User:Arianna S/sandbox
Licensing in music publishing
[edit]There are many aspects to music publishing. However, simply put music publishing is the licensing of music for advertising, television, film etc... Music publishing started out by just being the publishing of the actual sheet music, and not even the score. Song sheets were made which just had the lyrics of a popular song and that is what was published. Today, music publishing means the publishing and licensing of songs (as in mp3s) and distributing.
Licenses
[edit]Within music publishing there are many different types of licenses. For instance:
• Blanket License
• Master Use License
• Performing Rights License (PRO)
• Sync License
A Blanket License is a license that is just one big annual fee to one of the PRO's (SESAC, ASCAP, or BMI). The blanket license once paid to the PRO, covers every work that is in the PRO's catalog. Blanket licenses are mostly used by television networks and radio stations so that they can be in the clear with any song they play from one catalog instead of paying license fees for every single song. [1]
A Master Use License is used when you want to obtain the rights to any recorded piece of music. Master use licenses are also only used for media outlets. Media such as film, TV, commercials, anything visual etc...
Performing Rights License (PRO) is the license that gives the licensee the right to publicly perform the song/work that they get the license to anywhere. [2]
Lastly, a sync license is, like a master license, a license used for visual works. Mainly used in films, tv shows, video games, commercial advertising etc... However, with a sync license to place a song over a scene in a movie or any other visual, you must also obtain a mechanical license. The mechanical license is the license that just gives rights to even have that sound recording. [3]
Music publishers do a lot to negotiate uses and fees for their artists on their roster. Today, the publishers are the main source of revenue besides live touring, because people are always looking for music to use for any work.