Sync Fee & Sync Royalties Explained - Where the Money Comes From

In sync licensing, songwriters and artists get paid an upfront sync fee for the use of their song in a film, TV, or advertising project. There are two types of sync license fees:

  • One sync fee for the use of the song or composition

  • And a separate sync fee for the use of the master recording

If you are an independent songwriter or artist (not signed to a label or publisher) and you own both the song and the master, then you would be paid both upfront sync fees.

However, the potential to earn additional income from your sync placement is huge, as we’ll explain in this article.

Music Publishing Royalties

Did you know that aside from music sync fees, in the United States alone, sync royalties (royalties from sync licensing) account for nearly 30% of all music publishing royalties?

Sync licensing is now the second-highest royalty stream for independent artists!

According to Music Business Worldwide, in 2021 music publishing royalties topped 4.7 billion in the United States.

This bar chart by the National Music Publishers Association shows consistent revenue growth since 2015!

What Are Sync Royalties?

There are no actual sync royalties, but you can earn future performance royalties from sync placements.

Whoever you licenced the song to would only have to pay the sync fee once for the sync licensing. That’s it. They have no further obligation to you, and they do not collect any future royalties on your behalf.

However, once you have a sync placement, your song does have great potential for a lot more additional income.

If your song was placed in a TV series that went into syndication, you could potentially be earning performance royalties from that sync placement for years.

Other Sources of Income

If you get a sync placement in a film or TV show, your song may be heard by millions of people.

Many may want to stream or buy the song and even Shazam to find out who the artist is. This is a great way to increase your fan base.

If your song isn’t released this could mean a lot of lost potential income. Your song needs to be on a streaming service like Spotify or Apple, or on your website (if you have one) where potential fans can find it, stream it, or download it.

Make Your Music Available

If you want to capitalize on the potential additional income your song could earn besides the sync fee, I recommend these steps:

  • Register your song(s) with your country’s Performing Rights Organization (PRO)

  • Release your song(s) so they are available on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple

  • Sign up with a music distribution company like Tunecore, Distrokid, CDBaby

  • Create an artist’s website and add your songs for streaming or purchase

  • Create a Soundcloud account and add your songs for streaming or purchase

  • Have a social presence on Facebook, Instagram, etc., so fans can find and follow you

  • Create music videos and post them on YouTube

Understanding Royalties & Your Rights

Let’s talk about the other types of possible royalties you can earn and the sources that do collect and pay these royalties on your behalf.

As a songwriter, you own the copyright for your songs. There are 2 copyrights to every recording:

  1. The Composition Copyright (the “song” itself)

  2. The Sound Recording Copyright (or “master”).

Sometimes both copyrights are owned by the same person (if you wrote and recorded the song yourself) and sometimes it’s owned/controlled by your label or publishing company.

If you own the master recording, you also own the publishing. As the copyright owner, you have the following intrinsic rights including the right to reproduce or make a derivative of the song plus, the right to distribute and perform the work.

Your ownership includes:

  1. COMPOSITION/SONG (PUBLISHING)

  • Performance Royalties - If you don’t have a publisher, you are the publisher and own both shares

    • Writer’s Share

    • Publisher’s Share

  • Mechanical Royalties

    • Publisher Share

2. MASTER (RECORDING)

  • Neighboring Rights

  • Master Royalties

Types of Music Royalties You Can Earn Following a Sync Placement

Sync fees are great but that’s just the beginning. After your sync placement, your song can also earn future royalties, but collecting song royalties can take a long time.

Thankfully, there are organizations that will do that on your behalf. These organizations are typically registered with hundreds of societies around the world, so it can take some time to identify and collect royalties on your behalf.

You will need to be a member of some of these organizations if you want to be paid any royalties that your song might earn in your own country and internationally.

Here’s a breakdown of how music royalties are collected and paid on your behalf.

There are three primary sources of music royalties you should be aware of:

  1. Performance Royalties

  2. Mechanical Royalties

  3. Micro-Sync Royalties


Performance Royalties

As mentioned, there really is no such thing as sync royalties. However, after you’ve been paid the sync fee, your song will earn performance royalties whenever it is publicly performed, whether it is a live performance or performed on radio, in film, or on TV.

Your Performing Rights Organization (PRO) will take care of the music rights management. They will collect the performance royalties on your behalf and will pay the performance royalties collected directly to you, the songwriter.

In the United States, the PROs are Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

In Canada, it’s the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers (SOCAN).

Every country will have its own PRO.

If you perform your own song live, in most cases you can register your setlist with your PRO to get paid for it.

If you have an admin publishing company, you do not need to register your songs with your PRO. Your admin publishing company will register your songs with your PRO on your behalf.

Mechanical Royalties

How do you get mechanical royalties from streaming services?

These royalties go to the Mechanical Rights Organization (MRO) and get paid to either your publishing company or you directly if you don’t have a publishing (or admin publishing) company.

Mechanical royalties are paid whenever your song is physically reproduced or streamed through a streaming service. It encompasses both physical and digital copies.

In the United States, the only MRO is the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC).

In Canada, it’s the Canadian Music Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA).

If you are your own publisher, the MRO would pay you the Mechanical Royalties that your song earns. To collect, you must be signed up directly with the MRO.

Royalties Paid Through Neighboring Rights Organizations

How do you get recording performance royalties?

You can get performance royalties either through:

  • SoundExchange in the USA

  • Or from a Neighboring Rights Organization if outside the USA

SoundExchange - In the United States, SoundExchange is responsible for collecting and paying out the recording performance royalties that are collected from digital radio (like Pandora, Sirius/XM and iHeart). These royalties are paid to the Artists, record labels, and non-featured artists (session musicians) on the recording.

Neighboring Rights Organizations - Outside the US, Neighboring Rights Organizations are responsible for collecting recording performance royalties (from radio, TV, live venues, etc.).

Micro-Sync Royalties

Music videos on YouTube earn royalties as well. YouTube will pay you these Micro-Sync Royalties whenever your song is played in videos created by others.

Streaming Royalties

Streaming royalties are relatively new. It is typically a combination of performance and mechanical royalties, and the rates vary between platforms. For instance, as of this writing, Apple Music pays only $0.01 per play whereas Spotify pays between $.003 and $.005 per stream.

Summary

The key takeaway from all this is, “Don’t leave money on the table.”

Earning a sync fee from a sync placement in film or TV is just the beginning.

There have been many relatively obscure indie artists that fans have discovered through sync placements. Be sure to get all your ducks in line so you can take advantage of the exposure that a sync placement can bring to you and your music.

About Sync Songwriter

Sync Songwriter was created to help introduce indie songwriters and artists to the world of music sync licensing.

The sync licensing industry has grown exponentially in the past decade. This has created exceptional opportunities for musicians, songwriters, and artists.

Along with earning additional income through a sync fee and future performance royalties, sync placements have helped to expose indie artists and songwriters to a world of new fans.

Chris SD is a JUNO award-winning music producer. Over the past decade, he has been teaching indie songwriters and artists how to improve their odds and succeed in sync licensing. 

Sync Songwriter courses will teach you:

  • How the sync licensing world works

  • How to improve your songwriting skills

  • How to improve the production quality of your songs so they can compete

  • How to prepare your songs like a pro for sync licencing

  • How to find sync opportunities

  • How to research, approach, and build relationships with TV and film music supervisors

  • How to submit songs for sync placement

  • What you need to know about the business side of sync licensing 

At Sync Songwriter, we also introduce you to some of the film and TV’s top music supervisors!

If you’ve ever wanted to be in that top percentage of artists and musicians that music supervisors trust and are willing to hear music from, Sync Songwriter can help you get there.

TV and film music supervisors look for all types of music, from all types of genres. 

Contact Sync Songwriter

Let us show you how you can increase your chances of getting your music heard and placed in TV, film, and advertising.

If you still have questions about sync fees or how you can earn royalties from music sync licensing, please contact Sync Songwriter.

CONNECT WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN LICENSING

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Tips on How to Write Songs for Music Sync Licensing

We get asked a lot of questions about how to write songs for music sync licensing in TV and film. 

A while back I wrote a post called 15 Easy Steps for Writing Songs for Sync, covering everything from writing a song every day to co-writing and listening to a lot of music.

In a more recent article called Writing Songs for Film and TV, I shared more songwriting tips including how to write songs with emotion and writing non-romantic songs with universal themes. 

That said, being authentic when writing songs for sync or for a sync brief can be tricky and a lot different than writing songs for yourself or for your band or an artist.

When you write songs for music sync licensing they can often come across as contrived and not authentic enough.

Improving Your Odds of Sync Placement

There isn’t any reason why you can’t write authentic songs that convey a specific emotion but are so well crafted that they will also work for music sync licensing.

Your song doesn’t have to be a chart-topping hit to find music sync placement in TV and film. However, you should do whatever you can do to increase your odds of getting your music heard and placed.

Yes, music supervisors love to use hit songs by major artists, but those songs can be very expensive and most of the time are not accessible due to budget constraints. That opens a world of opportunity for indie artists and songwriters like you. 

These songwriting tips will help you understand what to avoid and what to include to help make your songs more marketable to music supervisors, sync agents, and music libraries.

In this post, we’ll cover some tips on how to improve your odds of sync placement and how to write songs for music sync licensing so that they better meet the needs of what music supervisors are looking for:

HOW TO KEEP YOUR SONGWRITING AUTHENTIC

Always write from your heart and write what you are feeling. This authenticity will come through in your music and this is the first thing that most music supervisors look for.

They need to believe what you are singing about and more importantly; they need to believe that you feel what your song is about.

Professional songwriters, even if they are writing to a sync brief, always start with (and try to connect with) the emotion behind the song...and you should as well.

Every person is different with their own unique background and set of experiences...and only you can bring your experiences into your songwriting. That’s when your authenticity will shine through.

Why Emotions Are Important in Songwriting

Expressing what a character is feeling, going through, thinking about, or experiencing in a single moment is an essential skill not only for writers but also for songwriters.

This skill can help your listeners connect with your lyric on a deeper level and make your songwriting more engaging and immersive.

Here are some tips on how to write songs for music sync licensing that will help you express the emotion the character in your song is feeling, and what they are going through, thinking about, or experiencing in a single moment.

