Choosing the right music licence can feel overwhelming, especially when every project, platform and use case seems to come with its own set of rules. If you’ve ever second-guessed your choice or are worried about getting it wrong, you’re not alone.
But if you’ve opted to use a production music library rather than commercial music or a bespoke commission, and found the right track to tell your story, the next logical step is to find the correct licence to cover your content usage.
In this blog, we’ll break down why finding the right licence matters and how to identify the right licence for your project. We’ll also highlight common areas of confusion and explain the benefits of licensing with Audio Network.
What Rights Do You Need to Licence Music?
The different rights music is subject to include:
- Synchronisation (sync) Publishing Rights
- Master (dubbing) Rights
- Mechanical Rights
- Performance Rights
Synchronisation (sync) Publishing Rights
These cover the composition and lyrics of a song or piece of music, and allow music to be paired with visual content, such as films, TV programmes, games or podcasts. Sync rights are obtained from the music publisher and apply to most music.
Master (dubbing) Rights
These grant permission to use a specific sound recording of a musical work in your project. They are typically owned by the record label or, in some cases, the recording artist. Even where a composition is in the public domain (generally when the composer died more than 70 years ago), master rights are still required.
Mechanical Rights
These permit the reproduction and distribution of copyrighted musical compositions across physical formats (such as CDs, vinyl, and tapes) and digital formats, including ringtones, permanent downloads, interactive streaming, and other digital uses that support a range of business models, such as locker-based music services and bundled music offerings. These are obtained from the owner of the composition copyright, such as the publisher.
Performance Rights
These cover the public playing of music, whether at a live event or online. In the UK, for example, these licences are issued by PRS for Music and are the responsibility of the venue or website owner.
For more detail, see our guide to music licensing or our music licensing glossary.
Why Getting the Right Licence Matters
If you plan to use copyrighted music for commercial purposes, it’s essential that you obtain the appropriate licence. Failure to do so may lead to legal action, takedown requests, restrictions or the need to re-licence later, all of which can cause serious reputational harm and ultimately undermine brand credibility. Plus, by obtaining the correct licence first time, you ward against delays and budget overruns.
At Audio Network we offer a range of licensing options, depending on your content needs.
Common Licensing Mistakes
Not sure which licence you need? You’re not alone. Some common licensing errors include purchasing a licence for the wrong media platform or licensing for one platform then repurposing that content elsewhere.
One way to avoid these mistakes is to ask yourself the following questions at the outset:
1. Where will the content live?
For example, is it going to be used on social media? Do you have plans to screen it at conferences? Will it be broadcast on television?
2. Is it paid or organic?
3. Who is the content for?
4. Will the content be reused or scaled in future?
It’s important to note that all Audio Network licences are scalable, designed to cover you forever.
Understanding Audio Network’s Licensing Options
- Creator
- Creator+
- Corporate
- Branded Content
- Social Advertising
- Digital Advertising
- VOD / OOH / Radio / Cinema / TV / Podcast / Gaming / All Media
At Audio Network we offer both self-serve and tailored licensing solutions, depending on use. Self-service licences are suitable for brands and creators with a clear vision of how and where their content will be used, while tailored licences are perfect for scenarios where off-the-peg solutions won’t work, such as multi-media campaigns or TV programming.
Creator
Creator licences are for individuals and hobbyists who are posting unpaid, unsponsored and unmonetised content online. Think an individual posting a video from their recent holiday with their family, purely to share with friends. This type of licence can’t be used by a business account or brand. If you are either of those things, you will need one of our branded content or advertising licences, which can be purchased from our website.
Creator+
Creator+ licences cover you for the above usage but allows for monetisation on the channel or platform you are sharing the content on. The same limitations apply in regards to brands and businesses. These licences can be purchased from our website.
Corporate
Corporate licences are for brands and businesses to use for their internal only content. Think a training video hosted on your company’s intranet, or a welcome video sent directly to new employees. If you want to make this video available to be seen by the public then you will need to upgrade your licence to a Branded Content or Advertising licence, which can be purchased from our website.
Branded Content
Branded Content licences are also for brands and businesses. They are for content that is not advertising or promotional by nature but more educational and informative. Think a product "how to" video or a hype reel. There is no call to action but it can be viewed by the public, on public facing platforms. These licences can be purchased from our website.
Social Advertising
Social Advertising licences are for brands, business and individuals that want to post advertising content on social media platforms. This content can be paid or unpaid, is generally promotional by nature and may include a call to action for the viewer. This licence doesn’t cover you for video-sharing platforms like YouTube or Vimeo, for those you need our Digital Advertising licence which can also be purchased from our website.
Digital Advertising
Digital Advertising licences are for brands, businesses and individuals who want to post advertising content online. This licence is available to purchase on our website and covers use across social media, as well as website banners, YouTube pre-roll ads, and other video-sharing platforms.
This licence doesn’t however, cover you for use across VOD (video on demand) platforms such as Netflix, Prime or iPlayer.
VOD / OOH / Radio / Cinema / TV / Podcast / Gaming / All Media
These licences can often be a little more involved and will require some hands on help from our expert teams to make sure you are covered for exactly what you need.
If you can’t find the media or licence you’re looking for on our website, it doesn’t mean we don’t offer it. With so many ways content can be used and consumed, it’s not possible for us to list every option online.
Simply contact us with more information about how you want to use the music, and a member of the team will be in touch.
Get Expert Support
We believe music licensing shouldn’t be a guessing game. That’s why we take a human-led approach, combining clear guidance with real people you can actually talk to. Whether you’re licensing music for the first time or navigating a more complex brief, our team are here to help you make sense of your options and choose a licence with confidence - or point you in the right direction if you’re unsure. All of our advice is free, responsive and expert-led.
As well as dedicated account managers and music researchers who can match a track to your brief, we offer clear, scalable licensing solutions, tailored to real-world use cases. Our advice is always aligned with real production workflows, and all support is available both before and after purchase of a licence.
Ready to Find Music for Your Content?
At Audio Network, we create world-class music for brands and businesses, crafted by award-winning composers and performed by the finest musicians. With simple global licensing and total copyright peace of mind, we make it easy to elevate your content and support your creative vision every step of the way.
