What is Sample Clearance?
Also called: clearing a sample
Sample clearance is getting permission to use a portion of an existing recording in your own release. It usually needs two licenses: one for the recording and one for the composition.
The recording is usually owned by a label and the composition by publishers. Each can approve or refuse, and each will ask for a fee, a share of the income, or both.
Clearing before release is much easier than after. Uncleared samples can lead to Content ID claims, takedowns, frozen royalties or legal action, even if the sample is short or heavily changed.
Alternatives include licensed sample packs, recreating the part yourself (which still needs the composition cleared if it uses the original melody or lyrics), or writing something new.
Put it to work
Check your track for likely copyright matches before you release it.
Content ID Checker