Music Licensing 101: Get Your Songs in TV, Film, and Video Games

🎬 Music Licensing 101: Get Your Songs in TV, Film, and Video Games

If you want to make real money from music—sync licensing is where it’s at.

It’s one of the fastest-growing ways for artists to earn big checks without touring or chasing streams.

So how do you get your songs into movies, shows, ads, and video games?

Let’s break it down step-by-step.

🎯 What Is Sync Licensing?

“Sync” means synchronizing your music to a visual.

It could be:

A Netflix scene
A car commercial
A video game intro
A YouTube ad
A TikTok sound used by influencers

When someone wants to use your music in media, they have to pay for it. That’s sync licensing.

💵 Why Is Sync Licensing So Valuable?

One placement can pay hundreds to thousands of dollars
You keep ownership of your music
You get paid again every time the media plays (residuals)
It builds credibility and visibility for your brand

Big sync placements have jumpstarted entire careers (like Aloe Blacc, Moby, Sofi Tukker, etc.).

🧠 The 2 Rights You Need to Understand

Before you pitch anything, you must understand these:

1. Master Rights

Who owns the recording? (Usually you or your label)

2. Publishing Rights

Who owns the composition? (That’s the lyrics, melody—basically the song itself)

If you don’t control both, you’ll need to clear it with whoever does. Sync deals can fall apart fast if rights aren’t handled.

🎼 What Kind of Songs Get Synced?

Not every song works for sync. Here’s what music supervisors look for:

Emotional impact (happy, sad, dramatic, hype, suspenseful)
Clean, high-quality production
No uncleared samples
Easy-to-clear rights
Lyrics that fit universal themes (love, power, freedom, rising up, etc.)

Tip: Instrumentals and alternate versions (no vocals, short edit) are often requested—have them ready.

🔧 Where to Submit Your Music

You can submit directly or use a middleman. Try:

Licensing Libraries:

AudioJungle
Artlist
Epidemic Sound
Musicbed
Pond5

Sync Platforms:

Songtradr
Marmoset
Disco.ac
Music Gateway

Direct Pitching:

Build relationships with music supervisors
Search for shows and contact their sync team
Use LinkedIn or IMDB Pro to find contacts

📦 Get Your Music Ready to Pitch

Before you send anything, make sure you have:

High-res WAV + MP3
Instrumental version
Clean + explicit versions
Metadata (your name, contact, rights info)
A link to download (Dropbox, Google Drive, Disco)

Sloppy submissions = instant pass.

⚠️ Avoid These Mistakes

Don’t send full albums—send a few great tracks
Don’t submit music with uncleared samples
Don’t expect overnight success—sync takes patience + consistency
Don’t skip the contracts—read everything you sign

💡 Bonus: Sync Agencies & Publishers

If you want someone to shop your music for you, consider a sync rep or publisher.

They’ll take a cut (usually 30–50%) but can open doors. Just make sure they have a real track record before you sign anything.

🔚 Final Thoughts

Getting your music into TV, film, or games isn’t luck—it’s about preparation, strategy, and the right relationships.

Create music that fits. Package it right. Pitch it professionally.
And keep showing up.

Sync can turn your songs into long-term money makers.