These tips include:

  • Using sensory words and details

  • Using body language

  • Using internal monolog

  • Using dialog

  • Using metaphors and similes

  • Using actions and reactions

Use Sensory Words & Details

Use words that appeal to the senses, such as smell, touch, taste, sight, and sound. These types of words help the reader experience what the singer is experiencing. For example, instead of saying "the air was hot," describe how your clothes stick to your skin and the air feels heavy and suffocating.

Use Body Language

Describing the body such as posture, facial expressions, and movements can help the listener understand the emotional state of the singer or the person the singer is singing to. For example, if the person is feeling anxious, describe how they fidget, taps their foot, or wrings their hands.

Use Internal Monolog

Internal monologs are meant to be private, but they can be quite revealing. Verbalize your thoughts and feelings in your own words, and let the listener see the world through your eyes. Internal monolog can be used to reveal your motivations, fears, and desires, and to give insight into your emotional state.

Use Dialog

Dialog is another effective way to express what is being felt or experienced. Dialog can reveal the emotional state of both parties and help the song progress. Dialog can also be used to create tension and conflict between characters, which can help to deepen the listener’s connection to the story.

In her song You Should See Me In A Crown, Billie Eilish sings “You say ‘Come over baby, I think you’re pretty’” and then answers with “I’m okay, I’m not your baby.”

Use Metaphors & Similes

Metaphors and similes offer comparisons and create vivid images that help the listener understand the emotions involved. For example, you could describe how your heart is pounding like a jackhammer, etc. In her smash hit, Miley Cyrus sings, “I came in like a wrecking ball, I never hit so hard in love.”

Use Actions & Reactions

Actions speak louder than words, and in songwriting, so do reactions. Actions and reactions are excellent ways to express what is being felt or experienced. 

Also, use verbs because they express action. Actions and behaviors help the listener understand the emotions involved. For example, if you are feeling angry, describe how you closed your eyes and swung! Use adverbs sparingly since they are more descriptive. 

It might take a little practice to master this skill of conveying emotions, but keep in mind, the purpose of writing songs for music licensing is to enhance the emotion or mood of the scene your song is being synced with. 

Your song needs to clearly convey what someone is thinking, experiencing, and living through at that specific moment in time.

For more on this topic, Robin Frederick has a great article on Adding Emotion to Your Lyrics.

How To Use The 5 Senses to Show Instead of Telling

Telling is lifeless and boring. 

Use your 5 senses in your songwriting including seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling (sight, sound, feel, taste, smell). These senses show the listener what is behind the emotion of the song and mastering their use is an essential skill that all songwriters should develop. 

However, you must avoid describing detailed images of the setting or location where the song is taking place. Remember, you don’t want to describe anything that might conflict with the images on the screen. 

When your write songs for music sync licensing, don’t mention any names or specific places that are “too on the nose” as they say and will distract the viewer from what is being portrayed in the TV or film project.

Many of the same tips we offered above on how to express emotion in your songwriting can also be applied to using the 5 senses in your songwriting. These include:

  • Using Dialog

  • Using Action

  • Using Metaphors & Similes

  • Using Imagery & Descriptive Language

Here’s a great article about how writers Use the 5 Senses in Writing.

Why Story Songs Don’t Work for Music Sync Licensing

There are a lot of hit songs with stories...just look at today’s top country hits. However, when you write songs for music sync licensing, the sole purpose of the song is to enhance the mood and convey the emotion at that moment.

Unfortunately, story songs just won’t work because you can’t have two different stories at the same time. The story in your song will take the viewer away from the story that is on the TV or film screen and that can’t happen.

Writing conversational lyrics without a story can be challenging for some people, but it is a skill that can be mastered.

The key to writing conversational lyrics that have one consistent emotion throughout the song is to focus on the natural flow of language and how people communicate with one another.

Here are some tips on how to avoid storytelling and keep it conversational when writing songs for music sync licensing so that your lyrics connect with the listeners and convey the emotions and message of the song.

These tips include:

  • Focusing on the emotions

  • Using simple language

  • Being conversational

  • Using repetition

  • Using metaphors and similes

  • Being personal

  • Editing, rewriting, and refining your lyrics

  • Replacing story development with character development

Focus on the Emotions

Yes, you’ve heard this one before. When writing conversational lyrics, it is important to focus on the emotions of central character or singer. The lyrics should convey the feelings in a way that the listener can relate to. 

Use Simple Language

One of the keys to writing conversational lyrics is to use simple language that the listener can understand. Be specific. Use one or two-syllable words that are simple, direct, and emotionally charged to help the listener connect with the message. 

Commonly used words found in everyday conversations help make the lyrics more accessible. Avoid using overly complex words or concepts with a lot of syllables or phrases that can make the lyrics difficult to follow. 

Be Conversational

The best way to write conversational lyrics is to write them as if you were having a conversation with someone. This means that you can use contractions, colloquialisms (idioms), and slang to make the lyrics sound more natural. This will help the listener feel as if they are a part of the conversation.

Use Repetition

Repetition is a powerful tool in conversational lyrics. Use repeated phrases or refrains to emphasize the emotions or message of the song. This will help the listener remember the lyrics and connect with the message.

Use Metaphors & Similes

We talked about this topic earlier in the section on how to convey emotions in a song. Metaphors and similes can be used to convey complex emotions in a single moment without the need for storytelling. They help the listener understand the emotions of the character in a more accessible way since they are easy to understand and are relatable.

Be Personal

When writing conversational lyrics, it is important to be personal. Write from your own experiences and emotions to make the lyrics more relatable to the listener. Try using “I” statements and writing in the first person to make the lyrics more personal and authentic.

Edit, Rewrite, Refine

Writing conversational lyrics is a process that requires editing and refinement. After writing the initial draft, go back and read through (don’t sing) the lyrics to make sure they are clear and concise. Refine the lyrics until they flow naturally and convey the emotions and message of the song.

Replace Story Development with Character Development 

Character development can be an integral part of your song, and you can show this by describing how their actions and behaviors are evolving. Instead of telling the listener that a character is changing or has changed, show them by describing how they act differently. Use their actions to reveal their growth and development over the course of the song.

How To Keep Lyric Themes Universal

Writing a universal lyric that would appeal to almost everyone is a challenging but rewarding task. Universal lyrics can connect with people from all walks of life, regardless of their age, gender, or cultural background. 

The key to writing a universal lyric is to tell your story in a way that will help millions of listeners relate it to their story. 

Sounds simple, yes? See what Marty Dodson had to say about it in his American Songwriter article, Between the Rhymes: Writing Universal Songs.

There are some things you can do in your writing to make it easier. There are also some common traits of universal themes in songwriting: 

  • Using simple, relatable language

  • Drawing from common experiences

  • By staying authentic

  • By avoiding cultural references

  • Using metaphors and imagery

  • Keeping it positive

  • By making it catchy and memorable

Use these tips to create a powerful and memorable lyric that tells your story but resonates with a wider audience. 

Remember, the key to writing a universal lyric is to connect with people on an emotional level and to create a sense of shared experience that transcends cultural and social boundaries.

Here are some tips to help you write a universal lyric that resonates with listeners:

Use Simple, Relatable Language

Using simple, everyday language that people can easily understand is key to writing a universal lyric. Avoid using obscure words or references that may alienate your listeners. Instead, focus on using words and phrases that are relatable to everyone, regardless of their background or education level.

Draw From Common Experiences

People may have different experiences, but certain experiences are universal. Try to tap into these common experiences and emotions that everyone can relate to, such as love, loss, joy, and heartbreak. This will help to create an emotional connection with your audience.

Stay Authentic

Again, authenticity is essential when it comes to writing universal lyrics. Write from your own experiences and emotions and avoid trying to imitate someone else's style or voice. This will help to create a genuine connection with your listeners.

Avoid Cultural References

While cultural references can be powerful, they can also limit the universal appeal of your lyrics. Instead, focus on themes and emotions that are universal and can transcend cultural boundaries.

Use Metaphors & Imagery

Metaphors and imagery can help to create powerful and vivid images that connect with your listeners. Use comparisons and visual descriptions to help your listeners connect with the shared emotions and experiences you are describing.

Keep It Positive

While it's important to be authentic and express a range of emotions in your lyrics, keeping a positive tone can help to make your lyrics more universal. Focus on hope, love, and inspiration, rather than negative emotions like hate or anger.

Make It Catchy

While a universal lyric should be authentic and meaningful, it also needs to be catchy and memorable. Use repetition and simple melodies that people can easily sing along to. This will help to create a sense of unity and shared experience among your listeners.

Test It Out

Once you've written your universal lyric, test it out on a diverse group of people. Get feedback on how the lyrics resonate with different listeners and adjust the lyrics accordingly. Vetting will help to ensure that your lyrics are truly universal and can connect with people from all walks of life.

Why Each Song Section Needs to Stand-Alone

Writing a great song is a skill that requires a combination of creativity and structure. 

One important aspect of how to write a song for music sync placement is ensuring that each section of the song can stand on its own, while also leading the listener seamlessly from one section to the next.

Here are some tips to help ensure that the verses lead to the chorus and that each section of the song is strong enough to stand on its own:

  • Song structure

  • Melody and lyrics

  • Verses that lead to the chorus

  • Transitioning between sections

  • Having a strong chorus hook

Whether you are a seasoned songwriter or a beginner, these tips can help you create songs that flow seamlessly and connect with your listeners. So, the next time you sit down to write a song, keep these tips in mind and let your creativity and imagination take over.

Song Structure

Firstly, it is essential to understand the basic structure of a song. Most songs are composed of several sections, including:

  • Intro

  • Verse

  • Pre-chorus

  • Chorus

  • Bridge

  • Outro

The verse is the section of the song that sets up the story or emotion, while the chorus is the part of the song that features the main hook or melody. Not always, but more often than not, the chorus is the part of the song that will get synced the most.

The pre-chorus is a section that builds tension and anticipation into the chorus, while the bridge section offers a change of pace or perspective (usually with the introduction of new chords, lyrics, and/or melody).

