As someone who spends a lot of time studying the music licensing world, I’ve noticed important shifts in how non-exclusive and exclusive models operate. These trends are vital for musicians and producers looking to build sustainable careers, and understanding them can help you navigate the complexities of sync licensing.
Non-Exclusive vs Exclusive: The Basics
Non-Exclusive Licensing: This model allows you to license the same track to multiple libraries, enabling more exposure. It’s typically easier for musicians and producers starting out, as it doesn’t restrict you to one company.
Exclusive Licensing: With exclusive deals, your track is tied to one specific library or publisher, meaning you can’t place that same track in multiple libraries. In return, these deals often offer higher placement rates and better control over where your music ends up.
Non-Exclusive Licensing: The "Music Parking Lot" Problem
Non-exclusive libraries were once seen as a way for musicians to get their music out there without the risk of tying it up with one company. However, there’s a growing issue: some non-exclusive libraries are turning into “music parking lots”—warehousing hundreds of thousands of tracks without a clear strategy for maximizing sync placements.
Some libraries now hold over 500,000+ tracks, making it incredibly difficult for new tracks to stand out. Additionally, non-exclusive libraries are increasingly uploading entire catalogs to other libraries, further diluting the exposure of individual tracks. This could eventually consolidate the market, with only a few major players holding substantial influence over sync licensing in this space.
The Pyramid of Music Libraries
The music library industry operates in a pyramid-like structure, with different levels of opportunity:
Low-end Libraries: These libraries accept almost anything and offer dirt-cheap licenses. The quality and opportunities here are low, and they’re generally not worth your time.
Royalty-Free Libraries: These are non-exclusive libraries that offer a step up in quality and potential sales, though not all are created equal. Many musicians start here to build their catalogs.
Non-Exclusive Re-Title Libraries: These libraries can offer significant sync opportunities in television, ads, and films. They re-title tracks to capture backend royalties. However, customer demand is shifting, and many of these libraries are moving toward an exclusive model to meet requests for unique content.
Exclusive PMA (Production Music Association) Libraries: These high-end libraries offer the best sync placements, and while they are difficult to get into, they should be the goal for any musician looking to make a sustainable income. They often work with exclusive contracts for more control and higher placement rates.
Top-Tier Libraries: The top 1% of libraries cater to Hollywood films, major ad campaigns, and AAA video games. These libraries represent the highest level of opportunity and are typically only available to established composers or top-tier production companies.
Trends in Non-Exclusive Libraries
The non-exclusive space, particularly in royalty-free libraries, is becoming saturated. Some of the big players have massive catalogs, which can make it difficult for musicians to get their tracks noticed. As competition increases, more libraries may be absorbed into larger platforms, reducing the number of viable options for musicians to spread their music across.
A disturbing trend is some non-exclusive libraries uploading their entire catalogs to other non-exclusive libraries, causing cross-pollination and resulting in the same music being pitched at different prices across various platforms. This inconsistency is frustrating customers, who want unique content from exclusive agreements, and is pushing more libraries to adopt exclusive models.
Exclusive Libraries: Where the Money Is Made
If you’ve honed your production skills, exclusive libraries are where the real money is. These libraries typically offer backend royalties for television, film, and commercial placements and often require a higher level of professionalism in production quality.
Exclusive deals are becoming more attractive, as they ensure unique content for clients who want to avoid getting pitched the same music at different prices from multiple libraries. Exclusive PMA libraries and high-end non-exclusive re-title libraries are where the bulk of sync revenue is generated.
What's a Producer to Do?
Diversify: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. While some musicians avoid exclusive deals to keep flexibility, depending entirely on non-exclusive libraries is risky given the saturation and trends. Sign with higher-end non-exclusive libraries for broader exposure, but also aim to work with exclusive libraries for higher-quality sync placements.
Monitor the Market: Pay attention to what’s happening in the music licensing world. Music Library Report is a great resource for researching libraries before you sign anything, and it’s important to stay informed on industry trends.
Sign Exclusive Deals (with Care): When signing with an exclusive library, make sure there is a reversion clause. This ensures that after a certain period, the rights revert back to you if the library isn’t delivering results.
Conclusion
The non-exclusive vs exclusive debate will continue, but the industry is shifting toward exclusive models at the higher levels. If you’re starting out, non-exclusive deals are still a great way to build a catalog and gain experience. But as you grow, focus on getting your music into top-tier libraries, balancing between non-exclusive platforms that deliver sales and exclusive libraries that offer high-value syncs.
By diversifying your approach, you’ll have a stronger chance of success in a rapidly changing industry.
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