What is Music Licensing?
Music Licensing is the granting of the right to use a copyright holders (artist) work publicly. In return, the artist will receive payment via a flat fee and/or royalties based on an agreed contract. Music licensing is intended to ensure that the owners of copyrights on musical works are compensated for the certain uses of their work.
What Do I Need To Do To Clear the Use of a Song? Publishing vs Master
When you are looking to synchronize a song with any visuals, there are two separate rights that you will need to clear:
- The first are the Publishing Rights which are for the composition and lyrics and can be licensed from the music publisher(s) who represent the writer(s) of the song.
- The second set of rights you need to clear are the Master Rights which are for the actual sound recording and can be licensed by the record label who represent the artist who recorded the song. We handle these rights, please see below for further information.
How Do I Request the Use of Album Artwork or License Music by a Universal Music Group (UMG) Artist?
If you are you looking to use UMG’s music or album artwork for a project, we are here to help. If the album is by a UMG artist, you will need to contact our licensing team in the territory in which you are based. To find a specific label’s office, please use the directory below:
Please note, all clearances are subject to a signed contract.