Publishing
FAQ
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Licensing
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Performance Rights Licensing
The "blanket" licensing rights the “PRO”s administer with radio stations, television stations, clubs, restaurants, stores, digital streaming services, etc. Songwriters and publishers normally belong to one if they have any exploited songs. For the price of these blanket licenses (which vary depending on the size of the broadcaster) the broadcaster can play all the BMI, ASCAP or SESAC songs an unlimited number of times for a measured period of time. These ‘plays’ are tracked and the pool of blanket license money is divided in proportion to the number of plays and the value of playse.)
Publishing Performance
Find high-quality music – Select only the very best songs and sound recordings (tracks) you can find. Quality is more important than quantity, so be very selective and make sure the content providers can let you sub-license the master sound recording and/or the compositions, depending on what they have to offer and what type of catalog you are building. In most cases the song owners will license both the compositions and masters, while studios or specialty labels may only license the master recordings, for example, such as re-recordings of popular cover songs or recordings of songs/compositions which are now in the public domain.
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Blanket License
A license which allows the music user to perform any or all of millions of songs in a Performace Rights Organization's repertory as much or as little as they like. Licensees pay an annual fee for the license. The blanket license saves music users the paperwork, trouble and expense of finding and negotiating licenses with all of the copyright owners of the works that might be used during a year and helps prevent the user from even inadvertently infringing on the copyrights of PRO's members and the many foreign writers whose music is licensed by PRO's with reciprocating blanket license agreements in other nations. See also Per Program Licensey music – Select only the very best songs and sound recordings (tracks) you can find. Quality is more important than quantity, so be very selective and make sure the content providers can let you sub-license the master sound recording and/or the compositions, depending on what they have to offer and what type of catalog you are building. In most cases the song owners will license both the compositions and masters, while studios or specialty labels may only license the master recordings, for example, such as re-recordings of popular cover songs or recordings of songs/compositions which are now in the public domain.
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Per Program license
A license similar to the blanket license in that it authorizes a radio or television broadcaster to use all the works in the ASCAP repertory. However, the license is designed to cover use of a PRO's music in a specific radio or television programs, requiring that the user keep track of all music used. Also, the user must be certain to obtain rights for all the music used in programs not covered by the license.in
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Master Use license
A phonographic copyright license to pay recording owners for music used in film, video, or TV soundtracks. There is no fixed fee for master use licenses.
Print Rights Licensing
Sheet music, song folios, scores or notation in any printed or digital form released for sale. Once sold, printed music earns royalties from the print rights license which the publisher negotiated.
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Synchronization Licensing
Synchronization (or sync) license is the licensed right for a film or other audiovisual medium to use music to synchronize (match) to recorded images in an audio-visual product. It can be a commercial, video game, film, TV show, music video, DVD or website, etc. A synch license usually produces a negotiated fee for certain rights depending on the usage. Synchronization rights are licensed by the music publisher to film and video producers, ad agencies or other program or product producers
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Licensing Music
There are several primary rights that music publishers use to license the use of their music. Mechanical, Performing, Sound Recordings, Synch and Print Rights. They can be found further below listed in alphabetical order.
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Licensing Music
The person or entity to whom the work is license
Licensing Music
The owner of the licensed work
Music Publishing & Licesning Terminology
Regestration : You or your music publisher registers your songs with a performing rights organization (ASCAP, BMI or SESAC) to get the song details in their database so the correct percentages of performance royalties can be attributed and paid to the correct party.
Your music publisher registers your songs with a ‘local’ publisher in a foreign territory so they can, in turn, register the songs with their local mechanical and performing rights societies (mechanical and performing rights organizations) so the correct percentages of foreign mechanical royalties and the publishers side of performance royalties are attributed and paid to the correct party.c that is ready to be licensed for various commercial uses including video, film, advertising and the like.
Clearance (Copyright): For the right to use music in most circumstances it must be cleared with the copyright owners. Clearance is needed for copying, not just for commercial use. It is normally negotiated through licensing directly with labels and publishers or other copyright holders
Broadcast : The replaying of pre-recorded works to multiple listeners through various media or in a ‘semi live’ setting such as a bar or bookstore, and including radio, TV, web casting, pod casting, etc.
Assignment of copyright : The transfer of ownership of a copyright from one party to another. Which must be in writing to be effective.
Audio visual Work: An industry term for film, television or any other visual production.
Author: The creator of "Intellectual Property" such as literary, musical and dramatic works; choreography; pictorial, graphic and sculptural works; audio/visual works and sound recordings. Generally the word author can denote composer, lyricist, record producer, choreographer, artist, photographer, writer or other creator (see "Work for Hire").
Background Music: Music used (other than as feature or theme music) that creates mood and supports the spoken dialogue of a radio program or visual action of an audio/visual work. used (ot or theme music) that creates mood and supports the spoken dialogue of a radio program or visual action of an audio/visual work.
Pre cleared music : Music that is ready to be licensed for various commercial uses including video, film, advertising and the like.
Record Label : A record label (or company) makes, distributes and markets sound recordings (CD's, tapes, etc.) Record labels obtain from music publishers the right to record and distribute songs and in turn pay license fees for the recordings. Record labels may also invest in artists, promote recordings and collect earnings from phonographic copyrights.
Performance : The live performance of a musical piece, regardless of whether it's performed by the original artist or in the manner it is best known
A&R (Artist & Repertoire)
The person or group of people who sign new acts to a record label. (They used to select material from publishers for artists signed to their label, hence Artists and Repertoire.)