Songs2Share Inc. » Music licensing

How To Get Your Music in TV and Film by Mike King

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Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Berkleemusic Blog Network

The live events at SXSW are amazing. Because of the limited time allotted to most bands (which I think encourages bands to “pull out all the stops”), and the fact that the barrier of entry is pretty high, you’d be hard pressed to find another convention anywhere in the world with as much concentrated talent in one location.

Complementing the live music scene at SXSW are panels held throughout the week at the convention center. From Jim Griffin talking about his Choruss idea, to Ian Rogers moderating a panel on “Making a 360 Deal with Yourself,” the overall theme of the panels I attended this year revolved around the ways that artists and music business companies can identify and optimize alternative revenue models as the music business shifts away from traditional record sales. Music licensing, while nothing new, is a hot topic right now among content owners (songwriters, labels), managers, and artists. Licensing offers the possibility of incredible visibility to artists, and depending on usage, it could also provide a fairly solid revenue stream.

Here is my takeaway from the “Placing Your Music in Film and TV” panel with Jennifer Czeisler (VP Licensing, Sub Pop Records), Marianne Goode (VP Music, Lifetime Networks), Season Kent (Music Supervisor, Relativity Media LLC) Alexandra Patsavas (Owner, Chop Shop Music), Alicen Schneider (VP Music Creative Svcs, NBC Universal TV Music), and Madonna Wade-Reed (Music Supervisor, Whoopsie Daisy):

It’s a Good Time to License Independent Music

The panelists all agreed that it was a fantastic time for independent artists to look for licensing deals, simply because of economics. Producers are more open to indie music, as A) indie music is typically cheaper to license, and B) many producers consider themselves tastemakers, and want to be known for breaking bands. Alicen Schneider spoke about the fact that 75% of the music used by NBC is now independent music.

How Much Can Artists Expect to Get Paid?

There is a wide range in the amount of money artists can expect to get paid from a licensed track, much of which depends on usage. Variables include the length of the use, the thematic placement (is the song in the credits or in the background of a scene?), the budget of the production, if the song is for a one-time use or used as a recurring part of the promo for the production, and more. The more that is requested of the song, the more the song will be worth. It’s important to also note that when a song is used in TV or film, two licenses are needed: a synchronization license from the copyright owner of the music, as well as master recording license from the copyright owner of the sound recording. These are two separate agreements, and typically, artists that control both their master rights as well as their publishing will do “All in” deals that cover both “sides” of the composition. According to Jennifer from SubPop, artists can expect to receive anywhere from $1,500 to $15,000 for the master rights alone for one-time placements.

Dos and Don’t: Rules for Submissions

Similar to traditional press, blog, or radio outreach, there are specific rules that artists should follow when pitching supervisors. Once you find the name of a specific supervisor that you want to target (the Music Business Registry is a good option for finding contact info), your package should follow these guidelines:

1) Although they take Mp3 files in emails, supervisors still primarily work with full art CDs. They prefer their music in proper jewel cases with a spine that lists the artists name and title. Madonna from Whoopsie Daisy (who has worked on “Smallville,” “One Tree Hill,” “Alias,” and “Felicity,” and others) said that she receives upwards of 150 submissions a week, many of which she files away. Artists have to make it as easy as possible for them to file your music, and find it later.
2) If you are burning a CD, be sure you have added all the track info to the individual songs (particularly artist and song names). If a supervisor burns your music into iTunes, you don’t want to be in their library as “Track 2.”
3) Clearance problems are always an issue. Make the publishing and master info as prominent as possible, especially if you control both.
4) Be sure you are targeting the right show. Supervisors hate emails that ask: “What are you looking for?” Know your show’s demo, and send them appropriate music.
5) Do Not Call. Supervisors have no time to spend on the phone. Quick email reminders are appropriate. Successful pitches are those that do not expect anything, and do not put too much pressure on the supervisor. Keeping in front of them is great; stalking them is not.
6) Do not ask them for opinions on your music. Supervisors are not A&R reps. Good music will stand out and get placed at some point.

