Music Licensing 101: How to Sync Your Music Learn how to create syncable music, stand out to music supervisors, and negotiate sync deals with these tips and insights from music licensing experts.
By
Nick Balkin
Illustration by Dana Smith
Sync licensing deals- syncs, as theyre known in the industry-have become a vital source of income for recording artists and music rights holders. According to a report from the Recording Industry Association of America, the estimated value of sync royalties for the first half of 2022 was $178 million, a record 29.9 percent increase over the previous year. Music labels and publishers are taking note, expanding their licensing departments to seize opportunities to secure coveted placements that spike streams and attract listeners. The stunning resurgence of Kate Bushs 1985 single Running Up That Hill is perhaps the most obvious example of a sync boosting a song's popularity (thanks, Stranger Things). But syncs can also be a powerful tool for emerging artists, such as Orville Peck, whose track Dead of Night saw a jaw-dropping 812 percent increase in streams after it was used in HBOs Euphoria.
The impact of music placements on discovery and consumption is undeniable, but for many artists and producers, entering the world of sync can be daunting. At a recent Berklee Career Jam session, Music in Sync, an expert panel shared advice on navigating the complexities of the music licensing process.
Were probably not gonna sync your avant-garde opus about, like, your great uncle who is a taxidermist.
- Michael Jurasits, Human Worldwide
What Makes Music Syncable? Not all music is created equal in music synchronization. That's why it's critical to understand what makes music syncable, says Michael Jurasits, creative director and music supervisor for Human Worldwide.
Were probably not gonna sync your avant-garde opus about, like, your great uncle who is a taxidermist, Jurasits says. And thats not because we dont love taxidermy. Its because the people on my side, in the advertising world and at brands, are looking for familiarity. Theyre looking for something that they know.
Kristoffer Roggemann, Mophonics
Kristoffer Roggemann, creative producer and partner at Mophonics, agrees that lyrics that are too specific can limit brand interest, noting that while songs with romantic themes often play well on TV and film, advertising tends to favor music with more universal themes that will resonate with a broader audience. Finding authentic and non-generic ways to express universal themes, however, can be a challenge, especially in a market that's become crowded in recent years with sync-seeking musicians writing overly formulaic songs.
I think that kind of got exposed after a while-it's like, is this really a song about working together?-and it became this paint-by-numbers kind of thing, Roggemann says. Now its more like: how do you find an interesting adjacent way to sing about working together without using those words? Just getting a bit more creative with lyric choices is helpful.
Sync Artist vs. Synced Artist Are you a sync artist -a musician who builds their brand writing specifically for sync opportunities-or an artist who simply happens to get synced? That's a fundamental question for anyone venturing into this business, says Allegra Willis Knerr, executive vice president of global sync licensing at BMG Rights Management.
If it's the former, it's essential that your music is sync-ready, which means, among other things, having many versions of your songs-such as instrumental tracks, a cappella mixes, and clean versions-available to pitch. If it's the latter, however, authenticity and uniqueness are key, so it's better to focus on your craft and on building your brand as an artist. Thats whats gonna make supervisors and sync agents want to come to you, Willis Knerr says.
Know Your Musical Lane Artists should target shows that cater to their style of music, says Dom Jones B.M. '19, a specialist for Sony SyncShop. So if your music is pop, she says, it's likely a better fit for the CW sports series All American than it would be for the Starz strip club drama P-Valley.
Dom Jones B.M. '19, Sony SyncShop
Image by Ian Davis
If youre sending happy pop music to the music supervisor of P-Valley, theyre not going to be happy with you, Jones says. And theyll remember that you sent them exactly what they were not looking for.
It's also important to know your strengths, and to prioritize quality over quantity, says Chris Brown, vice president of production, North America, for West One Music Group. From our side, it's focusing on something you're really good at, says Brown. We have so many people who write and say, I can do anything,' and that's generally not true.
Get Your Splits Straight If you're cowriting, then it's critical that your split sheets-or splits, an agreement between song contributors that specifies their ownership percentages-are sorted out before pitching music to potential clients.
Nobody wants to go back and forth with you while you figure out your splits. If they love the song, make it easily clearable for the person that youre pitching, Jones says. And the last thing Ill say is specifically to producers: if youre sampling in your beats, clear the sample-or dont sample.
The person that youre sitting next to can be tomorrows executive that you need a favor from, that can put you onto your next opportunity.
- Dom Jones B.M. '19, Sony SyncShop
Networking is a key factor in gaining a foothold in most industries, and the sync world is no different. Youre probably not even getting looked at by a big company unless you can show some real sync history or fan engagement through social media followers or through Spotify listeners, Willis Knerr
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Music Licensing 101: How to Sync Your Music Learn how to create syncable music, stand out to music supervisors, and negotiate sync deals with these tips and insights from music licensing experts.