The intro and outro serve as bookends for the song and tend to include memorable musical or vocal elements (especially if they are from the song’s main hook or melodic theme) to introduce or conclude the song.

When you write a song for music sync licensing, keep in mind that in most cases the song will not be played in its entirety, unless the song is being used in a montage or for the opening or closing credits. 

In general, the music editor on the TV or film project will only use specific sections of the song and not necessarily in chronological order. So that means every section needs to be able to stand on its own.

It’s also wise to have edit points in between each section so that the editor will have an easier time editing the sections they need.

For more info on this topic see Parts of a Song - Explained by ChordChord.

Melody & Lyrics

To ensure that each section of the song is strong enough to stand on its own, it is important to craft a compelling and memorable melody and lyrics for each section.

The melody should be catchy, memorable, and easy to sing along to, while the lyrics should be engaging, easy to understand and communicate a clear message or emotion. Each section of the song should feel distinct and unique, with its own melody, lyrics, and mood.

Verses Should Lead to the Chorus

While each section of the song should be able to stand on its own, it is also important to ensure that the verses lead to the chorus. This can be achieved by creating a sense of tension and release in the song. To help build this tension and lead into the chorus, many songs will include a pre-chorus specifically for that purpose.

The verses help build tension and anticipation, leading the listener to the chorus, which should provide a release of that tension. This can be achieved in the chorus through changes in melody, dynamics, or lyrics, and can help to create a sense of movement and progression throughout the song.

Transition Between Sections

Another way to ensure that the sections of the song flow seamlessly is to pay attention to the transitions between sections. These transitions should feel smooth and natural, with no jarring breaks or changes in mood or tempo. 

You can achieve this by using transitional elements such as instrumental or vocal breaks, transitions in melody or rhythm, or other musical or vocal elements that bridge the gap between sections.

Strong Chorus Hook

A great way to ensure that the verses lead to the chorus is to create a strong hook for the chorus. The chorus should feature a memorable melody and hook that sticks in the listener's mind.

This hook can be introduced or foreshadowed in the verses, building anticipation for its arrival in the chorus. By creating a sense of anticipation and payoff, you can ensure that the chorus feels like a natural and satisfying culmination of the song.

Why You Need to Avoid Changing the Song’s Tempo, Groove & Key

In songs meant for streaming or radio play, tempo, groove, and key changes are important tools for songwriters, but they can be detrimental when you write songs for music sync licensing in TV and film.

These types of changes can add excitement, emotion, and variation to a song, making it more interesting and engaging for streaming and radio listeners. However, in TV and film, songs are chosen for sync placement because they help convey the emotion of the scene they are synced to. 

And in most cases, that emotion can be repeated as the TV or film progresses, which means the editor may reuse parts of your song for different scenes throughout the project. Changes in the key, feel, or tempo of the song makes it difficult for music editors to use different parts of your song. 

The Music Studio has a wonderful article on How Chords & Key Impact Emotion in Music.

Summary

When you write songs for music sync licensing it is different than writing songs for yourself, your band, or an artist but you still need to be authentic and write to the emotion you are wanting to convey. 

There are shortcuts you can take to help you convey the emotions and what the singer is going through, thinking about, and feeling in a single moment. Keep the lyrics simple, personal, conversational, and universal. Use the 5 senses to show instead of telling and avoid changing the tempo, key, and groove (or feel) of the song.

These techniques will help make your lyrics and your songs more suitable for sync licensing and are just some of the things music supervisors are always looking for. 

About Sync Songwriter

JUNO award-winning music producer Chris SD created Sync Songwriter to help indie songwriters and artists earn income from their music through TV and film sync licensing.

As a songwriter or artist, you not only learn how sync licensing works but also how to write songs for music sync licensing that music supervisors will love. This will improve your odds of getting sync placement in TV and film.

From songwriting and song production to meeting and developing relationships with music supervisors and finding music licensing opportunities, these topics and more are covered in the Sync Songwriter course.

The goal is to get our Sync Songwriter students into the top 1% of artists and musicians that music supervisors are willing to hear music from.

There are sync opportunities in TV and film for all types and genres of songs but there is a lot that you can do to increase your chances of getting your music heard and synced much faster. Let us show you how.

To learn more, please contact us.

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Write More Non-Romantic Love Songs

There are far, far fewer non-romantic love songs than there are songs about romance.

In February of 2021, the Daily Illini wrote an article titled, Why Are So Many Songs About Love?

The article states that a recent psychology of music study revealed that in every decade over the past six decades (since 1960), as much as 67% of all song lyrics were about romantic love. These included themes of longing, heartbreak, and sex.

In fact, non-romantic love songs fell well behind other popular themes as well like partying, depression, loss, and money.

At Syncsongwriter.com we offer our students plenty of tips on how to write songs for music sync licensing. In this post we want to offer even more tips on why you should consider writing non-romantic love songs.

Film & TV

In film and TV sync licensing, non-romantic songs are always high in demand. Almost every music supervisor we talk to tells us they have a hard time finding relationship songs that are not based on romance.

Advertising

The same is true for advertising. Advertising rarely uses songs about romance. But because non-romantic songs about friendships, family, and selfless love for others can be powerful and universal, brands and advertising agencies love them...and desperately need them!

Non-Romantic Relationships

There’s a high demand for non-romantic love songs that explore themes other than romance in relationships. Non-romantic relationships can refer to any type of relationship that is not focused on romantic love including:

  • Friendships

  • Family

  • Professional relationships (colleagues & mentors)

  • As well as themes related to identity and self-discovery

Non-romantic relationships are an important aspect of life and can be a source of support, guidance, and connection.

Family Relationships

One of the more common relationship themes in non-romantic love songs is family. Songs about family can explore the bond between parents and children, siblings, and extended family members.

These songs can address the challenges and joys of family life, as well as the complex emotions that can arise within family relationships like love, support, understanding, and loyalty within the family unit.

Examples of non-romantic songs about family include “Home” by Phillip Phillips, a song about the feelings of belonging and connection that come with being part of a family.

There’s also:

Friendship Songs

Another relationship theme in non-romantic songs is friendship. Songs about friendship can highlight the value of close relationships and the unique bond that exists between friends.

You can find plenty of non-sexual Bromance and womance songs on Spotify.

These songs can explore the challenges and joys of friendship, as well as the ways in which friends support and uplift each other.

Self-DiscoverY Songs

The indie music scene is ripe with songs about growth, empowerment, and self-discovery. Check out the Confidence Boost playlist on Spotify for songs about identity and self-discovery.

Songs that Convey Emotions & Authenticity

Authenticity is what music supervisors are looking for when they are trying to find songs for film and TV sync placements. They want songs that are written from the heart...songs that convey real emotions.

They also look for non-romantic love songs that have universal appeal and can reach a wider audience.

Advertisers and marketers understand this as well. They use universal themes and emotional psychological triggers in their marketing efforts because they know that it is emotions and not logic that drives our decisions.

In fact, Harvard Business School professor and author Gerald Zaltman discovered that 95% of cognition occurs in our emotional subconscious brain and not in our conscious brain.

When your song makes an emotional connection it:

  • Is memorable

  • Creates loyalty

  • Inspires the right action...they want to hear more

To help with your emotional song writing, check out this unique graphic illustration by CopyPress of Robert Pluchik’s Wheel of Emotions.

Graphic with different emotions listed in an expanding circle and example faces displaying each emotion listed.

It explores other emotions related to these 8 primary emotions:

  1. Joy

  2. Trust

  3. Fear

  4. Surprise

  5. Sadness

  6. Disgust

  7. Anger

  8. Anticipation

Universal Appeal

Connecting with the Listener

Part of the universal appeal of non-romantic love songs is their ability to connect with the listener on a deep emotional level.

A song that can evoke emotions such as happiness, sadness, admiration, or nostalgia has a greater chance of resonating with people from all backgrounds.

For example, a song about remembering the fun times of your childhood will connect with virtually anyone who is feeling nostalgic. A song about the glorious days of summer will also connect with anyone that has experienced a similar situation.

When your non-romantic love song creates an emotional bond, however fleeting or brief, it can be powerful; powerful enough to instantly create a higher level of trust, which will help to attract and retain their attention longer.

Telling A Story

Another factor that contributes to a song's universal appeal is its ability to tell a story.

A song that tells a story that is relatable and easy to understand will have a greater chance of connecting with more people regardless of their age, ethnicity, etc.

For example, a song about overcoming obstacles and achieving success is relatable to almost anyone, while a song about the struggles of growing up is a universal theme that no one seems to tire of.

A non-romantic song that tells a powerful story will draw people in and resonate with a much wider audience.

Simple Language

A key element of a universal lyric is the use of simple language. Lyrics that are easy to understand and that use common words and phrases are more likely to be understood and appreciated by a wide range of listeners.

This doesn't mean that the lyrics should be simplistic, but rather that they should be accessible to a broad audience.

A song that uses complex vocabulary or obscure references may be appreciated by a small group of listeners, but it is unlikely to have universal appeal.

Use of Imagery

In addition to relatable themes and simple language, universal lyrics also often include powerful imagery. This means that it should be able to paint a vivid picture in the listener's mind, whether it's with descriptive words or metaphors.

Open to Interpretation by All Generations

Another thing that contributes to the universal appeal of a non-romantic love song is its ability to be interpreted in different ways by people from multiple generations and backgrounds.

For example, a song about a broken non-romantic relationship can be interpreted as a song about heartbreak or as a song about the end of a friendship. A song that was popular in the 1960s can still be enjoyed by people today.

The Beatle's most popular song, Hey Jude, is Billboard’s most played song ever. It’s a non-romantic song about making the best of a sad situation and taking a positive outlook.

Common Themes in Non-romantic Love Songs

Songs about non-romantic relationships usually address very common themes such as joy, loss, identity, and growth

Theme of Loss

Songs about non-romantic relationships will sometimes address the theme of loss. This can include the loss of a family member or friend due to death, distance, or other circumstances.

Songs about loss can explore the grief and emotions that come with losing a loved one, as well as the ways in which people cope with and heal from loss.

Examples of songs about loss include The Scientist by Coldplay, I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston, and All I Could Do Was Cry by Etta James.

