Sync Licensing Royalties

How You Earn Them:

  1. Sync License Fee:
    • A one-time upfront payment is negotiated between the copyright owner and the media producer.
    • The amount varies widely, from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands, depending on the usage, platform, and artist notoriety.
  2. Performance Royalties (secondary income):
    • If the show or ad airs publicly (TV, streaming, etc.), you may also earn performance royalties through your PRO (ASCAP, BMI, etc.).
    • These are paid separately from the sync fee and may continue to pay over time.


Who Pays You:

  • The producer or music supervisor who wants to use the song.
  • Payments may go to:
    • The songwriter (for the composition rights)
    • The publisher (if one is involved)
    • The label or artist (for the master recording, if applicable)

A sync license usually has two parts:

  • One for the composition (you, the songwriter)
  • One for the master recording (the performer or label)


How Much You Make:

  • TV Show: $500–$10,000+
  • Movie: $5,000–$100,000+
  • Commercial: $10,000–$500,000+
  • Indie projects or student films may pay much less but still offer exposure.


How to Get Sync Deals:

  • Through a music publisher or sync agent.
  • Via music libraries or direct relationships with music supervisors.
  • Uploading your music to sync platforms (e.g. Musicbed, Songtradr, Artlist) can help too.


Important Notes:

  • You must own or control all rights to license your song, or work with a publisher who does.
  • It helps to have instrumental versions and clean edits available for sync purposes.
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