Use Songpluggers

All supervisors have a trusted stable of songpluggers that they can go to in a pinch. Songpluggers (or independent licensing companies) have relationships with all the supervisors in LA, know what their taste is in music, and can provide cleared music to them, which they can run with immediately. Indie artists should look into building a relationship with licensing companies that have these direct connections with the supervisors. However – do your homework on them. Like any promo area in the industry, there tends to be some false claims and embellishments. Learn more about songpluggers here.

Music Licensing is Insanely Competitive

The labels are keenly aware of the importance of music licensing. Alicen Schneider related a story about Dave Matthews’ label sending Dave himself to play a one-on-one concert for her to showcase some of his new license-friendly music. But the bottom line is that if artists can find fans of their music in the supervisor, (or sometimes even a key actor, as was the situation with Death Cab for Cutie and their placements in the O.C.), indie bands have as much of a chance as a major label artist (if not more, with the smaller budgets) with success in music licensing.

Tags: film, Music licensing, Songplugger, songs, Tv
Posted in Music News | No Comments »

CALL FOR HOLIDAY MUSIC

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Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

Here’s the deal – Music Dealers out of Chicago is a new and growing music licensing company that we like. So we’ve opened an Artist’s Rep account at their website and have had much correspondence with our account manager. We are currently building profiles of several Songs2Share (S2S) artists at their website.

Soon their clients will be able to search their website music catalog and license songs/music directly from the website. As an Artist Rep account we are only uploading music we’ve screened and consider saleable. This way repeat clients will know the S2S music catalog has quality music.

Artists can upload their music directly if they like and all music is accepted into the general catalog. If you do this, you will have to spend time over at the website working your account and hope you get noticed. With a variety of artists and genres of quality screened music, Songs2Shsare will get noticed. By both the Music Dealers company and their clients.

To represent your music at Music Dealers and other music licensing companies, we charge 10% commission on licensed placements. We make a dime when you make a dollar – well almost. Our main objective in administering your music is to build the Songs2Share company’s value so we can attract a larger company who will take S2S to the next level. To do this we need something of value. Our song catalog.

Every song we sign on a non-exclusive basis goes into our song catalog for the life of the company. That means while you can continue to perform and market your song, sell downloads and CDs of any song we accept, we can and will continue to market your song as long as our doors are open for business.

What We Need Now = Holiday Music. Music Dealers has put out a call for holiday music. All genres and instrumentals of original music. Any holiday celebrated from Halloween through New Year’s is what we need. Please go to the website, LOGIN and make a free account and you will be taken to the Song Upload feature. Upload your MP3 submissions. We will e-mail response all submissions. We look forward to marketing your music. ~

Tags: Christmas songs, Holiday music, Holiday songs, Music licensing, New Year's music, Thanksgiving music
Posted in Call For Music | No Comments »

iTunes Swallowed A Quarter of US Music Sales

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Monday, August 24th, 2009

iTunes swallowed a quarter of US music sales

By Kelly Fiveash

Posted in Music and Media, 18th August 2009 16:24 GMT

One in four songs sold in the US are done so via Apple’s iTunes store, according to a new report

NPD Group’s MusicWatch division said today that while audio CDs remain the most popular format among music consumers, digital tracks notched up 35 per cent of all songs sold in the first half of 2009.

That’s a 15 per cent leap in sales compared with 2007 figures, and a five per cent jump on last year’s numbers.

NPD said that the iTunes store dominated digital music sales, accounting for 25 per cent of all songs sold in the US in the first six months of this year.

In 2008 it pulled in 21 per cent of all digital music sales, while in 2007 it grabbed 14 per cent of the market.

US retail giant Walmart takes second place in digital music sales, according to NPD. It raked in 14 per cent from downloads sold via its website as well as in store.

But iTunes outshines all other digital music retailers, where Apple leads the market by a hefty 69 per cent ahead of its rivals, said NPD.

Amazon’s MP3 store lags a long way behind the iTunes behemoth, gobbling up just eight per cent of the digital music market.

NPD garnered its findings from US consumers aged 13 and above, who reported their purchases of CDs, digital music tracks and albums sold a-la-carte, and wireless over-the-air transactions, excluding ringtones.

