If you have ever heard a popular song played in a movie, you may wonder how it landed there. To simplify, music licensing made that happen. This means that the owner of the copyrighted music was paid in order for it to be included in the movie.
This does not just apply to movies but to TV shows, commercials, video games, radio, YouTube videos, and so on. Since movies use more than one song to be played for important scenes, chances are that there are a lot of licenses being acquired and the owners being paid royalties.
Music licensing is a great way for artists to get more recognition and monetary benefits which is why artists need a clear understanding of how the whole thing works and how they can benefit from it.
What is Music Licensing?
The copyright owner of a song has the right to distribute, reproduce, perform and make changes to their work. If a secondary party wants to use a music piece in any type of commercial broadcast, they have to obtain permission i.e., a license from its copyright owner.
Through music licensing, the user enters a contract with the owner to include their work or part of it in a particular way while the owner gets paid for it.
Types of Music Licenses
Track Club Music Licensing company shares insight on the subject explaining how the copyright owner of the music allows the public use of their work, and for it, they get paid via an agreed fee or through royalties. Music licenses can be obtained for a certain time period or indefinitely. Some of its types are:
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Sync License
Also known as a synchronization license this type of license is mainly used with movies, Tv shows, commercials, video games, etc. Based on where the music will be used, how it is used, its exposure, etc., the license fee is agreed upon. For instance, a sync license is needed for artists who want to make a music video of cover songs performed by other artists.
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Mechanical License
This allows for the reproduction of a song which is then distributed in any form of media. Those that are looking to record a cover of a song need to obtain this license,
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Public Performance License
Through this, a venue or a station purchases the license to use a song to be performed publicly. This can be done via streaming, radio, live performances, and more.
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Print License
The print license allows the licensee permission to print the lyrics or reproduce a copyrighted artist’s song in the form of sheet music. For example, if you want to use the lyrics to a song on the cover of your album or include them in your YouTube videos as subtitles, you need this type of license.
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Theatrical License
As the name suggests, this type of license applies to a theater allowing the user to perform a music piece or a song in front of an audience, for instance, a musical play.
How to License Music?
Music licensing involves getting permission from the owner of a song to use for broadcast. It may sound easy on paper, but figuring out how to get in touch with the owners can be quite difficult. This is where music licensing entities come into the picture. These organizations have a catalog that lets you browse through thousands of music and customize them.
Conclusion
Music licensing allows an artist to get more exposure for their work while also getting paid. Getting a music license gives the user permission to use a song or part of it in movies, TV shows, and commercials to podcasts, venues, and YouTube videos. There are different types based on how and where the music piece is used.
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