In short: To use existing music in a film you normally need two permissions: a synchronisation licence for the song from its publisher, and a licence for the recording from the label. Library music is quicker because one company usually controls both. Music you write yourself needs no licence. Start the enquiry before the edit is locked.
To use existing music in a film you normally need two permissions: one for the song and one for the recording. The song, called the composition, belongs to a songwriter or publisher. The recording belongs to a label or to whoever paid for the session. Get both, in writing, for the media, the territory and the length of time you need, before the film goes anywhere public.
This page is general information from a working studio, not legal advice. For a feature, a broadcast or anything with a lot of money behind it, bring in a music clearance specialist or a solicitor.
The two copyrights inside every track
When you hear a song, you are hearing two works at once.
- The composition. The melody and lyrics. The rights usually sit with the songwriter and their publisher.
- The recording. That particular performance, captured in that particular session. The rights usually sit with the label, or with an artist who paid for the recording themselves.
The Intellectual Property Office describes a synchronisation licence, or sync licence, as the permission to use music in time with moving images. It says publishing rights can be licensed from the music publisher and rights in the recording from the record label. CopyrightUser makes the same point from the filmmaker's side: the person making the video must seek permission from the owner of the song and of the recording. Watershed's guide, an interview with PRS for Music staff, warns that a filmmaker can blow the budget by negotiating fees for the publishing side only.
So when somebody says "I have cleared the track", ask which half they mean.
Who does what: PRS, PPL and the labels
The three letters cause more confusion than any other part of this subject.
- PRS for Music is the first contact for the publishing side. Its sync team may be able to act as the licensor for a track and negotiate a rate, or can point you to the right rights holder. The Watershed guide says to ask them first.
- PPL licenses broadcasters for the recorded music in the programmes they transmit. Its own page on TV programmes says that a programme commissioned by a PPL-licensed broadcaster is covered by the broadcaster's licence, and that for anything else you may need to go to the rightsholder, such as the record label, for a direct licence.
- The label or master owner is who you ask when you want to put a commercial recording in your film.
The IPO's post suggests PRS for Music as a first port of call for publishing rights and PPL for master rights. It dates from 2017, so check current details with PRS, PPL or the owner before you rely on it.
Four ways to get music into a film
| Route | What you get | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| A commercial track | The song you want, after negotiation | Two licences, a fee that varies with use, and time |
| Library music | Pre-cleared tracks on a published licence | The media, territory and term the licence covers |
| A commissioned composer | Original music made for your film | Who owns it, agreed in writing before work starts |
| Public domain | Free use of the composition, if it has expired | The recording and any new arrangement are separate |
A commercial track
This is the hard route, and the most tempting. Watershed's guide says commercial sync is a negotiation and can take time. The same guide says PRS publishes dedicated rates for film, trailers, advertising and online content, that a dedicated festival rate exists but is limited in use, and that a wider theatrical or online-only release needs additional licensing. The guide carries no publication date, so confirm current rates with PRS. Fees move with how the music is used, where, for how long and on what budget, so ask for a quote against a real description of your project rather than a general price.
Library music
Production music libraries sell tracks that are cleared for use in productions. CopyrightUser notes that library music is usually cheaper and easier to clear because one specialist company controls both the song and the recording. Watershed's guide says production music can be cleared straight away once you know the rate and which track you want.
"Royalty-free" usually means you pay once and not per use. It does not mean there is no licence. Read what the licence says about media, territory and term before you cut it into anything.
A commissioned composer
If you write your own music, the IPO says you will not need a licence and you will own the copyright. If somebody else writes it for you, agree in writing who owns it, or what you may do with it, before they start. Our page on what a composer does explains how that job fits into a production.
Public domain
GOV.UK gives the usual UK terms. A composition is protected until 70 years after the author's death. A sound recording lasts 70 years from when it was first published. The length also depends on when the work was made, so older works need a closer check.
The practical consequence is that an old piece of music can be free to use while a recent recording of it is not. If you want the old piece, record it yourself with performers you have agreed terms with.
What to tell the rightsholder
When you ask for a quote, put everything in the first message. Watershed's guide advises asking all your questions at the first contact, because rushing clearance in post-production causes problems. Include:
- the track title, artist and composer, as far as you know them
- how the music is used: in the background, as the main feature of a scene, or under the opening titles
- how long you use, and where it starts and ends
- where the film will be seen: a festival, online, broadcast or cinema
- the territory: the UK or worldwide
- the term: how long you want the licence to run
- a one paragraph description of the project and a realistic budget
Music on set and in the studio
Music that is audible in a shot is music in your film. If a radio is playing behind the actors, or a band is performing a song they did not write, treat it as a track to clear, or ask for it to be switched off for the take. You cannot always edit it out later without ruining the dialogue.
The same applies to playback on a music video shoot. The track your performer is miming to needs both licences before you release the finished film. Our guide to planning a one day music video in a studio covers the shoot itself.
Cue sheets
A cue sheet is a log of every piece of music in a finished programme, with the title, composer, publisher, timing and how it was used. Broadcasters and distributors usually ask for one, and the person who knows what went in the edit is the person who should write it. Keep it as you cut, not three months later. The music cue sheet template gives you the layout. Ask your broadcaster or distributor what format they want.
Mistakes that cost money
- Clearing only half. You hold the song licence and forget the recording, or the other way round.
- Cutting to a temp track. The edit sets around a song you cannot afford, and the film never sounds right without it.
- Assuming a licence for one use covers another. A festival rate does not cover a wider release.
- Trusting "free to use". Read what the licence says about commercial use, territory and term.
- Losing the paperwork. Keep each licence with the title of the track and the date you agreed it.
- Starting late. Clearance takes time, and the answer may be no.
Start the enquiry before the edit is locked, and choose the cheaper route first if you have a choice.
Sources
- Intellectual Property Office, Synchronise and commercialise, read 5 November 2026
- GOV.UK, How long copyright lasts, read 5 November 2026
- CopyrightUser, Licences, read 5 November 2026
- PPL, Do I need a licence to use recorded music or music videos in a TV programme I am making?, read 5 November 2026
- Watershed, A short guide to music licensing with PRS for Music, read 5 November 2026
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What is a sync licence?
A synchronisation licence gives you permission to use a piece of music in time with moving images. You need one when the music is still in copyright, and it comes from the publisher or songwriter. If you also want a commercial recording of the song, you need a separate licence from the record label.
Do I need permission to use a song in a YouTube video?
Yes, if the song is still in copyright. You need the song owner's permission and the recording owner's permission, because the composition and the recording usually belong to different people. Music you wrote yourself, or library music licensed for online use, is the simple way round it.
How long does music stay in copyright in the UK?
A composition is protected until 70 years after the author's death. A sound recording is protected for 70 years from when it was first published. Old compositions can be free to use while a modern recording of the same piece is not, so check each one separately.
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