Why don't musicians talk more about licensing?

Brad S. · 09-09-2009, 05:27 PM

I've been looking into opportunities to get my music licensed and have been looking at forums to get some direction. But I noticed that most of the forums don't have ANY threads talking about music licensing even though it is BIG business today!!! Why is that? Thoughts?

mr dave · 09-09-2009, 06:41 PM

because most music forums want to talk about music and bands as opposed to marketing and business.

generally speaking if you want to get anything licensed it needs to be a viable commercial product (as in - on a label). you also need to consider the parent companies as well, you think a movie soundtrack for something released by Warner Bros. would feature tunes from an artist signed to Universal (or one of its subsidiaries)?

if you were actually in a position to license music you would already have a real world contact to help make it happen (manager / agent / label rep).

made · 09-17-2009, 08:25 AM

Hi there,

Actually I work at a licensing company and the way it usually works is artists come to us with their music and we decide if they go on our roster. Which we in turn work our butts off to pitch to music supervisors and film people. We then split any royalties from those placements 50/50 with the artist.

This is not that common but there are other places you can sign up your music with where there are lots of licensing opportunities. Some artists I have spoken with made a lot of money just by having a good commercial product with the right company.

I.e Pump Audio, though they split royalties now like 30/ 70 which everyone's crazed about. You can also sign up with You License where there are lots of bands and lots of licensing opportunities. I think Jingle Punks is another.. My company isn't currently signing. Most of these places its a non exclusive deal so you are free to do whatever with your songs and they don't own them.. Hope that helps!

86 Position · 09-17-2009, 10:30 AM

all I know is that I register most of my music with SOCAN...and that when the CanCon audit comes around, I can receive some amount of $, if it's been in rotation on any radio (which usually doesnt happen lol).

I

music_phantom13 · 09-18-2009, 03:12 PM

You could also make the best music to ever exist and sign up to play a Battle of the Bands or something, then you'd get an instant record deal probably. Musicians don't talk about licensing because most people that talk about music couldn't give a **** less about the business side of it. That's boring.

09-09-2009, 05:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
Brad S. Groupie Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 9	Why don't musicians talk more about licensing? I've been looking into opportunities to get my music licensed and have been looking at forums to get some direction. But I noticed that most of the forums don't have ANY threads talking about music licensing even though it is BIG business today!!! Why is that? Thoughts?

09-17-2009, 08:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
made Groupie Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 16	Hi there, Actually I work at a licensing company and the way it usually works is artists come to us with their music and we decide if they go on our roster. Which we in turn work our butts off to pitch to music supervisors and film people. We then split any royalties from those placements 50/50 with the artist. This is not that common but there are other places you can sign up your music with where there are lots of licensing opportunities. Some artists I have spoken with made a lot of money just by having a good commercial product with the right company. I.e Pump Audio, though they split royalties now like 30/ 70 which everyone's crazed about. You can also sign up with You License where there are lots of bands and lots of licensing opportunities. I think Jingle Punks is another.. My company isn't currently signing. Most of these places its a non exclusive deal so you are free to do whatever with your songs and they don't own them.. Hope that helps!

09-17-2009, 10:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
86 Position Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 125	all I know is that I register most of my music with SOCAN...and that when the CanCon audit comes around, I can receive some amount of $, if it's been in rotation on any radio (which usually doesnt happen lol). I

09-18-2009, 03:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
music_phantom13 Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 942	You could also make the best music to ever exist and sign up to play a Battle of the Bands or something, then you'd get an instant record deal probably. Musicians don't talk about licensing because most people that talk about music couldn't give a **** less about the business side of it. That's boring.