7 MYTHS ABOUT

MUSIC LICENSING

I NEED TO BE FAMOUS

Not only do you not need all those things to license your songs but in
some instances the fact that you’re an indie artist could help you. For
starters, music supervisors love being a part of finding something new
and hip that hasn’t really been heard before and being among the first
to break a new indie song gives them an edge. It helps them relate more
to the hipster, millennial market which is often their target. Also, since
it is extremely expensive to license a well known song, it’s often very
appealing to utilize an indie song, which can fit the project just as well,
but for much less money.

So even if you have sold only a small amount of records or haven’t

even put the record out yet. If you barely have a social media following
and only 15 or 20 likes on Facebook, don’t sweat it. If you have a
great song and it works perfectly for an ad or tv show or film. It’s just
as possible your song will get used regardless of all those other factors.
Having a following is a great thing to continue to nurture, but there is
strength in being completely unknown as well. It all comes down to the
right song and if you have it, you can license it!
 I HAVE TO WRITE A JINGLE

Songs featured in ads today have become not only some of the coolest
songs around, but have become a barometer for where labels should focus
their attention in terms of signing new talent. Some of the coolest bands
and most innovative indie bands are enjoying the success of licensing their
songs to ads.

Jingles are long gone and in today’s world record labels are often
listening to hear what brands like Apple, Target, Nike and Carl’s Jr are
using in their campaigns to get a sense of which bands they should be
signing. The music heard in ads today is some of the most interesting,
groundbreaking and well produced music out there. Having a song in an
ad is the biggest slam dunk for any artist and will be something that not
only makes you proud to share, but could break your career in the best
ways.

I HAVE TO GIVE AWAY

MY RIGHTS

Most licenses are nonexclusive and the ones that are exclusive are only for
a short term while the campaign, show or trailer is running. For instance,
if an ad will run for Mcdonalds for 3 months, you may be able to license
that song anywhere, except to another fast food eatery during the course of
the term. Licensing your songs does not mean you will lose the rights to
being able to license that song again. There are work for hire opportunities
for artists to write music that a brand or tv show will own, but that is
different than a license and in my own personal career something I have
seen far less of. Most of the time I license my music and I can license the
same songs again and again and again. It is awesome!
 I TRIED!

First of all there are certain kinds of songs that work better for
licensing than others. Often artists write about relationships i.e break
ups, the ups and downs of being in love. These kinds of songs are
everywhere so it’s in less demand, but more to the point, there are other
themes that music supervisors are looking for when needing a song for
an ad or a scene in a tv show or film. When you write with these kinds
of lyrics in mind you may find many more opportunities for your music
to get licensed. The kinds of lyrics that are sought after a lot deal with,
“Togetherness”, “Home”, On our Way”, “Breaking the Rules”, “Making
a change”, “Having the Time of Your Life”.

Writing with these themes in mind may help a ton when trying to get
your music licensed. It’s always great to look for ways to fit your work
into the storyline of whatever project you’re pitching to, rather than
hoping someone will fit their project to your song.
 I NEED A PUBLISHER

There are plenty of incredible licensing agents who can pitch your music
and you don’t have to have a publishing deal to do it. It is also possible
that you can learn to pitch your own music. It can often be a plus for you
if you don’t have a publisher because it makes the song even easier to
clear. If the song is One Stop (which means you control all the rights) you
will find it easier to license your songs because there will be less headache
involved for music supervisors to clear your song. With or without a
publisher there are ample opportunities for you to license your music.

There are plenty of beautiful, artistic, interesting songs out there. The
question to ask is are these songs right for the project you’re pitching
for. When you’re licensing your music to an ad, tv show or film ,your
song needs to support the vision of the project, so it’s important that
the production, lyrics and overall vibe be a fit and add to telling the
story of the picture your song is featured in. Having a good song is a
great place to start but making sure the song fits the picture is just as
important and with some basic research you can figure out how to
apply certain dynamics to a song to make it fit the project you’re
pitching for.
 I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY

The key to being successful isn’t about having the most resources, it’s
about being the most resourceful. There are plenty of great producers
today, more than ever before and there are strategies you can take to
get the most music made without spending money you don’t have and
going into debt. If you’re focused and clear about your goals, you can
approach a producer and offer to make a deal with them that entails
you giving them some money up front and the rest on the back end (when
the song makes money through licensing etc). In this scenario you could
cut your production expenses in half or even 75% and offer to split the
master fee with the producer when you get the songs licensed.

I have been so fortunate to have dozens and dozens of my songs featured

in ads, tv shows, films and trailers. I don’t think for one moment that I
achieved this because I have some level of talent no one else has. I
believe that by being resourceful, focused, persistent and approaching
my music business like a business, I was able to create music that was
both something I really enjoy creating and performing, as well as songs
that were perfect for licensing. I know that every artist reading this is
capable of implementing these ideas and I hope that you will.

HowtoMakeMoneyinMusic.com