Sync licensing, or “Synchronization,” refers to the use of music in films, TV shows, commercials, video games, presentations, YouTube videos, or anything else where a song is “synced” to moving images.
When a song is licensed for sync, a fee is paid to the songwriter/publisher for the usage of the underlying composition, AND to the copyrighter owner of the master recording for the use of the track.
If you wrote the song and haven’t sold the rights, you are the publisher. If you own the recording you are the copyright holder. In this case you would get paid both royalties
Sync licensing has not only become one of the major revenue streams for today’s independent artist, but it’s also one of the most effective ways of finding new fans.
In addition to sync opportunities in film, TV, advertisements, and video games, CD Baby Sync Licensing Program also helps you make money from the usage of your music on YouTube.
We’ve paid over a million dollars in YouTube ad revenue to CD Baby artists, and that figure is growing rapidly — since YouTube has become both the #1 music discovery tool online AND the #1 preferred platform for listening to music among music fans younger than 18.
CD Baby’s Sync Licensing and YouTube Monetization Program is a free add-on for all Standard and Pro releases, so opt in for Sync Licensing today.
Big sync placements don’t happen every day, but when they do, you can earn a lot of money from the usage of your music. That being said, no two placements are exactly alike, so licensing revenue will vary (though we will always negotiate to get you the most money possible). You earn 60% of all revenue generated from sync placements of your music.
When it comes to YouTube, it’s also difficult to estimate your earnings from ad revenue because payments will vary according to several factors, including: the kinds of ads served on videos that feature your music, CPM (cost per thousand ad views), as well as how many times videos that use your music are viewed. However, you will earn 70% of the ad revenue paid by YouTube for the usage of your music.