Sync Licensing for Indie Artists: Where To Start
Everyone hears about sync licensing as a lucrative way to make money as an artist, but it seems to be mysterious to many how to go about getting started. I’ve had some success in the last few years on a micro sync licensing website called Artlist.io, which led to a bigger placement that I got last year on an HBO show. A lot of artists that hire me to produce want to get into sync licensing, so I thought I’d write this to help. I don’t claim to know everything about it, but I thought I’d share what has worked for me.
Sync Licensing Briefly Explained
Sync licensing is licensing your music to be used in any kind of product where music and moving images are used together (synchronized). This includes movies, television shows, commercials, ads, video games, corporate presentations, blog videos and Youtube videos. Anytime someone uses music for these, they must have a license from whomever owns the recording. There are a lot of variables that are involved depending on the usage of the music. To put it simply, there can be an up front payment, a royalty payment or a combination of the two.
For most major television and movie placements, there is an up front fee and a back-end royalty that can be very high. These placements are usually more difficult to land. Music supervisors will send out briefs for what they’re looking for, and usually they are very competitive and get a lot of submissions from companies that represent artists, producers and composers.
In the last few years, there have been a lot mico-sync licensing companies created that are royalty-free for the end user. These are mostly online companies that either offer a yearly or monthly subscription to the end user or sell low cost licenses per each use. Royalty-free means that the artist doesn’t get any payment after the initial usage fee. Each royalty is very small, but the websites have a large amount of end users, so the quantity of usages adds up. These websites are attractive to video production companies that do small budget productions and people that create videos for their own businesses or hobbies (bloggers, Youtube creators, etc.) These sites are much more accessible to independent artists.
In the past, a smaller amount of large companies did most of the sync licensing, and it was difficult to get into the business unless you knew someone at one of these companies. Now there are a lot of library companies on the internet that you can submit music to directly and get a lot of small royalties that can add up to be significant. There are still agencies that sign deals with artists and producers to pitch their music for larger sync licenses. These companies have direct relationships with music supervisors and can potentially land you larger placements in television, movies and major advertisements. It can be difficult to get a deal with a company like this. I think micro-sync companies are the best place to start.
How to Submit Music to Micro-Sync Licensing Libraries
Most micro-sync websites have a submission link. Some of them may not be taking new artists/producers, and some have a certain period each year when they’ll take submissions. You’ll really just have to keep submitting to companies until you find the right fit. The company that I have had the most success with is Artlist.io. I first submitted nine songs to them about three years ago. I was a good fit for them at the time, and we’ve built a good relationship over the last three years. I’ve submitted to several other sites that said my music was not a fit. So, you never really know where your music will work. Each website has a different vibe that appeals to different types of users. Many of the sites have a minimum amount of songs that you must submit for consideration. I’ve seen the minimum be from four to ten songs depending on the company. It’s usually not worth it to the company to add an artist with only a couple of songs.
I often see new startup sites that need music to build up their libraries. Sometimes new companies even contact me after they find my music on Artlist. So, there are a lot of opportunities out there. You just have to be persistent and keep submitting to different companies.
Exclusive Vs. Non-exclusive
I’ve found most of the online micro-sync companies to be non-exclusive, meaning that you can also submit your music to other competing companies. Some companies offer an exclusive contract for a higher royalty. This may end up being a good deal, but be sure to do a lot of research on the company and get to know them. You could sign an exclusive deal with a company that doesn’t get you any royalties, and then you’re stuck for the duration of the contract. These contracts are usually per song.
Ownership of Your Music
It’s important to know who owns your music. If you don’t own 100% of your recordings, you have to get permission from everyone who has ownership to add your music to a library. You also have to split royalties with them accordingly. Did you hire a producer to produce your music with a work-for-hire agreement where they can claim no ownership? Or is your music a collaboration with others? If it is a collaboration, are the percentages of ownership equal among the collaborators? Are or were you signed to a record label that can claim ownership?
Obviously, it’s better to own 100% of your recordings or have very few owners. Most of my songs feature a singer, and I split royalties evenly with them. I keep it down to no more than two other people that I’m splitting royalties with (sound recording and songwriting royalties). Most of all, it’s important to know who owns your recordings. If you are unclear, you should consult a music lawyer.
Thinking Long-term
Start building up a catalog of recorded music that you’re proud of. Make sure it all sounds professional. Make sure it’s mastered properly and be sure to get an instrumental master of each of your songs. Last year, I got a larger placement for a show on HBO Spain. They found my music on the Artlist website and offered a bigger contract to use one of my songs. I recorded the song with an Artist friend of mine over 5 years ago, long before I had music on Artlist. I just had it in my library waiting for the right time for it to be used. Often the small placements can lead to larger placements.
It’s important to release music as an artist. A lot of licensing companies like to see you as an actual artist rather than just someone that makes a bunch of library music. I release music as an artist and feature other artists that sing on the songs. I also have a couple of other bands I release music under.
Getting sync licenses can also help your streaming numbers on Spotify and other streaming services. I’ve found my streaming plays to increase significantly on the songs that get used on Artlist. I’ve had one song get over 100,000 plays on Spotify because it was used in a popular Youtube show. That is pretty cool considering I never put any money or effort into marketing the release. If I was pursuing an artist career, I could market to these listeners and capitalize on the audience.
Creating Authentic Music
There are a lot of trends in sync licensing music for what type of music is being heavily used right now. A lot of artists and producers chase the trends and often end up making a lot of mediocre music that doesn’t do well in an already competitive market. I have had much more success creating music that I love than trying to create something just to land a placement. My niche is timeless and retro-influenced Pop and R&B music. When I create this type of music, it’s good. When I’ve tried to create music that isn’t authentic to me, it was obvious, and it turned out to be a waste of time.
Some library companies focus more on trendy “hipster” music. A lot of this music sounds like it was created specifically for sync-licensing. Other libraries are more artist-centered. I like the companies that focus more on artist music. For artists that have a unique sound (and an original thought), I think these libraries are usually a better fit. Some producers and artists that focus their careers on sync licensing have a formula for song arrangement. I think it’s mostly just important to make sure your songs are great, marketable and something you could hear behind a video. Also, make sure the instrumental versions of your songs sound great and can stand on their own. A lot of my instrumental versions have gotten more downloads than the versions that feature singers.
Conclusion
It’s a great feeling to make money from your own music and to know that people out there are enjoying it. As the music industry is constantly shifting, there are no set rules. Right now, sync licensing seems to be one of the most lucrative ways for an independent artist to make money and potentially a living from their music. Everyone’s path is different, and there are no definite ways to success in the music industry. As with most investments that are successful, you have to be in it for the long game. There are no guarantees, but if your music is marketable and your are consistent with it, it’s likely that you can succeed.
Here are some micro-sync companies you can check out to get started. Do your research!