If there’s one part of the music business that still feels like it’s wrapped in fog for many independent artists (including myself), it’s song licensing.
We’ve all heard the stories, some artist lands a sync placement and suddenly their streaming numbers skyrocket, or their song ends up in a Netflix trailer and changes everything overnight.
But behind those stories is a system. And understanding that system, even just the basics, can make a huge difference in turning your songs from artistic statements into income-generating assets.
I came across a great post from Symphonic called “8 Tips Every Artist Should Know About Song Licensing” that offers a solid, down-to-earth introduction to the licensing world.
It’s pulled from a recent masterclass by Easy Song, and it reads like a cheat sheet for anyone wanting to dip their toes into sync without drowning in jargon.
The Big Idea: Ownership and Preparation Open Doors
The key message of the article is this: if you want to license your music, you need to have your business side sorted. That means knowing who owns what, having clean splits, registering your songs properly, and making sure your tracks (and stems) are ready to go.
It also highlights the importance of metadata, something too many artists overlook.
A great song that’s poorly tagged or has ownership issues won’t go anywhere. Music supervisors need speed and clarity, and if you can give them what they need, you’re already ahead of the pack.
My Take: Think of Your Songs Like Real Estate
To me, licensing is like renting out rooms in a house you built. You’ve put the time into designing something beautiful, your song. Now, you can let others use it for their projects, whether it’s a film, commercial, game, or TV show.
But just like real estate, paperwork matters. If the ownership’s fuzzy or the utilities aren’t turned on (read: your song isn’t properly registered or ready to deliver), nobody’s moving in.
Song licensing isn’t reserved for the lucky few anymore. It’s available to all of us, as long as we treat our songs like the assets they are and take the time to make them license-ready.
Believe Me, It’s Worth Your Time
I highly recommend reading the full article here: 8 Tips Every Artist Should Know About Song Licensing. It won’t overwhelm you with legalese, but it will get you thinking like a pro.
And if you’ve been sitting on a finished track that you think could work on screen or in a brand campaign, now might be the time to clean it up, sort out your splits, and put it to work.
You’ve done the creative part so now it’s time to give your song a second life.
