How to get into sync licensing? Sync Licensing is defined as the use of music in television, film, advertisements, virtual & augmented reality, presentations, video games, YouTube videos or any other media where music and moving images are used in “sync” together.
Music Supervisors are the generally the key decision makers who look over all music related aspects of film, television, advertising, video games, etc. and are the contacts that would be great to establish relationships with.
A great resource to find out the music supervisors on some of your favorite television series of films is our free music supervisor directory. With over 325 music supervisors indexed, this will help you get to know the key decision makers responsible for placing music in the top media projects across the globe.
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If you aren’t well-connected to any music supervisors, my book that charted at #1 in the Amazon Music Business category will show you how to do just that (among other things).
The Secret Sauce for Placing Your Music in Television and Film
Another great option for you is through sync licensing music libraries or music production libraries. As there are many different options currently available in the online marketplace, I took the time to curate the top companies with links to both their website and submission pages.
These are the top sync licensing music libraries.
Airbit
Not only is Airbit the top platform to sell beats, but more and more music supervisors are leveraging this platforms innovative mood search functionality to source instrumentals for their projects. Sell beats to independent musicians and secure placement opportunities? It's a win-win situation with Airbit. They're also a preferred YouTube Content ID partner platform, and will collect your YouTube revenue right inside their superior platform. What we really love is that you can leverage their Infinity Store into your very own website you can utilize to promote via your social platforms. Definitely give Airbit a look!
Sellfy
Sometimes YOU are the sync licensing library. Sure, it's great to get your music into a library you know will be visited by people looking to purchase music to fit in context to their project, but fees, a saturated marketplace, and/or exclusivity can diminish some potential returns. And that's why Sellfy is a fantastic solution for the artist, music producer, composer, or beatmaker that wants to leverage their existing brand and relationships to sell music for sync licensing opportunities. You'll always make out better when you're in control of the platform. And many users of Sellfy have figured that out on their way to stable six-figure annual incomes. Sell your music direct to music supervisors, filmmakers, marketing agencies, etc. with your own storefront and get built-in marketing tools to keep them coming back. You need to look into Sellfy if you haven't already. Plus, get 15% off your monthly plan by using code 'millennialmind'.
Claiming the coveted number 1 spot on our rankings is ALIBI Music, the powerhouse in sync licensing that every music supervisor needs to know. ALIBI doesn't just provide music and SFX - they empower your creative vision with impeccable audio quality while including stems, mixes and alt versions that allow for robust customization. They live and breathe emotion into their tracks, ensuring that every track resonates with your project’s soul. What sets ALIBI apart is its expertly curated catalogs, assembled by industry veterans with an unwavering commitment to excellence. Plus, their user-friendly interface makes finding the perfect track a breeze. Dive into ALIBI Music’s vast library and experience the gold standard in sync licensing.
What I love about Jamendo Music is that its music licensing library is truly geared towards the independent musician. Not only is it unlimited and free, but it is completely non-exclusive. That means the tracks you submit can be submitted elsewhere to other libraries or opportunities. I also love its linkage to YouTube’s Content ID. Get compensated for your music that is already being used!
And if you're stopping by because you're looking to license some music, Jamendo Licensing also does it the best. And readers of Millennial Mind Sync get 5% off their entire sync catalogue when they visit from this link.
Marmoset
Marmoset has curated a truly beautiful music library. Featuring a roster of emerging artists, bands and record labels and a cross-genre library of music, it’s no surprise they’re at the top of our list. Whatever music you’re creating, they’re placing it. From hip-hop to orchestral, traditional folk to hard-hitting EDM, psychedelic cumbia to nostalgic R&B — and everything in-between. Just make sure you follow the submission guidelines listed on their website to see if you qualify for this fantastic sync licensing music library.
Artlist
When it comes the user experience (UX) of their platform, no one does it quite as good as Artlist. Their platform is doing an impeccable job of simplifying the music licensing process for filmmakers. For artists, if your application gets accepted, your music will be used on a non-exclusive basis. That makes this just one more opportunity to expand your reach, and a great one at that!
Nightingale Music is a Toronto-based, internationally recognized and independently owned music company. They've serviced the film, television and multi-media industries for over 30 years. Just take one look at their impressive reel of placements recently and you'll be ready to submit some of your music. Their submission email is placed on the footer of their website, but if you read my book, you'll know it's never okay to send your music as a file attachment, so please don't make this mistake.
Jingle Punks Jingle Player is a cloud based search & delivery platform that houses an extensive catalog of music from over 4,000 independent artists, bands, and composers. They do only work off an exclusive agreement with a 50/50 share on both sync fees and performance royalties. Just keep that in mind before submitting any music to them.
RX Music
RX Music is a leading music consultancy in North America. They help clients across the globe create distinctive sensory experiences through strategic and creative use of music. They also service a vast collective of mediums aside from television & film and that's one reason why a million+ artists have had music with RX. Their programming team is always looking for new and exciting music, so drop them a line!
Directional Music has curated a music library that truly caters to the independent artist. Offering both non-exclusive and exclusive artist deals, you retain full ownership over all your tracks. Just take a look at their FAQ and read through all the specifics prior to submitting your music to them. This is a library you'll definitely want to be a part of.
If you’re having trouble going direct to opportunity through a music supervisor, some of these music licensing libraries may be of great service to you. The more ears on your music the better, right? Either way, just make sure you do your research, follow the submission guidelines, and NEVER send music as an attachment in an email.
*Denotes an organization that is using a paid subscription or opportunity based business model
