Licensing music is a prominent way that artist, songwriters, producers, record labels and music publishers generate revenue from the music they own. Copyright owners of the music must properly license the music for use in film, television, or any other commercial application.
In the Intellectual Property Magazine article “A Practical Guide to Music Licensing,” One LLP Attorney Burgundy Morgan provides detailed insights into the two distinct licenses copyright owners can grant giving the necessary rights for use of their work and the differences between the two licenses. “Copyrighted music can generate a significant income for rights owners, but they have to secure two different licenses first,” says Ms. Morgan.
Ms. Morgan also outlines licensing scenarios for recordings and musical compositions to better explain the differences in a master-use license and a synchronization license. Ms. Morgan proceeds to explain the importance of clearing a musical composition and sound recording “One should review public records to identify the proper rightsholders and conduct proper due diligence and change of title research,” says Ms. Morgan.
