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Music licensing is the process of acquiring the legal rights to use a copyrighted song in one’s own project. It is done to ensure that the copyright holder or creator of the song is fairly compensated for the use of his or her track. Royalty-free music licensing is a subcategory of the more general term “music licensing.” With royalty-free music, the customer does not need to worry about obtaining multiple music licenses from various copyright owners because the royalty-free licensing site has taken care of this for them.

No ongoing fees or royalties need to be paid to the original copyright holder. Instead, customers need only pay a one-time fee for the music license that matches the needs of their project. Royalty-free music licensing sites like PremiumBeat feature flexible and affordable license plans that include unlimited use within a single project. After the one-time fee, the track can be used in that project in perpetuity, meaning forever.

Licensing music is an essential step for those interested in using copyrighted tracks in their projects. If looking to license a well-known or popular song, the interested party can start by checking with music rights organizations such as SESAC, BMI, or ASCAP. These organizations may be able to grant the license themselves or at least provide contact information so the interested party can communicate directly with the record label or music publisher. Due to copyright laws, copyright owners and the individuals looking to license their music must come to an agreement regarding how the tracks will be used and how much and how often the copyright owners will be compensated. Popular copyrighted music will generally require the payment of ongoing fees or royalties to the copyright owners. Failure to obtain the appropriate music license or pay royalties can result in a hefty fine or copyright claim. When it comes to sites such as YouTube, videos that feature music the user does not have permission to play are usually quickly taken down or muted.

Generally speaking, there are six different types of licenses in the music industry:

Sync license: The sync or synchronization license allows a track to be used in an audiovisual project such as a TV show, film, or commercial video. With this license, the licensee can make a new recording of the original track. It is granted by a music publisher or music publishing company.

Master license: This license transfers the rights to the original recording of a track to the licensee. Similar to the sync license, it is required for audiovisual projects. The master license is usually granted by the record company that originally recorded the track.

Mechanical license: The mechanical license allows a song to be reproduced and distributed in any form to a specific audience. It is always for a private use of the track. For those interested in recording their own version of a copyrighted song or exporting a video that features the song, this license is necessary.

Print license: A print or print rights license allows a customer to print copies of the score of a copyrighted track. For those who want to display lyrics from a song in a YouTube video, for example, this license will be required.

Theatrical license: The theatrical or grand rights license is only used in the theater. It is required for any theater company that intends to perform a song in an on-stage production before an audience.

There are also royalty-free licenses such as those found on PremiumBeat. Our licenses save you time and money, as instead of requesting a specific license and waiting months to hear back, you can find a track you love in our library and pay a one-time fee for your license all in one go.

Start by determining if permission is needed. If the song is part of the public domain, for example, it is not protected by intellectual property laws and can thus be used without permission. That said, nearly all popular music is copyrighted and will require a license for use. Assuming this is the sort of music you are interested in, you will then need to identify the copyright owner or owners. Sometimes this is as simple as looking at the copyright notice on the work, which will often list the publishing company that you can contact.

If the copyright ownership has passed through several hands, however, the process will require more research. It is also possible that the track involves multiple owners, each of whom must grant permission for use of the track. Once you have identified the owner or owners, determine the rights you need. This will depend on your intended use of the track. You will then want to contact the copyright holders and negotiate a payment. Be sure to get your permission agreement in writing.

Whether you are working on a video or podcast, a commercial or presentation, high-quality music can effortlessly elevate your project to the next level. To easily license music online, check out PremiumBeat. A leading music licensing company, PremiumBeat offers thousands of professionally created tracks in a wide variety of genres so that you have no shortage of choice beats to choose from. Use our advanced filters to search by Genres, Mood, Instruments, and more.

If you come across a track you love and you want to hear more like it, simply click its title and scroll down to the section titled “More songs like this one” for a curated list of similar tracks. Save your favorites by adding them to a playlist of your own creation. When you are ready to download your tracks, add them to your cart and head to checkout. Take a look at our flexible license options. The type of license you choose will depend on the needs of your project, but both our Standard and Premium license come at an affordable price. Pay a one-time fee or sign up for the monthly subscription plan to save 70%. Get started today.