Theme of Identity

Identity and self-discovery are also common themes in non-romantic love songs. These songs may explore themes of self-acceptance, personal growth, and finding one's place in the world.

I Am the Walrus by The Beatles is a song that explores themes of identity and self-expression, with lyrics that ask, Who are you? and Who I want to be.

I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor is a song about overcoming adversity and finding strength within oneself. Other songs about identity and self-discovery include Born This Way by Lady Gaga and Stronger by Kelly Clarkson.

Theme of Growth

Songs about non-romantic relationships can also explore the theme of growth. This can include the ways in which people learn and grow through their relationships with others, as well as the ways in which relationships change and evolve over time.

Songs about growth can offer insight and reflection on the journey of life and the ways in which people support and inspire each other.

Examples of songs about growth include The Climb by Miley Cyrus, Stronger by Kelly Clarkson, and Roar by Katy Perry, which is a song that celebrates the power of perseverance and self-belief.

Conclusion

Non-romantic love songs about relationships offer a rich and diverse range of themes and insights that are in high demand in Film, TV, and Advertising. They can evoke strong emotions, tell a story, be interpreted in different ways, and be enjoyed by many different generations. These types of songs use relatable themes, simple language, and powerful imagery and can explore the complexities and nuances of family, friendship, loss, and growth, offering insight and reflection on the value and importance of these types of relationships in our lives.

Check out our older post for additional tips on writing songs for sync.

About Sync Songwriter

Sync Songwriter was created by JUNO award-winning music producer Chris SD.

Our objective is to help indie artists and songwriters understand how the sync licensing world operates.

We teach them how to properly prepare their music for film and TV, plus how to find music licensing opportunities, and how to meet and create professional relationships with music supervisors.

Let us show you how to get into that top 1% of artists and musicians that music supervisors want to hear from.

Practically every type of song is needed for sync-placement, whether you write non-romantic loves, songs about heartbreak or newfound love, or songs in any style or genre...there are opportunities just waiting for your music.

To learn more, please contact us.

List of Popular Non-Romantic Love Songs

As an indie artist, you can also legally release cover songs, which are often high in demand by music supervisors who can’t afford a popular song due to smaller budgets. Here are some of the most popular non-romantic songs ever, including how many times these songs have been covered by other artists:

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Tips On Writing Songs for Film, TV, Advertising & Trailers

TV and film music supervisors love songs that are authentic but even when writing from the heart, there are certain methods you can use when writing songs for film and TV.

A recurring theme from most music supervisors is that they can immediately tell if a song is authentic or not.

Songs that were written specifically for sync licensing tend to stand out as much, if not more than songs that were written from the heart, which is not a good thing.

In this Sync Songwriter post, we’ll take an in-depth look at writing songs for TV, film, and advertising and how authenticity wins every time.

We’ll also examine how writing songs for film and TV can be different from writing songs for commercials and trailers.

Topics in the post include:

  • Specific Emotions That Music Can Evoke

  • No-Romantic Relationship Themes in Music

  • Authentic Songs Vs Writing Songs for Syncs

  • Writing Songs for Film & TV

  • Writing Instrumental Music for Film & TV

  • Writing Songs for Commercials & Ads

  • Writing Songs/Music for Trailers

  • Sync Licensing cover songs

Specific Emotions that Music Evokes

The job of the music supervisor is to find the ideal songs that convey the emotions of what is being shown on screen.

Music is subjective and can mean different things to different people. Even so, there are specific emotions and feelings that music can evoke including among others:

  • Joy, happiness, humor

  • Beauty, confidence, self-assuredness

  • Excitement, heroism, triumph

  • Compassion, empathy, sympathy

  • Sadness, uneasiness, annoyance, irritability

  • Defiance, tension, revenge

  • Fear, anxiety

When writing songs for film and TV with these specific emotions and feelings, keep in mind that the song must serve the scene and not the other way around.

Remember, you don’t need to tell the story with your music. You just need to complement the story that is being told on screen. Songs are used to help heighten the scene’s emotion and make the scene more memorable for the viewer.

Songs with Non-Romantic Relationship Themes

Approximately 60% of all songs released are love songs dealing with romance, relationships, loss, and sex. As you might expect, music supervisors tend to have a lot to choose from when looking for romantic relationship songs.

However, songwriters tend to write far fewer songs about non-romantic relationships and demand can be high for these types of songs. Non-romantic lyrics might include the following themes:

  • Friendships

  • Siblings

  • Parents

  • Children

  • Teachers & Mentors

  • Or the relationship with self

Like romantic relationships, non-romantic ones can also be powerful, with complex connections that drive motivation between people who have some form of shared history. Keep this in mind when writing songs for film and TV.

Authentic Songs Vs Writing Songs for Sync

Time and time again my music supervisor friends say that what they want are songs that sound authentic. Authentic songs reflect you, the artist, your genre, and your artistic sensibilities.

No one else has your experiences or your uniqueness for creative expression. You can use this to your advantage.

Most music supervisors can tell when a song was written “from the heart.”

They can also tell when an artist is intentionally writing songs for sync and crafting the songs to fit specific types of scenes or specific genres.

I don’t recommend writing songs for film and TV that fall outside your music genre.

If you are a country or rock artist and have never written a Rap or R&B song, it will be difficult to come across as authentic if you try to write a Rap or R&B song.

Some artists specialize in those genres and will sound authentic compared to what you might be able to write and submit. Even so, writing to a sync brief, real or imagined, can be a good exercise for expanding your skill set and your creativity.

That said, there are some conventions you can use when writing songs for film and TV. There are even methods for writing songs for advertising and trailers.

We'll get more into how to use these methods a little later in this article. 

Writing Songs for Film and TV

Earlier in this article, we explored several important points about writing songs for film and TV including:

  • The different specific emotions in songs

  • Romantic vs non-romantic song themes

  • Authenticity vs writing songs specifically for sync

Here are a few other topics to be aware of.

Song Arc

The best songs for sync licensing have some form of arc to them. Songs that are very linear and sound the same throughout with very little change or build are much more difficult to place.

When writing songs for film and TV that are linear, they still must be authentic, well-written and produced, and well-targeted. However, linear songs with little arc to them are not as "sync-able".

Try and write your songs so that they build as the song progresses. Add new instruments, stack your vocals, or add background vocals or anything that will help the song change, progress, and build.

This approach will give the music editors a lot more options to work with when editing your songs to fit a scene. Be sure to use drops or breaks in between sections to give music editors even more options for editing.

Niche Songs

There are plenty of sync licensing opportunities for the most popular music genres like Pop, Rock, R&B, Rap, and Hip-Hop. Film and TV projects that deal with current topics generally look for music that is trending, which also means that the competition is a lot higher.

That said, there are plenty of artists with authentic music that falls outside of today’s most popular genres.

This can actually be a good thing. Even though there may be far fewer opportunities for songs that are niche, when the opportunity arises, your unique song will have far less competition. You could be a big fish in a very small pond!

Niche music may include sub-genres but also songs like polkas, vocal jazz, new age, indigenous, meditation music, and ethnic or country-specific songs.

Period Songs

Not always but in most cases, authentic original recordings of songs prior to WW2 or songs from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s get far fewer sync opportunities.

There are plenty of period films and TV shows however that pop up now and then and need authentic period music. So, if you have some decent older recordings, dust them off and have them ready when the opportunity arises.

Include Instrumentals

When writing songs for film and TV, there are more sync opportunities for vocal songs than there are for instrumental music. In a lot of cases, when a TV or film project needs instrumental music, they will have a composer who can write-to-picture. Otherwise, they may check out some of the many music libraries for instrumental tracks.

Even so, when pitching songs for sync opportunities you should always include an instrumental version (without vocals). 

It’s a good idea to have the following available when pitching your songs for sync:

1.     Vocal version.

2.     Instrumental version (minus lead vocals and background vocals).

3.     Instrumental version (minus lead vocals but including background vocals and/or vocalese singing).

4.     If you have alternative versions such as a stripped-down acoustic version, have that available as well.

5.     Provide easy access to streaming & download links (DISCO, Soundcloud, Dropbox, or Box.com).

The more you provide for the music editors the easier their job will be when editing the music to picture.

It’s not unusual for editors to use different sections of your song throughout a film or TV project. Every time even a portion of your song is used, whether it’s 10 seconds, 30 seconds, or the entire song, you will be compensated.

Writing Instrumental Music for Film & TV

If you only write instrumental music that’s okay. The demand may be less but there are still plenty of sync opportunities for instrumental music.

As mentioned earlier, most music supervisors will turn to music libraries for instrumental music. When you don’t have any personal connections with music supervisors you can try to find a music library or sync agent to represent you.

The one obstacle to signing with a company is you are typically one of the thousands of tracks vying for attention. I have always found it much better to bypass the middle person and go straight to the gatekeepers.

Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when writing instrumental music for film and TV:

  • Incorporate memorable melodic hooks or themes (at least 2 to 3)

  • Repeat but expand upon and build out the themes as the music progresses

  • Include breaks (edit points) in between sections

  • Grow the instrumental piece to some form of climax

Writing Songs for Commercials & Ads

The rules are quite different when it comes to writing songs for film and TV and writing songs for commercials or advertising.

There may be more but here are four of the primary types of music required for advertising and commercials:

  • Captivating - ear candy melodic and lyrical hooks

  • Driving - gritty, drum-driven, powerful (think sports)

  • Sensual - sexy, mysterious, appeals to the senses

  • Relationship - emotional, heartfelt, connecting, universal love

Advertising tends to follow what’s trending in popular music so it’s good to keep this in mind if this is an area you want to focus on. The song should be memorable and “hooky” right from the top and build to a climax by the end of the music.

Although there are a lot of similarities between writing pop songs and writing music for advertising, there are several major differences.

Here are some general guidelines for writing songs for advertising. There are always exceptions of course, but these are the most common conventions.

