Music licensing can be a great source of revenue for songwriters. In addition to getting paid an upfront licensing fee, songwriters also get paid each time their song is used in a television broadcast. This creates an opportunity for building a passive source of income from the creation and use of music that grows over time.
I recently received a royalty check for a little over $700.00 for one of my songs that was used in a daytime drama. I've received checks for much larger and I've received checks for much smaller. But the beauty of this particular royalty payment is that it was for a song that I wrote close to four years ago. This is the fourth time the song has been used!
The ability to create a passive income stream from your music is one of the coolest things about music licensing. In addition to the sheer thrill of hearing your music on TV, or elsewhere, there is also the real potential of creating a stream of income that will grow over time. A friend of mine that I went to Berklee with once had a song in a Chili's commercial that aired repeatedly, every day, for months. Kaching! My latest check was for a song that was used twice in spots that were around 30 seconds long, just to give you an idea.
Licensing your music in TV and Films is also a great opportunity for musicians because there are really no barriers to entry. Regardless of how old you are, where you live or what you look like, if you're creating well crafted and well produced songs you can potentially have them licensed for use in TV and Films. So, what are you waiting for?
Aaron Davison is a Berklee College Of Music Alumnus who has been working in the music business for over ten years. His songs have been heard on a variety of television shows and he has performed live throughout the midwest.
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