It didn’t reveal how many US folk took part in the survey, however. NPD also overlooked the impact illegal file sharing has on digital music sales.

Source: The Register

Tags: iTunes downloads, Music licensing, music sales, songs
Posted in Music News | No Comments »

Make Money With On-Line Music

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Monday, August 24th, 2009

Downloaded songs should soon surpass traditional formats, but the spoils will have to be shared.

By Robert Cyran, breakingviews.com

August 20, 2009: 11:16 AM ET

Free downloads nearly killed the record business. A generation of youthful customers got used to the idea that music should be given away. Compact disc sales fell around 15% annually year after year.

Yet the peak of this trend now appears to have passed. That leaves an unusually clear landscape for growth in paid-for music downloads.

These now account for 35% of all U.S. songs sold, according to market research firm NPD Group. What’s more, they are growing at up to 20% per annum, while CD volumes are shrinking at about the same rate.

That means the number of online songs sold should surpass traditional formats by the end of next year. Of course, since downloaded songs are somewhat cheaper, it will take a few years before revenues will follow if current trends hold.

Moreover, downloaded music sales shouldn’t be any less profitable. A CD costs $6.40 to manufacture, distribute and sell in a store according to research firm Almighty Institute of Music Retail. These costs disappear when music is distributed online. An album that costs $16 in a store is about as profitable as one downloaded for $10.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean happy days are around the corner for companies like EMI and Warner Music (WMG). The industry may once again think about growth, but the spoils will have to be shared quite widely.

About 70% of all download sales occur on Apple’s iTunes. The tech company demands a cut of the proceeds, and its dominant position means it has sway over music producers. Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) has been largely able to resist pressure by record labels to increase the price at which it sells music.

Musicians also have increased bargaining power. Bands can more easily distribute music online themselves — or threaten to and demand better terms from labels. And the big retailers aren’t going down without a fight. Geriatric glam-rockers Kiss just signed an agreement with Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) that gives the retailer an exclusive album to sell while the band gets a bigger share of profits.

Music sales may once again grow. But that doesn’t mean the big music companies will return their prosperous heydays.

Source: CNN Money

Tags: Make Money With On-Line Music, Music licensing, songs
Posted in Music News | No Comments »

Jack Black Speaks Out On Piracy

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Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Author’s note: I recently asked a public relations executive at
a major entertainment conglomerate why, if piracy is hurting everyone,
more celebrities aren’t speaking out against it. “I’ve got two words
for you,” he said. “Lars Ulrich.”
Apparently comedian Jack Black was willing to risk condemnation from
cyber-groovies. The video above is an antipiracy message he made two
years ago.

Story from CNet

Tags: file sharing, jack black, Music licensing, piracy, songs
Posted in vblog | No Comments »

Call For Music For Licensing

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Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

We’ve made a new friend over at Music Dealers in Chicago and highly recommend you check them out as your music licensing representative. Songs2Share licenses the SONG for you while Music Dealers will license the SOUND RECORDING for you. You can submit the same music to both Songs2Share and Music Dealers as we are both non-exclusive and work with each other. That’s why I’m posting this call for music they just sent me.

Please make an account over there and upload your .wav files. Then send them an e-mail through their contact button, telling them Songs2Share sent you. Thanks a bunch and good luck getting your music placed. Here’s what they need immediately ~

************************************************************

Hey everyone,

We have a couple of jobs that are not on the job board that call for some really cool indie rock stuff (along the lines of the Strokes or The White Stripes).

If any of you have anything that is along those lines please upload it immediately or if you have something that works in your account, point us in the right direction.

This is something that is due asap but if you have material like this for future opportunities, get it in the system. We have a lot of work coming in that calls for this kind of stuff. Let me know.

Thanks everyone,

Tim Lincoln
Catalog Director/ New Music Licensing
MusicDealers.com
650 W. Lake St. Suite 320
Chicago, IL 60661
888.584.0005 Ext. 3

www.musicdealers.com

Tags: music dealers, Music licensing, songs, the white stripes
Posted in Call For Music | No Comments »

Posts Tagged ‘Music licensing’