Production music, also called library music, stock music, or sync music, is music that is recorded and can be legally allowed for use in movies, television shows, radio programs, and other types of media. This music is often created and owned by companies known as production music libraries.
Background
Production music libraries own all the copyrights to their music, unlike popular and classical music publishers, who usually own less than half of a composition's copyright. This means that music from production libraries can be licensed without needing the composer's permission, which is not always possible with music from other publishers. Most music created for production libraries is made under a work-for-hire agreement, which gives the library full ownership of the music. This makes it easier and less expensive for media producers to use library music compared to hiring composers for custom pieces or licensing well-known songs, which can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on the fame of the performer.
The first production music library was created by De Wolfe Music in 1927, when sound was introduced to film. At first, the company made music for silent films.
Production music libraries offer a wide variety of musical styles and genres, helping producers and editors find different types of music within the same library. These libraries can have as few as a few hundred songs or as many as thousands of tracks.
Production music is often used as background or theme music in radio, film, and television. Examples include British TV shows like Ski Sunday (using "Pop Looks Bach" by Sam Fonteyn), Dave Allen At Large ("Studio 69" by Alan Hawkshaw), Mastermind ("Approaching Menace" by Neil Richardson), and The Archers (using "Barwick Green" by Arthur Wood, written in 1924). Other shows, such as The Benny Hill Show and Monty Python's Flying Circus, used music from production libraries. In the United States, Monday Night Football and The People's Court also used library music for their themes.
Production music composers and performers usually remain anonymous and are not well-known outside their professional work. However, some composers, like Alan Hawkshaw and John Cameron, have gained recognition in recent years due to renewed interest in 1960s and 1970s library music. This music, often from labels like KPM, has been widely used by DJs and producers. Some of these musicians have performed together as the KPM Allstars.
Library music became more popular in the 1990s when it was shared publicly for the first time. In the 1980s, many library companies stopped using old records as CDs became common. By the mid-1990s, these companies sold their old vinyl records to shops, sparking interest among collectors. Jonny Trunk, a music historian and founder of Trunk Records, wrote the first book on library music, The Music Library, in 2005. This led to the reissue of many classic production music recordings.
In the 2000s, hip hop producers and DJs began using library music because it is easier to sample than commercial music. Artists like the Avalanches, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Madlib have used library music in their work. Some producers, such as Frank Dukes, have also created music for sampling, inspired by the library music model.
Industry
The production music market is led by large record and publishing companies. Universal Music Publishing Group includes music libraries such as Chappell Recording Music Library, Bruton, Atmosphere, and Killer Tracks. Concord Music owns Imagem Production Music, which was previously called Boosey & Hawkes Production Music. This group includes Cavendish, Abaco, and Strip Sounds. Sony Music Publishing owns KPM Music and Extreme Music. BMG Rights Management has its own production music division. Warner Chappell Music owns Warner/Chappell Production Music. TikTok and YouTube also have their own production music libraries.
Sonoton is the largest independent production music library. Other independent libraries include Vanacore Music, ALIBI Music, Molecular Originals, West One Music Group, Epidemic Sound, and Audio Network.
Production music libraries earn income in two ways. One method combines creating original music for a project with using a collection of traditional library music under one agreement. This helps productions save money while still getting unique music for important scenes. The producer selects key scenes and hires a composer to create music that matches those scenes. Other scenes use music from the library provided by the same publisher or composer. After the music is finished, the custom music and library tracks are licensed together under one agreement. The publisher keeps the rights to the custom music and can later reuse it in other projects after an agreed-upon period of exclusivity.
This method allows composers to charge lower fees because they keep the rights to their music and can use it in future projects. It also helps producers create high-quality content by ensuring important scenes have perfect music, while less important scenes use affordable library tracks.
Libraries
In recent years, more music libraries have appeared, and competition has increased. Some smaller libraries have changed how they offer royalty-free music. These libraries do not charge customers for using music. Instead, customers buy a CD or access to a collection of music, usually costing between $50 and $300. This purchase gives them the right to use the music as often as they want forever. These libraries mainly earn money from performance royalties, which are fees paid when music is played publicly. These fees are paid by broadcasters to performing rights organizations, not by the people who use the music in their projects.
Some companies provide music that is completely royalty-free. This music is not registered with any performance rights organizations. These companies allow customers to use the music without restrictions, as long as they follow a license agreement. Customers cannot sell or share the music with others. Advances in technology have made it easier for independent musicians to create their own stores where they can sell music directly.
Non-exclusive music libraries allow composers to sign agreements that let them license the same music to other libraries or clients. This means the composer’s music can be used by multiple people at the same time, unless they have an exclusive agreement with another company. The library does not own the rights to the music outside of the licenses it provides. Usually, the library does not pay the composer upfront. The composer only gets money when the music is licensed, and then the library and composer split the payment equally. Libraries often ask composers to rename their music to create a unique version for registration with performing rights organizations like BMI, ASCAP, or SESAC. If a composer wants to make an exclusive agreement with a library or client, they must first remove the music from all non-exclusive agreements.
A benefit of using a non-exclusive library is that the music can be shared through many platforms, and the composer keeps control over their work. However, if a composer sells their music to an exclusive library, they are paid upfront but usually give up the rights to their music. This means they lose control over the music and future earnings from licensing it.