Song Length - Usually 2 to 2:30 minutes or less (intros, verses, and choruses tend to be shorter)

Vocals - Lead vocals, vocalese/oohs & ahs, and background vocals (stacked & gang vocals add color)

Short Intros - 2 to 4 bars at most (include main melodic or lyric hook)

Song Form - Intro / Verse 1 / Chorus / Verse 2 / Chorus 2 / Bridge / Chorus 3

Hooks /Themes - At least 2 and at most 3 short melodic themes or hooks

Track Stops - Include stops between the Intro, Verses, & Choruses (easier for editing)

Verses - Short with simple, easy-to-digest platonic lyrics

Pre-Chorus - None (in most cases)

Choruses - At least 2 and at most 3 that build in intensity & peak in the 3rd chorus

Hard Stop Ending - No fadeouts and a good place to include the main hook

Theme - Non-romantic lyrics - Romantic love songs are rarely used in advertising

You will want to write music for advertising so that it immediately captures their attention, builds the listener’s interest, and leaves them wanting more.

You also want to give the music editors as many creative options as possible and make the editing easy and intuitive.

Writing Songs for Trailers

Trailer music is a completely different animal. Most trailer music is instrumental with few or no vocals. Trailer music is not the same as soundtrack music and must be kept simple but powerful.

It’s a good idea to visit YouTube and watch as many trailers as you can for both movies and TV shows. This is a good way to get a feel for what makes a good track for trailers.

Try watching trailers with the sound off and write your version of the trailer music to just the visuals (no sound).

When writing songs for trailers, keep the following in mind:

  • Short Intros

  • Trailers can be anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes in length

  • There are generally 3 major sections

  • Each section needs to build to a climax

  • Each section builds in intensity over the previous section

  • Include drops or stops after each climax between the 3 major sections

  • Use drums and sounds that are powerful

The emotional intensity should build from the beginning through to the end of the music.

A Word About Sync Licensing Cover Songs

Most film and TV producers would love to include a song by a major artist in their projects but in most cases, the sync licensing fee for popular songs is outside the project’s budget.

This creates a great opportunity for songwriters and artists who want to record and release a cover song.

Creating a cover song is also a great way to attract more fans since the original song version already has a large and attentive audience.

The important thing to remember is you must put your own unique spin on the cover song. Avoid just doing a copy or karaoke version of the song with the same instrumentation and delivery. For a perfect example of this, check out our blog where we helped an indie artist get a $30,000 sync for a unique version of a cover song.

CHECK IT OUT: 50 Cover Songs Better Than the Originals - Paste Magazine

When music supervisors look for cover songs, they are also looking for something authentic by the cover artist.

What have you done to make the cover song unique and different? Do you stand out as an artist when doing a cover song?

Here are some additional things you need to know when recording cover songs for film and TV:

  • Permission is not required to do a cover version

  • You must own the master of your own recording

  • You must obtain a mechanical license before releasing the cover song

  • Your cover version should have its own ISRC code

  • The music supervisor will clear the song and negotiate with the copyright owners

For more information on this topic, see our post entitled How to Legally Release Cover Songs.

Summary

When writing songs for film and TV or for advertising, the type of projects you could pitch your songs for can vary a lot. It's hard to predict where a song may land.

From primetime network shows and documentaries to blockbuster movies, independent films, reality TV, and kids programming, there are plenty of sync opportunities for songwriters.

Just remember that to secure a sync placement your songs must serve the project's needs and subject matter. Songs with a universal theme are much easier to place because they can fit with a lot of different projects.

Most importantly, stay authentic to your artistic vision when writing songs for film and TV.

Add to your authenticity, persistence, skill, tenacity, wisdom, humility, and good business sense, and you will be well on your way to sync licensing success.

Connect with Sync Songwriter

Chris SD is a Juno award-winning music producer.

Chris created Sync Songwriter and his course The Art of the Song Pitch because he wanted to teach independent artists, bands, and songwriters:

  • How to get their songs into film, TV, and advertising

  • How to bypass the middle person and go straight to the gatekeepers

  • How to develop ongoing relationships with many of today’s top music supervisors

  • How to properly prepare their music for sync placement in film and TV

  • How to Submit Songs for Sync Placement like a pro

You will also be introduced to many of today’s top music supervisors through Sync Songwriter.

You’ll learn about what projects they are working on and what type of music they are looking for, and get the opportunity to pitch your music directly to the music supervisors.

You will also learn about sync agents, music libraries, and how the sync licensing world works.

If writing songs for film and TV is something that you aspire to, we can help.

Please contact us online to learn more about sync licensing for film, TV and advertising, including what you need to do and what not to do.

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What Is a Sync Agent & Do You Need One?

Have you been wondering how to find a sync agent for your music?

Are you finding it difficult to research who the top sync agents and sync licensing agencies are?

In the past few years, sync licensing has exploded.

  • More and more indie artists have come to realize that sync licensing is a viable way to get their music heard and to get paid for their music.

  • Plus, music supervisors love discovering new artists and are more open to placing indie music in their TV, film, and advertising projects.

How Do You Get Your Music Heard?

There are several ways an indie artist can approach sync licensing.

1.     Research, network and develop relationships with music supervisors so you can pitch your music directly to them for sync placement.

2.     Or find a sync agent or sync licensing agency to represent your music and pitch your songs for you.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

In this post, our sync experts at Sync Songwriter will discuss what a sync agent is, what they do, how to find a sync agent or sync licensing agency, and how to determine if an agent is what you need.

Pitching to Music Supervisors on Your Own

First, let’s briefly discuss pitching to music supervisors on your own.

Understandably, music supervisors won’t open emails or listen to unsolicited music from someone they don’t know or trust.

When music supervisors are looking for songs, they generally depend on trusted sources like music publishers, labels, music libraries, sync agents, and sync licensing agencies.

They know that these trusted sources understand the industry and will only send curated music that is “on-target” for what the music supervisors are looking for.

So, to pitch directly to a music supervisor, you first need to develop a relationship and earn their trust. That means you need to:

  • Use resources like IMDB or Tunefind to research shows that use your type of music.

  • Discover who the music supervisors are and become familiar with their work.

  • Target your music to the shows and supervisors (don’t send pop songs if the show’s vibe is hip hop and R&B)

  • Craft a professional email pitch to get their attention.

  • Develop and foster a relationship with music supervisors until you earn their trust.

This approach will work but it does take some tenacity and due diligence...and patience. The upside is that you keep 100% of the sync fees and 100% of the master fee if you own your own masters.

Should You Use a Sync Agent?

Music supervisors appreciate working with sync agents and sync licensing agencies because they know that the curated music will not only be great but also one-stop, fully cleared, and correctly targeted for the project they are working on.

One-Stop simply means the music supervisor will only have to deal with one person to ensure the song has been cleared and can be licensed.

Signing with a sync agent or sync agency may be a better option for you if:

  • You want to spend more time making music instead of marketing your music.

  • You want a professional to represent you that already has excellent relationships with many music supervisors.

You won’t find a list of sync agents online so how do you get a sync agent?

First, You Must Know Who You Are as An Artist

A sync agent will want to work directly with you to fully understand your sound and who you are as an artist. They also prefer working with artists that have some kind of understanding of how sync licensing works.

They want to empower you and help you advance your career so, to attract the attention of a sync agent, you must know your sound and what type of artist you are.

A sync agent's sole responsibility is to know you as an artist, know your music and lyrics, and be thrilled about representing you.

What Does a Sync Agent Do?

A sync agent is someone who cares deeply about film and television and will act as your intermediary, proactively looking for music sync opportunities and connecting with music supervisors on your behalf. Some music sync agents work independently, and others work for sync licensing companies.

Most sync agents and sync licensing agencies have developed close relationships with multiple music supervisors across television, film, and advertising.

And since they are a trusted source for music, a sync agent will get dozens of sync briefs from music supervisors daily or weekly. That means they are constantly targeting and pitching your music for multiple opportunities.

Sync Agencies Differ from Music Sync Libraries

Music Libraries

Music libraries are more like a repository with a passive collection of music that supervisors can peruse, much of which may be outside the mainstream. They tend to charge a flat fee for licensing, which can cost less for the music supervisor but also means sync fee payouts can be much lower for artists.

A music library may be a good option for artists that write mostly instrumentals, ambient music, or music that is more niche.

Music Sync Licensing Agencies

A sync licensing agency will have a much smaller roster and typically only represents songs and artists that have been hand-picked. As a trusted source for music, sync agencies tend to get sync briefs directly, and proactively send out curated music to the music supervisors.

What to Expect from a Sync Agent

Sync agents not only work with artists but will also work with producers and composers. They also listen to many artists on streaming platforms, label releases, social media, and artist submissions through their website or email.

Below is an outline of what you can expect from an agent or sync licensing agency that represents you:

  • They will get to know your music catalog intimately, including your songs' genres and lyrics.

  • They will help you to properly prepare your music for sync licensing, from metadata and file formats to creating playlists and alternative versions and verifying song ownership and clearances.

  • They research TV and film projects that use similar types of music found in your catalog.

  • They target your songs for the right projects including any sync briefs they receive that are looking for your type of music.

  • They network their extensive list of contacts and personally pitch your curated songs to music supervisors.

  • They are also very knowledgeable at negotiating the best sync licensing deal. This includes creating and confirming all the details of the music sync license agreement, getting them signed, getting them invoiced, and processing the payments.

In short, sync agents are professionals at researching and pitching your music for the right sync licensing opportunities.

They do all the necessary legwork with a level of commitment that very few artists can do on their own. Plus, a sync agent will constantly be working on your catalog and representing you at every opportunity.

Genres & Niches

Not unlike labels or music publishers, sync agents tend to find a niche and represent artists in certain genres.

When looking for a sync agent or sync licensing agency, try and find out the types of artists they represent. If a sync agent primarily works with hip hop and R&B artists and you are a country artist, you may not be a good fit.

If you sign with a sync agent that works specifically with music in your genre, they will actively promote your catalog. When they believe in you and your music, they will advocate why your music should be heard and synced.

How Are Sync Agents Paid?

Sync Licensing Fee

Sync agents generally only take a portion of the sync licensing fee with a 50/50 split being the industry standard. Some sync licensing agencies may take more or less depending on what you negotiate.

Master Licensing Fee

If you own the master recording, you would retain 100% of the master licensing fee.

Song Royalties

Music sync agents are not eligible for royalty payments. If you own the song (you are the writer), and the song is your intellectual property, your song can potentially earn royalties every time your song is used.

