Licenses aren’t typically all-encompassing or everlasting. When a brand or a filmmaker uses a popular song in a video they want to post or archive online, or a film with uncertain distribution, the license must include specific use terms. It might seem ideal to license a song for an indefinite amount of time or media, but the license needs to be negotiated to include the specific, concrete terms of the project in order for the rights holders to review and… Continue reading
As we saw in this week’s post about types of licenses, there are a lot of steps needed to legally license a song. While we do our best to negotiate sync licenses as efficiently and inexpensively as possible, there are many factors that may create challenges during the process. Even though every license negotiation is circumstantial, there are many factors that influence how difficult it may be to license a song and whether a use of a song will ultimately… Continue reading
Licensing music can be a long and complicated process. So complex, in fact, that we’ve previously created an entire infographic that lays out the mess. You’ll need entirely differently licenses depending on how you want to use the music. Some will require you to contact Performance Rights Organizations (PROs), publishers, record labels, or some combination thereof. If you’re not clear on how to go about getting a music license or what kind of license you need, you’re not alone. Let’s… Continue reading
Last week, when Pandora Radio notified its listeners that it would be capping the number of hours mobile users could stream in one month, a logical assumption would be that its customer base responded with appropriate levels of snarky backlash via social networks and forum commentary. Surveying reactions from across the Net, this didn’t seem to be the case. The loudest and lengthiest criticism to the 40-hour-per-month streaming cap actually came from Tim Westergren, one of Pandora’s founders. “Limiting listening is a… Continue reading
The world of music licensing can seem like a complex and confusing maze. You know you need the licenses to avoid legal problems – but who grants those licenses, and what for? Lucky for you, we’ve produced a handy infographic to guide you through the licensing process and help you tell your syncs from your mechanicals. And if you’re already an expert, well then this is a great way to explain to your mother what it is you do for… Continue reading
In the still-very-new world of the internet, the democratization of content has been both a boon and a challenge for rights holders. One of the most challenging aspects to come to terms with is the sheer volume of content out there. Every minute 72 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube. That is just one of many content hosting channels. People upload music videos, mashups, and original works every second of every day. Some percentage of that number is going… Continue reading
A little awhile ago, a segment on FOX’s show “Glee” featured a performance of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s classic “Baby Got Back.” Their particular arrangement appeared to be very reminiscent of a version of the song released by folk songwriter and internet darling Jonathan Coulton. Whether there was any intentional copying of his arrangement is not for us to say, but enough people felt that it was an issue that it caused a massive internet backlash against the show. Several well-known and… Continue reading
Last week, a website posted information about what is alleged to be a pending lawsuit from the majors against video hosting site Vimeo. According to the article, the suit alleges that Vimeo “copied, performed, and distributed seminal sound recordings by artists including The Beatles, Coldplay, Norah Jones, Nat King Cole and the Beach Boys. When the lawsuit was first filed, ‘lipdubs’ on Vimeo’s network were hot, and the record companies alleged that Vimeo needed license to the sound recordings when… Continue reading
Welcome to the GreenLight Music Blog. Our aim here is to be a source of information and conversation among people who benefit from sync licensing (licensees, musicians and those in the community). We will feature artist interviews, music you may not have heard, and information about both getting your choice of several hundred thousand songs placed in your production, or if you’re a musician getting your songs heard in movies, TV and web series. By way of introduction, my name… Continue reading