1. Non-Exclusive Agreement (What We Are)

To make an agreement that allows the client (in this case the artist), to procure the services of other music licensing companies, and not be held down to anyone.

2. License

A general term that conveys the right, granted by the copyright holder, for a given person or entity to broadcast, recreate, perform, or listen to a recorded copy of the copyrighted work.

3. Non-Exclusive License

To grant a licensee the ability to license a song and still be able to license the song to others. Opposite of exclusive license.

4. Exclusive license

To grant a licensee the right to be the ONLY licensee for that piece of music; that is, no one else will be able to license that piece of music for any other film, ad, website, etc, ever (depending on what is negotiated in the contract).

5. Master Recording License

The License that is granted from the owner of the copyrighted music that allows the licensee the act of utilizing the piece of work for their own uses.

6. Music Supervisor (A Big One, Know This)

A person who manages the licensing of music for a film or television production. The Music Supervisor handles music clearance and rights licensing of existing music, and also may be involved with supervising the score composer. Choosing appropriate music, including Source Cues and songs is usually the responsibility of a Music Supervisor. More and more, Music Supervisors are getting involved with the hiring decisions for score composers, (something that score composers should be aware of.)

7. Performing Rights Organizations (PRO)

Large non-profit organizations, that bests known of whom are ASCAP BMI and to a lesser extent SESAC, (which is invite only, and there are others as well), whose fundamental job is to is to keep track of every single performance or broadcast of all works protected under copyright, and to distribute royalties to artists and composers for those performances.

8. Copyright

This gives authors exclusive rights to their work. Copyright laws of the us prohibit any use of the music or composer without permission from the author or composer. Composers can register their work with the copyright office (Library of congress Washington D.C.) in order to claim exclusive rights to their work for a certain period. usually a copyright lasts for 75-95 years from the time the copyright was secured. Works protected under copyright cannot be used publicly by any person or entity unless royalties are paid.

9. Synchronization License

Often referred to as a 'sync' license, a Synchronization license allows a user to reproduce a musical composition in connection with or in timed relation with a visual image, e.g, a motion picture, video or advertising commercial

10. Royalties

A sum paid to the copyright owners for the sale or use of their musical works, or other subject matter. Royalties that are charged for the public performance of music, including music used in television programs, bars and restaurants, and non- US theaters. These royalties are collected by performing rights organizations (In the US by ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC), and are paid to the songwriter, composer, and publisher members of these organizations based on various factors including how often the music is played and the historical popularity of the music.

11. Knock off

Instead of licensing an existing popular song for a potentially astronomical fee, many companies will commission a composer to create a "knock-off" or "sound alike" of the popular piece of music. Knowledgeable composers can create a track that has the same essence or feeling without being so close that you might get in trouble with copyright infringement on the original.

12. Usage

How prominently a track is featured in a production (can affect cost of license).

13. Publisher

For the Purposes of Copyright, a publisher is the owner of the copyrighted work. It is now standard practice for songwriters of even the slightest prominence to form a "publishing company" who actually owns the rights to their work. This phrasing is reflective of the state of media at the time of the Berne Convention, when all music distribution was done on paper as sheet music for piano player rolls.

14. Publishing

The commercial exploitation of songs through the issuances of mechanical licenses, synchronization licenses, performing rights licenses, rights licenses, print licenses as well as other licenses authorizing various uses of songs.

15. Mechanical License/rights

Mechanical Rights give the rights to record and distribute a copyrighted music or that is owned by someone else. The mechanical rights or mechanical license is obtained from the author or publisher of work. The term mechanical is used is used to imply the uses of mechanical devices such as CD, Cassette, DVD, LP, to play the music. The amount to be paid to the publisher or composer for mechanical rights depends on the amount of recordings sold. (Pertains especially but not limited to cover songs.)

16. Duration

The Amount of time a track is used for (Including looping).
This could affect the amount an artist is paid for a license especially in the "synch" category.

17. Publicity Rights

The rights to use an artist's name and likeness in a production or elsewhere, other than as a credit.

18. Territory

The geographic region where a sync license is valid and a project is made available to a an audience.

19. Licensor

The owner of the licensed work