To collect song royalty payments, you must be registered with a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) in your country of origin. There are three PROs in the United States, ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. The PRO in Canada is SOCAN.

Connecting with Sync Agents

To connect with sync agents, music supervisors and other artists interested in sync licensing, it’s a good idea to attend webinars, events, and sync conferences like those held by the Guild of Music Supervisors.

When contacting sync agents or sync licensing agencies be courteous and professional. Your goal is to create a relationship so always be respectful with them and their time.

Once you’ve completed your research and you know the sync agents you want to reach out to, here are a few guidelines that you can follow. This is by no means an exhaustive list but it is a good place to start:

  • Never DM sync agents with links to your music. This approach is not professional.

  • Never include attachments with your email – they won’t get opened.

  • Only send links that won’t expire where they can stream and download your music.

  • Make sure all the MP3 files in your downloadable links include Metadata (including your contact information).

  • Only submit 3 – 5 of your best songs unless otherwise specified.

  • Always research the submission guidelines first and follow them exactly (they may differ between agents).

  • Never BCC the same email to multiple agents – always personalize your email.

  • Keep your email pitch brief.

  • Let them know you are familiar with them and the artists they represent.

  • Show them you know who you are as an artist and reference similar artists your music is like.

  • Tell them how your music can add value to them.

  • Let them know if your music is One-Stop and easy to clear.

  • Have instrumentals and WAV or AIF files available in case you are asked for them.

About Sync Songwriter

JUNO award-winning music producer Chris SD created Sync Songwriter with a mission to help indie artists and songwriters. We will teach you:

  • How sync licensing works.

  • How to prepare your music for sync licensing.

  • How to licence your music by building relationships and pitching to music supervisors like a professional.

We also introduce you to many of today’s top music supervisors.

Whether you want to break into the world of sync licensing or find a sync agent to represent you and your music, you not only need to know what to do right, but also what not to do when preparing and pitching your music.

To learn more about Sync Songwriter or if you still have questions about how to find a sync agent, feel free to contact us.

  

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Sync Briefs – What to Do & What Not to Do

Once you’ve built working relationships with music supervisors and become a trusted source for music, there’s a good chance they will start sending you music sync briefs for the TV and film projects (or ads) they are working on.

Success in sync licensing is about building strong relationships and earning their trust. To keep that trust, you must also know what to do and what not to do with the music sync briefs you receive.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at what makes a good sync brief and how important it is to give the music supervisor exactly what they are asking for. 

What Is a Sync Brief?

When a music supervisor is looking for songs, they will often prepare a sync brief that describes the project, the general mood, and the style and tempo of music they need for a scene.

As an independent artist trying to break into the sync licensing world, you will need to work diligently to establish strong relationships with music supervisors and hopefully, become one of their trusted sources.

The music sync briefs are not available to the public and are only sent to trusted sources including sync agents, music libraries, record labels, publishers, etc., and hopefully...you!

NOTE: Do not respond to sync briefs that you might find on the Internet. They are either not legitimate or they may be out of date by the time a third party has posted them online.

Not All Sync Briefs Are Equal

Sometimes the information in the music brief is very succinct and helpful with examples and a short description of the actual scene where the music will be utilized.

You may be given specific details such as male or female vocals, the era (music from the 1970s, 80s, or 90s), and what mood or emotion they want the music to evoke in the listener.

A detailed music sync brief will also tell you the genre and general tempo they are looking for and might look something like this:

Urgently need well-produced Bollywood/Bhangra versions of slow to mid-tempo Public Domain Christmas songs with male or female vocals. Must have solid arrangement and production qualities, and melodies must stay true to the original and be familiar to listeners. Your submissions should be in the general stylistic ballpark of the following reference:

JINGLE BELLS BANGRA!

Other times, sync briefs can be very vague with no reference tracks and open to a lot of different interpretations. The sync brief itself might be very brief and not provide a lot of information to work off. As an example:

Need instrumental jazz songs without high-pitched instruments.

This type of brief doesn’t tell us anything about how the music will be used, what tempo or mood it should convey, or what type of jazz music will work for the scene – early jazz, modern jazz, cool jazz, be-bop, Latin jazz, etc.

The Right Song for the Scene

Music supervisors get a lot of incredible songs that are amazingly well written and produced. Yet, it doesn’t matter how great the song is, if it’s not right for the scene it can’t be used. Non-romantic love songs are always in demand but are often hard to find.

They want the perfect song for the scene, not a song that will “kind of work.” You don’t want to develop a reputation for sending songs that miss the mark. If that’s the case, you won’t be a trusted source for long.

Reference Tracks?

Not all sync briefs will include reference tracks but if they do, they are there for a reason.

Listen to the reference tracks closely and only submit songs that are very similar in style, tempo, mood, and instrumentation to the reference tracks given. (See the reference link above.)

TV & Film Sync Briefs

To be chosen for TV or film sync placement, your songs need to be sync-worthy and in the right genre, expressing the right sentiment and mood of the scene and fitting the proper demographic of the production's target audience.

Top music supervisor Andy Ross says that in film and TV, the priorities are 50% production, 25% vocal delivery, and 25% lyric but it’s different for advertising. In ads, lyrics are 80% of what they are looking for.

Advertising Sync Briefs

The turnaround times for ad agencies are often very fast and can sometimes be as little as 48 hours or less. Ad agencies do tend to give very detailed music briefs for the type of music they are looking for.

Here’s an ad agency sync brief example.

Large telecommunications firm looking for fun, positive, uplifting pop music with universal themes and lots of upbeat energy for a national fall campaign. Music must have great memorable melodies, compelling male vocals with plenty of mainstream appeal, plus catchy choruses with energizing rhythms. Songs must have modern pop instrumentation and be similar in style to Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, or Charlie Puth. Looking for key lyrics about “having something to say” or “telling the world.” Usage includes 8 weeks on cable broadcast and television plus 6 months on the Internet. Submit music by 2:00 PM eastern tomorrow.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Sync Briefs

Once you become a trusted source and music supervisors are sending you sync briefs for their current projects, it is vitally important that you follow protocol.

Here are some tips on what to do and what not to do when responding to music sync briefs.

Do’s

  • Always read and understand the music brief thoroughly before submitting.

  • Only submit music that will match everything they are asking for (style, tempo, mood, instrumentation, etc.).

  • Only submit songs that will make the audience feel the emotions described in the sync brief.

  • Make sure your lyrics match what is being requested (if they want positive, uplifting lyrics, make sure there are no negative references in your lyrics).

Don’ts

  • Don’t send any music if you don’t have a song that fits exactly what is being asked for in the brief.

  • Don’t send the song if it’s not the right feel or mood for what is wanted (even if you think it fits in every other way).

  • Don’t send down-tempo songs if they are asking for mid or up-tempo songs.

  • Don’t send songs with lyrics that mention, people, places, events, or other specifics, unless requested.

Prepping Your Music for Sync Briefs

As mentioned, do not send any songs if you don’t have music that will fit exactly what is asked for in the sync brief. If you do have music that is right for the pitch, make sure the song is properly prepared before submitting it.

Song Production

Today’s music supervisors get a lot of amazing songs that are very well produced, mixed, and mastered. Your songs will be competing not only with indie artists and songwriters but also with record label artists.

That means that your songs must be properly recorded, mixed, and mastered, and sound equally as great as similar music that you might hear on the radio, on TV, or on film.

Submit MP3 Files or Downloadable Links

The standard for file submission is MP3. However, DISCO.ac is quickly becoming the new standard for song submissions to music supervisors as it was created by music supervisors for music supervisors.

DISCO links don’t expire and allow you to include downloadable MP3 files with the Metadata embedded. You can also include the lyrics and WAV or AIFF files, plus instrumental versions, and alternate takes. It’s a great one-stop platform for storing and organizing your entire music catalog. **Soundcloud and Dropbox are also still viable options for submitting songs to music supervisors. Just make sure your MP3s are always streamable and downloadable.

Song Lyrics

It is not uncommon for sync briefs to also include the type of lyric they are looking for and/or the mood they want the lyric to convey. In general, for broadcasting, the lyrics must be clean.

If your song has explicit lyrics, let them know upfront. You may want to do an alternate version of the music for sync licensing to create a clean version specifically for sync licensing purposes. Lyrics should also be universal in nature. Unless requested, do not send songs that have lyrics that mention specific places, people, or events.

Metadata

Always make sure that the songs you submit have your metadata embedded in the MP3s. The metadata must include your contact information plus information on the writer and/or co-writers, plus the master owner. For a detailed guide, check out our metadata cheat sheet here.

Instrumentals & Stems

It’s always a good idea to also have an instrumental version of the songs you submit for sync briefs. Stems are not always necessary, but more and more productions are requesting them so if you can, it’s a good idea to have a copy of the stems available as well. Stems are usually required for advertising sync briefs.

The Art of the Song Pitch

If you are new to sync licensing and want to learn more, check out our Art of the Song Pitch (AOTSP) course.

Chris SD at Sync Songwriter, created this course specifically to help indie songwriters and artists break into the sync licensing world. AOTSP is an in-depth course that covers the following:

  • How to research shows, movies, and music supervisors and accurately target your music

  • How to record and produce your music for sync

  • How to vet your music before pitching

  • How to approach music supervisors when pitching your songs

  • What works and what doesn’t work with cover songs

  • In-depth interviews with a panel of working music supervisors

  • Live pitch sessions with 3 music supervisors

  • Crash course on music copyrights, royalties, contracts, deal points, etc.

  • Monthly live coaching calls to answer any questions you may have about sync licensing

Our goal with AOTSP is to make sure you have the knowledge and the tools necessary to enter the sync licensing world as a professional.

You will learn the right skills and be taken seriously as you approach and pitch your music to music supervisors. We also cover what to do and what not to do when responding to sync briefs.

About Sync Songwriter

Sync Songwriter was started by Chris SD, a JUNO award-winning producer and engineer.

Along with The Art of the Song Pitch, Sync Songwriter will soon be releasing a new course called Produce for Sync that teaches indie artists and songwriters how to produce their songs for sync licensing.

Our goal is to not only introduce you to the sync licensing world but also to introduce you to some of the top music supervisors working today.

