Permission for the cover recording is cleared.
2. Permission for the Arabic lyrics is in writing.
3. Songwriters and adapters are credited correctly.
4. The singer's agreement is signed.
5. You added something of your own to the arrangement.

A cover done properly can introduce a song to an audience its authors never reached. Done without permission, it can be taken down after you have put in weeks of work.