Advertising is one of the most lucrative corners of the music business. A single placement in a national campaign can earn more than years of streaming - and for producers and composers, writing music for ads is a real career. This module covers the business side of music: marketing, distribution, contracts, royalties, licensing and the paths to a sustainable career. We start with advertising because it shows how much a song can be worth when it is licensed rather than just played.
This module is general guidance on how the industry works, not legal or financial advice. Always take professional advice before signing anything.
Two routes into an advert
- Licensing an existing track - a brand uses a song that already exists, licensed from its owners. This is a sync (synchronisation) licence - see the Licensing chapter.
- Commissioned music - original music written specifically for the advert: a score, a sound-alike, a jingle or a sonic logo.
Who is involved
- The brand - the client paying for the campaign.
- The creative agency - develops the idea and makes the advert.
- Music supervisors and music houses - specialists who find existing tracks or commission composers. Many agencies use dedicated music companies to handle music for them.
- Rights holders - for existing tracks, the label (master) and publisher (composition).
- Composers and producers - for commissioned music.
Licensing an existing song
An advert using a commercial recording needs two licences:
- A master use licence from whoever owns the recording - usually a label.
- A sync licence from whoever controls the composition - the publisher(s).
Fees depend on the fame of the song, the length of use, the territories, the media (TV, online, cinema, social), and the duration of the campaign. Famous songs in major campaigns command very large fees; lesser-known tracks can be far more affordable, which is why many ads use songs by emerging artists.
Commissioned music
For original music, the agency issues a brief: the mood, references, length, timings, deadline and budget. Often several composers or music houses pitch demos, and one is chosen.
Commissioned work is commonly paid as:
- A creative fee for writing and producing the music.
- A buyout - a fee in exchange for the client owning or controlling the music for agreed uses, sometimes outright.
- Royalties - in some cases the composer keeps their writer's share of performance royalties when the ad is broadcast, collected through their PRO. Check the contract carefully: buyouts sometimes try to take these too.
Sound-alikes
Agencies sometimes ask for music that sounds "like" a famous track they cannot afford. This is legally risky - courts have found against sound-alikes that copy too closely. A professional composer captures the feel and energy without copying the melody, lyrics or distinctive production elements.
Sonic branding
Many brands now commission sonic logos - a short, recognisable sound or motif used across adverts, apps and devices - and full sonic identities. It is a growing field for producers with strong sound design and composition skills.
Breaking in
- Build a showreel of short, polished pieces in different styles, timed to picture.
- Write to brief - practise with real adverts: mute them and write your own music.
- Approach music houses and supervisors - many look for new composers and producers.
- Get your tracks pitched - production music libraries and sync agencies pitch tracks to advertisers.
- Be fast and reliable. Advertising deadlines are extreme. Turnaround and professionalism win repeat work.
Do this now
- Mute three adverts and note how the music supports each one: mood, pacing, hits on picture.
- Pick one and write a 30-second piece to picture.
- Research two music houses or sync agencies that work in advertising in your country.