We help our students to build solid relationships with music supervisors so they can increase their chances of getting their songs into TV and film.

If you would like to learn more about Songwriter, or if you still have questions about how music sync briefs work, please contact us online.

 

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How Do You Find Music Supervisors Looking for Songs?

The Guild of Music Supervisors has over 500 members and growing, so there are a lot of opportunities for artists and songwriters when it comes to pitching your songs to music supervisors looking for music. 

As well, the US Census Bureau estimates that as of 2021, there are over 10,500 TV production companies and more than 4,385 movie and film production companies in the United States alone. 

That means there are 30 times as many US productions as there are music supervisors. And that doesn’t even include advertising, the gaming industry, videos, or any other media that are looking to sync music. 

It’s no wonder that music supervisors are looking for music for multiple projects all the time. This is why independent music like yours gets placed in TV and film so often.

So how do you find music supervisors who are looking for songs like yours?

It’s up to you to do your homework before you pitch your songs to a music supervisor. 

We’ll get into that further down this article. First, let’s look at why music supervisors looking for music tend to rely on the people they know and trust. 

In this Sync Songwriter post, we’ll take an in-depth look at how to prepare for and approach music supervisors looking for songs like yours and cover:

  • Why music supervisors rely on trusted sources

  • Sync briefs – what they are and why your music must be “on target”

  • Writing authentic sync-friendly music

  • Music ownership

  • Broadcast Quality music only

  • Pitching your songs to music supervisors

Music Supervisors Rely on Trusted Sources?

Music supervisors can be super busy with multiple projects on the go at once. At any given time, they can be simultaneously working with showrunners, producers, directors, and editors for multiple productions.

They also must also ensure they meet the budgets and deadlines of the film and TV studios that hire them. 

Music supervisors looking for music must screen and pre-clear the songs they pitch and secure the sync rights for the chosen music. Turnaround times can be very tight, especially for television.

Because of this, music supervisors don’t have the time or resources to deal with musicians who are new to sync licensing.

Unfortunately, there is no room for novices or newbies. You will need to pitch your music like a pro if you want your music to be heard.

Sync Briefs

When music supervisors are looking for music, they typically send out a sync-briefs to their trusted music sources including music libraries, record labels, sync agents, publishers, musicians, producers, and composers whom they have relationships with. 

That’s because they know that these trusted sources will only pitch songs that are on target for what is outlined in the brief and will be broadcast quality.

The sync brief outlines the type of music they are looking for and usually has a description of the project and sometimes even the scene the music will be used in. It also indicates what the deadline is, which is usually tight.

That is one of the reasons you need to have your track ready to go immediately. There is no time to record or re-mix it.

Music supervisors are always looking for sync-worthy songs and these placement opportunities could be in any genre. But no matter how great a song may be, you don’t want to pitch it if it doesn’t match what is being asked for in the brief. 

Keep in mind. sync licensing briefs are almost never released to the public, so if you see one, it’s probably old or not real.

When pitching your music for sync licensing, you need to do it the right way to earn your place as a trusted music source.

Sync Friendly Music

Even though most music supervisors looking for music will say that almost any song can be synced to the right project, some songs are more sync-friendly than others. 

Create Authentic Music

Music supes want authentic music. They can almost always tell when a song is authentic or if it has been written specifically for sync. Authenticity wins every time. 

Write from the heart in the style or genre you are most comfortable with and create music that you love. If you try to write in a style of music that is outside your wheelhouse, you likely won’t be as good at it as the artists who are in that genre.

Niche Music

There are fewer placement opportunities for niche genres like Polkas, Vocal Jazz, New Age, or any style that falls outside what you might hear on mainstream radio or in TV and film. 

That said, when these placement opportunities do come up, your niche music could be a big fish in a small pond since there is far less competition. If you do something well that is not as common, it increases the value of what you do.

In most cases, music supervisors will reach out to music libraries or trusted production houses to find the niche music they are looking for. However, you can more easily become a trusted source simply by having what other people don’t.

Instrumentals

Instrumentals get used for placement opportunities as well but in most cases, the instrumental music will be written by the project’s composer or sourced from a music library. 

Ironically, music supervisors looking for music will generally also ask for the instrumental version of your song. Having both the vocal and instrumental versions will allow the TV or film editors a lot more flexibility when mixing the song for the scene.

If you only write instrumental music that is more like sonic soundscapes than a defined melody, you may have better luck placing your music with a reputable music library.

Music Ownership

Music supervisors looking for music will need to know who owns the songs you submit. 

Do you own your songs 100% or do you have co-writers? Have you signed a publishing deal, a record deal, or given your producer/engineer points on the song for a reduced price on the recording? Do you own 100% of the master recording?

Unless you own 100% of the song and the masters, you will first need to get permission from your co-writers/co-owners to allow you to represent the song. 

Split-Sheet Contracts

For collaborations and songs that you have co-written, you will need to have your co-writers sign a split-sheet contract. This will outline what percentage each of the writers owns and the total percentage must add up to 100%.

Work-for-Hire Contracts

If you paid musicians, vocalists, and the producer to create the recording, it’s a good idea to also have them sign a work-for-hire contract. This will indicate that they’ve been paid for their services and have no stake or ownership in the song or the recording. 

Publishers & Record Labels

If you are an independent musician and not signed to a record label or publisher, then you automatically own 100% of the song and the master recording unless you have co-writers.

If you have signed with either a label or publisher, you will need to get written permission from them to allow you to pitch your songs for sync licensing. 

Music Ownership Summary

You must know without a doubt who owns your songs and who owns the masters before you pitch your songs to music supervisors looking for music.

If there are other stakeholders, you will need to also provide their contact information and ownership details to the music supervisors. If you are unsure, you might want to talk to an entertainment lawyer first.

Broadcast Quality Music Only

Try this experiment.

  1. Name some of today’s top artists that your songs sound like or were influenced by.

  2. Place your songs in a playlist with those same artists.

  3. Does the quality of your recordings sound as good as theirs?

Your songs must sound as good as anything else that would get placed by a music supervisor.

Broadcast quality simply means your music needs to be properly recorded, mixed, and mastered and sounds like everything else that gets on the radio or on TV and on film.

How Do You Pitch Your Songs to Music Supervisors?

We discussed how the songs you pitch need to be broadcast quality. Your pitch is no different. 

To attract the attention of the music supervisors your pitch needs to be as professional as their trusted music sources.

Since you are not a trusted source and you don’t have access to sync briefs, there are several things you need to do before you start pitching your songs to music supervisors who are looking for music.

  • Research music supervisors and the shows they work on using sources like IMDB, Tunefind, and WhatSong.

  • Target your songs to the right projects and the right music supervisors.

  • Prepare your songs and ownership details in advance so the music supervisor will have all the information they need.

  • Include metadata properly formatted with your contact information on all your MP3 files.

  • Prepare your music pitch and keep it short and professional.

  • Send download links that are also streaming and will not expire. Never send music files as attachments.

  • Don’t expect a reply from music supervisors, they are extremely busy, and don’t follow up with them too soon.

Music supervisors prefer using DISCO, Dropbox, and Box. DISCO is music management software created by music supervisors for music supervisors. For artists, it is a great place for keeping and organizing your music catalog. 

Learning everything about researching, targeting, and preparing your songs and sync pitch is well beyond the scope of this article, but you can find out a lot more about it on our blog, How to License Your Music.

About Sync Songwriter

Sync Songwriter was created by Chris SD, a JUNO award-winning producer. 

Our mission is to not only help independent artists and songwriters learn and understand the sync licensing world but to also help them build relationships with music supervisors. 

Our goal is to teach you how to be a sync licensing professional and then introduce you to top music supervisors looking for music.

We can show you what you need to do and more importantly, what not to do when preparing and pitching your songs to music supervisors. We’ll also show you how to find the right sync placement opportunities for your music. 

Music supervisors looking for music are the gatekeepers of the songs that make it into TV shows, films and ads.

At Sync Songwriter, we introduce you to some of the industry's top music supervisors because building relationships is vital to your success in sync licensing.

If you still have questions about how sync licensing works or about sync, feel free to reach out. Contact us.

 

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How to Submit Music for Sync Placement

Landing your first sync placement can be tough but not impossible. The more you submit music for sync the greater your chances of getting that coveted placement in film, TV, or advertising.

But sync placement is much more than just a numbers game. It’s also about relationships and building a rapport with music supervisors so that they regard you as a trusted source.

In this Sync Songwriter blog post, we’ll outline the steps you need to take before you even make that first pitch. Follow these guidelines and you will be well on your way to having what it takes to succeed in sync licensing. If you’re new to sync and aren’t sure what it’s all about, start by checking out our guide, “What is Sync Licensing” here.

1. Getting Your Music Ready for Sync Placement

You’ve spent years honing your craft and you’ve written great songs with catchy melodies, great hooks, and engaging lyrics.

Your songs are strong and you think they would be perfect for placement in TV or film. You feel ready. Perhaps.

Before you can submit music for sync licensing, it is imperative that you make a reality check.

Is the song you are wanting to pitch to music supervisors “broadcast quality?” Would it meet the needs of the project or sync brief? Do you have an instrumental version?

Remember, music supervisors get hundreds of pitches for any given sync placement. Most are from trusted sources including record labels, publishers, sync agents, music libraries, and artists they may have worked with in the past.

Your track must be an excellent recording that has been professionally mixed and mastered.

In other words, if you were to place your song in a playlist of similar artist songs, or even with artists you were influenced by, would your song stand up to the rest? That is your competition.

And since music supervisors generally ask for an instrumental version as well (with no vocals), your instrumental track must also be broadcast quality.

2. What Makes a Song Good for Sync?

If you are new to sync licensing, you may feel that if your song is radio friendly and ideal for streaming, it should also be perfect for sync placement, but that’s not always the case.

Before you submit music for sync licensing, consider the following.

Broadcast Quality

The four components of broadcast quality music include:

1.     Excellent Performances

2.     Excellent Quality Recording

3.     Professionally Mixed

4.     Professionally Mastered

We’ve already covered why your songs and instrumentals need to be broadcast quality. There are the odd times, however, when music supervisors are looking for period-specific songs that were recorded back in the 70s, 80s, or 90s.

