This is a fairly common question that we receive and it’s also one of the most misunderstood areas of music licensing. Many people are surprised to learn that using a popular artist’s song in a video is neither quick nor inexpensive.

Why Clearance Is Necessary

Music is intellectual property. When you synchronize a song to visual content—whether it’s a commercial, brand video, film, or social media post, you must obtain a Synchronization License. Without proper clearance, a video can be taken down, monetization disabled, distribution blocked and in medium to high profile cases almost certainly there will be legal claims to follow.

Who Needs To Grant Permission?

To legally use a song, permission (and a fee quote) must be obtained from two separate rights holders:

1. The Music Publisher(s) – owns or administers the underlying composition (lyrics and melody).

2. The Master Recording Owner(s) – typically a record label, which owns the specific recorded performance.

Sometimes these rights are controlled by the same entity, but very often they are not. 

The Publisher’s role is connected to the composition specifically. They must issue the license whether you wish to use that famous recording that you are so familiar with or if you want to use a lesser known cover. There may be multiple publishers. Each one will have to be involved in the process.

The Master Recording

The Master Recording owner is the party that owns a specific recording of a composition. The Master Recording owner may be the publisher, but can also be the artist or the composer(s). Other possibilities are investors (who have acquired the rights for future earning potential ) or recording studios.

While not commonplace today, some decades ago recording studios would provide discounts on recording session fees for bands and artists in exchange for partial or full Master Recording rights.

Both the Publishing right and the Master Recording right are considered Intellectual Property.

How Do I Find These Rights Holders?

Start with the Publisher. Both www.bmi.com and www.ascap.com have a repertoire search engine available to the public. Perform a search by title (and other criteria) to determine the Publisher. In most cases the Publisher’s contact info will be available. Begin a conversation with the Publisher to determine just how obtainable a synchronization license may be. They will be able to point you to the Master Recording owner(s).

“When you synchronize a song to visual content—whether it's a commercial, brand video, film, or social media post—you must obtain a Synchronization License."

What Determines the Cost?

There is no fixed price list for popular music. Rates are quoted on a case-by-case basis and are influenced by several factors, including:

1. Brand Recognition:

• How well-known is the brand or company featured in the video?

2. Scope of Exposure:

• Is the video local or national?
• Will it appear on broadcast TV, streaming platforms, social media, YouTube pre-roll, or paid/boosted campaigns?

• How long will the video run?

3. Artist and Song Popularity: Well-known artists and iconic songs command significantly higher fees.

How Music Supervisors Help

Music supervisors specialize in navigating this process. They identify the correct rights holders, contact all required parties, negotiate permissions and fees, and ensure licenses accurately reflect the intended use.

Their role is critical in preventing costly mistakes and keeping productions on schedule.

“Production music offers a far simpler and faster alternative because these tracks are pre-cleared, meaning all rights are already controlled by a single source."

Why Production Music Is Often the Better Option

Production music offers a far simpler and faster alternative. These tracks are pre-cleared, meaning all rights are already controlled by a single source, licensing is straightforward and transparent, costs are predictable, and clearances can be secured quickly

For many projects, production music delivers creative flexibility without the complexity, delays, or expense of licensing a popular artist song. Ultimately, it comes down to budget. Most productions do not have the budget for obtaining rights to well known songs. Licensing music from lesser known artists can prove to be much more affordable, but the process can still be fairly complicated.

Many production music libraries now offer pre-cleared tracks from emerging artists, bridging the budget gap and keeping the licensing process quick and simple.

For a deeper dive into licensing specific to production music (like commercials and trailers), see our Production Music Licensing Explained guide.

If you have questions about licensing, we are always available and want to be a helpful resource. Get in touch.