Contact the publisher of a song by mail or email if all you’re going to be using is the song itself. Most songwriters allow their publishers to decide about permission pertaining to use of a song. Find the contact address and email for the publisher online through a search engine.
Write the record company if you’re going to be using the recording of the song itself in a recording or other media. The record company owns the recording, not the songwriter. Find the contact address and email address for the record company through the Internet.
Go to the websites of the three main music rights societies as a much easier and reliable way to find info in contacting a music publisher. These societies are ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, otherwise known as the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; Broadcast Music Inc.; and Society of European Stage Authors and Composers.
Go to ASCAP.com and use its “ACE” search feature. Click on thesearch box up in the upper right corner of ASCAP’s main page. Type in the name of the song or performer you’re looking for in the database search and you’ll find detailed info on the publisher if it belongs to ASCAP.
Head to BMI.com and scroll down to the bottom right of the main page. Select “Repertoire” when typing in a song in the search box. Read the publisher information results.
Use the search feature on SESAC.com. Know that it is the only site of the three that requires you to accept terms and conditions before allowing you to search under its “Repertory” icon. Accept the terms and enter the name of your song in the search box.