These songs may not be broadcast quality but that is what they are looking for at the time. These types of requests are the exception rather than the rule.

Make sure all your newly recorded material including the vocal and instrumental tracks, are broadcast quality before you submit it for music licensing.

Project Needs

Along with TV and film, music supervisors sometimes work across a wide spectrum of projects including indie films, network shows, gaming, and movie trailers, plus advertising. Songs that might work for TV and film may not work for trailers or for advertising and vice versa.

The music supervisor’s job is to find the best song to complement the story that is shown on screen. The song needs to help advance the plot and emulate what the characters are feeling so do your research before you pitch.

Subject Matter

Your songs must also fit the mood and subject matter of the project. Songs that have universal themes and can fit many different scenarios are easier to place. That doesn’t mean your lyrics need to be generic, just applicable to different sorts of shows, movies, or ads.

It’s not impossible, but it is difficult to find a general sync placement for songs that are centered around politics, the environment, or other specific causes. They may be better suited to documentaries on the subject.

Song Dynamics

Songs that are very linear with little dynamics are tougher to place in sync licensing. There are just fewer opportunities for them. Producers and editors tend to favor songs that have some dynamic shape and build to them that will give them more options when editing.

Lyrics

Lyrics that are specific and mention proper names or places tend to be “too-on-the-nose”, making them difficult to use for sync placement. If your song has explicit lyrics, you must always declare this upfront. It’s not a bad idea to also record a clean version of your song so you can submit both versions when pitching.

Vocal Melody

If the vocal melody is constant throughout the song it can get in the way of dialog. Music editors prefer songs with musical breaks between the lyric lines since this makes it a lot easier when editing.

Avoid Fade-Outs

Songs that end with fade-outs get fewer placements than songs with a definitive ending. Part of your job as a songwriter is to make the music editor’s job as easy as possible so it’s best to avoid fade-outs on the songs you submit for sync placement. This can make it difficult for the music editor to find a quick out point for the song without it sounding cut off.

Instrumentals & Stems

Try to always have broadcast quality instrumentals (with vocals removed) ready to pitch as well. Though not always necessary, more and more projects are starting to request the stems as well.

Stems don’t mean all the individual tracks. A drum stem will have all the drum parts mixed together. A background vocal stem will have all the background vocals mixed together. So your stems may include drums, background vocals, guitars, keyboards, strings, percussion, etc.

You can read more about what stems are or by watching this quick video:

3. How Does Sync Placement Work?

As mentioned, music supervisors tend to work with trusted sources when looking for songs for sync placement. They will often send out sync briefs to their trusted sources including record labels, sync agents, music publishers, music libraries, certain artists, etc.

The music supervisors know that these trusted sources will only submit songs that match exactly what is asked for in the sync brief.

Let’s look at some of these “trusted” sources a little closer.

Music Publishers

Music publishers will have a large catalog of songs they have vetted and pre-cleared so when a sync brief comes in, they can immediately source the right songs to pitch.

Major Record Labels

Like music publishers, most major record labels will also have an extensive catalog of pre-cleared songs to choose from so they can pitch the best songs to match the sync brief.

Recording Artists

While some recording artists refuse to allow their music to be used for sync placements, many are quite open to it. If you are reading this, I assume you are too!

Well-established artists have an established brand and genre that may instantly come to mind when a music supervisor is looking for a specific placement. Many other times they are looking for more affordable indie music that fits their budget.

Music Libraries

There are two types of music libraries.

1.     Non-exclusive Music Libraries – One of the problems is non-exclusive music libraries tend to retitle songs multiple times to better track royalty payments. The last thing a music supervisor wants is to receive the same song multiple times under different titles.

2.     Exclusive Libraries – If you are going to submit your songs to a music library, we recommend you consider only exclusive music libraries since the music supervisors tend to trust them more. They are harder to get into, but you also tend to be competing with many fewer musicians since their catalog is typically smaller.

Not always, but music libraries tend to be the go-to source whenever a music supervisor needs music for small projects with a limited budget or an instrumental that fits a specific mood or genre.

Music libraries provide plenty of options and most will also include alternate takes and stems, offering more options for editing the music to a scene. They also tend to have a smaller licensing fee.

The music supervisors also know the music will be properly vetted and pre-cleared, making music libraries a great place to go when they need a quick turnaround. And, because music libraries tag all the music in their catalog, it’s very easy to search for the right song when needed.

So, placing your songs in a music library can be a great way to get your foot in the door.

The downside of music libraries is that you are a small fish in a very big pond because the music library could have hundreds if not thousands of similar songs in your category. Getting a sync placement through a library can become like a lottery.

On the other hand, if your song is very niche there will be far fewer placement opportunities, but when that type of song is needed, you become a big fish in a small pond.

Sync Agents

Like a music library, a sync agent will have a catalog of songs that they represent and pitch for sync placement. They don’t own or control any of the publishing rights but will charge a percentage of the sync fee if they secure a placement for your song.

Indie Artists

So, is there a place for indie music in film and TV? Absolutely.

If your music is as good as anything supplied by the “trusted” sources, and if your song pitch is just as professional, your song stands a good chance of not only being heard but also being placed.

4. Why Music Supervisors Love Indie Artists

Here are a few other good reasons why this is a great time for indie artists in sync licensing.

Discovering New Talent - In my experience, many music supervisors also have a soft spot for indie artists and continually look for new music on places like Spotify and Soundcloud.

After all, most music supervisors are also hardcore music lovers, and many are musicians themselves. They absolutely love discovering new talent and want to be part of the journey for new artists on the rise.

Smaller Project Budgets – More and more projects are working on tighter budgets, which opens more sync placement opportunities for indie artists. Sometimes a music supervisor would rather place multiple indie songs in a project rather than blow the entire budget on one song by a major artist. However, if the supervisor really wants a well-known song by a major artist but can’t afford it, they will often use a cover song released by an indie artist.

One-Stop Easy Clearance – Music supervisors are in charge of clearing the songs before they can be used and many projects, especially in television, work on very tight deadlines. Major artists' songs tend to have multiple co-writers and multiple publishers involved. It’s much easier and quicker to clear an indie song that is One-Stop, where the artist owns and controls the song, the master, and the publishing.

Unique Sound – Big business drives the music of major artists and labels who tend to follow the trends. Often, their music is very formulaic and can lack the depth or emotional impact that a particular scene requires. This depth and emotional impact can often be found in indie music. Also, film and TV content creators (plus advertising brands) all want to appear “in-sync” as it were, with tomorrow’s emerging music trends.

5. Know & Understand Your Obligations

As an indie artist, it is not only imperative that you know and understand how sync licensing works, but you must also know what your obligations are.

Securing Rights - In order to submit music for sync placement, you must own and control all the rights to the song and master recording. If you don’t, you will need to secure the right to represent the song from your other co-writers and music publishers if there are any.

The music supervisor will also need to have the contact information of everyone that has ownership of the song.

Split Sheets – If you have co-writers, be sure to have them all sign a split sheet agreement prior to pitching your song. The split sheet total must add up to 100%.

Work for Hire Contracts – It’s not a bad idea to have your music producer, studio musicians, and background vocalists all sign a work-for-hire contract. This contract shows that they’ve been paid for their services and don’t have any rights or ownership in your song.

Register With a PRO - It’s also a good idea to register your songs with your country’s performing rights organization (PRO). PROs like ASCAP and BMI in the United States and SOCAN in Canada are responsible for collecting and distributing performance royalties.

6. Contacting Music Supervisors

Unsolicited Song Submissions - On any given day, music supervisors will get possibly hundreds of submissions, most of which are unsolicited. The last thing you want is to end up in their spam folder.

If you are going to reach out to them, you must do your research. Watch the shows they’ve done or are doing. Know what projects they are working on and the type of music they may be looking for so you can match your music and pitch to their needs.

Match Your Music to the Project – If you’ve done your research, you’ll soon learn the mood, style, and genre of music that will fit specific shows. If a show you are considering pitching to primarily uses hip-hop or rap music, don’t pitch any other style of music unless it was specifically requested.

Email Protocol – Emails need to be short and to the point. It helps if you can show them that you know their work and explain why you think your song might work with their project. It also helps if your music is “one-stop” and easy to clear.

The Art of the Song Pitch

At Sync Songwriter we know how difficult it can be for indie artists to find a sync placement for their songs. That’s why we created The Art of the Song Pitch (AOTSP) online course.

  • Research Music Supervisors & Their Shows - We teach you how to research music supervisors and the shows they work on so you can successfully target your music to the right projects.

  • Produce & Record Music for Sync - We also show you how to produce and record your songs for sync plus how to vet your music prior to pitching.

  • Perfect Your Song Pitch - Once you’ve prepared your songs and targeted your music for the right music supervisors and projects, we’ll show you how to create the best possible pitch so that you will get noticed.

  • Copyrights, Royalties, Etc. - We also cover things like deal points, copyrights, song clearances, royalties and more.

  • Pitch Your Songs to Music Supervisors - Finally we connect you with the gatekeepers in sync where you’ll pitch your songs to a live online panel of music supervisors.

By the end of the course, you’ll have the tools and knowledge to become a sync licensing professional as well as made those all-important first connections. If you’d like to find out more, sign up for the waiting list to be the first to know when we open enrollment.

About Sync Songwriter

The Art of the Song Pitch and Sync Songwriter were both created by JUNO award-winning producer, Chris SD.

Our mission is to not only help independent artists and songwriters learn and understand the sync licensing world but to also help them build relationships with music supervisors. 

Our goal is to teach you how to be a sync licensing professional and then introduce you to top music supervisors looking for music.

We can show you what you need to do and more importantly, what not to do when preparing and pitching your songs to music supervisors. We’ll also show you how to find the right sync placement opportunities for your music. 

Music supervisors looking for music are the gatekeepers of the songs that make it into TV shows, films, and ads.

At Sync Songwriter, we introduce you to some of the industry's top music supervisors because building relationships is vital to your success in sync licensing.

If you still have questions about how sync placement works or about Sync Songwriter, feel free to reach out and contact us.

 

CONNECT WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN LICENSING

Download the FREE step-by-step cheatsheet that shows you how...