AUDIO MOTION MUSIC1. Existing catalogue music
Use when you want to search by mood, sound, genre and edit suitability. Verify the real rights scope and any one-stop claim for the proposed use.
PRACTICAL MUSIC RIGHTS GUIDE
Production music, famous songs or a bespoke soundtrack?
The creative brief starts with what the picture needs. The licensing route depends on whether you need an existing catalogue track, a particular commercial song, or something composed to the edit.
Rights, timing, fees and deliverables depend on the recording, rights holders and your final usage. Private catalogue access requires approval.
Pick the right path before pitching the music
Three ways to soundtrack a production
2. A well-known commercial song
Use when a specific recording is creatively essential. Expect to research both the recording and the underlying composition, with approvals and fees set by relevant controllers.
3. Bespoke original score
Use when the edit, brand sonic identity, stems or transitions require a composition created to brief. Agree the deliverables and usage rights in writing.
Which route fits your production?
| Consideration | Catalogue sync | Famous recording | Original composition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Brief and shortlist | Exact song/version | Creative specification |
| Primary effort | Find, assess, verify licence | Identify and obtain required approvals | Create, revise, agree rights |
| Creative flexibility | Depends on available edits/stems | Changes may require separate consent | Can be built to picture subject to agreement |
| Price certainty | Dependent on catalogue and usage terms | Subject to owners and campaign context | Scope, production and rights negotiate upfront |
| Best early question | What track fits, and can we use it? | Will the controllers approve this use? | What exactly must the music do? |
There is no universal cheapest or fastest route. Pricing and timing change with the actual rights and production context.
Why licensing is more than downloading a song
Understand the rights before you commit the edit
Using recorded music with picture usually involves permission for the composition (the underlying song) and the chosen master recording. A fresh re-recording can change the master-rights question, but it does not automatically remove the need to address the composition or any adaptation.
Production music libraries may offer convenient terms for specific use cases. Still check the written licence, the identity of any rights controllers and whether the desired media, countries, length of campaign, edits, trailer cut-downs and other deliverables are covered.
For advertisements, rights holders may also consider the brand and product category. For film or TV, the intended release path matters. A festival-only brief may not cover a later broadcaster, streamer or worldwide distribution.
Read the master-versus-composition rights explainer ↗ · Film and TV clearance ↗
An example decision
A producer has a 30-second film and a recognisable song reference
The reference drives the concept
Ask whether the exact famous recording is essential. If yes, price and research rights early. A client liking a song does not make it available.
The mood matters more than the song
Brief a creative music search around the sound and edit structure rather than copying a protected melody or master.
The cut needs musical precision
Commission bespoke music with a clear brief and agreement covering versions, stems, revisions and final usage.
This is a hypothetical production example, not a claim of any particular rights holder's approval or licence price.
What to send, whichever route you choose
- Production: Working title, agency/producer, client or brand and any sensitive creative context.
- Picture: Rough cut, storyboard, timings, intended atmosphere and reference tracks.
- Use: All media, countries, term, edits, cut-downs, trailer and promotional plans.
- Practicalities: Budget, edit-lock date, approval chain, required file formats and stems.
Use the detailed music-licensing brief template ↗ or send the brief directly ↗.
Ready to put music against the picture?
Tell us the production, the creative aim, where the music will run, the budget and the deadline. We'll help identify the appropriate licensing or clearance route.
Unsure whether to source, clear or commission?
Use the project route planner to identify the likely permission pathway and copy a structured brief before approaching the relevant AMM team. It runs on your device; nothing is submitted until you use an enquiry form.
Build my music brief ↗Review selected work ↗