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Music License Agreement Template

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Prepared for:

​[Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName] ​

Prepared for:

​[Producer.FirstName][Producer.LastName]

A music license agreement is a contract between a creator of a music composition (licensor) and a producer(licensee) that grants the licensee selective or complete authority to use the licensor’s music in exchange for money. A music license is necessary so that a musician gets adequately compensated for their work of art.

This Agreement is effective and operational from [Document.CreatedDate] and is signed between [Producer.FirstName][Producer.LastName] and [Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName], collectively referred to as the "parties."

The Producer, [Producer.FirstName][Producer.LastName], agrees to give credit to the Musician, [Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName], alongside payment of $(Insert amount in USD) for giving voice to (Name of the Song or Music Project), under the (Name of the Music Label).

Both parties agree to the following terms and conditions stated in this Agreement:

1. Dissemination of Rights

​[Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName] agrees to grant [Producer.FirstName][Producer.LastName] a non-exclusive, globally-applicable, royalty-free, perpetual, transferable, and unlimited license to replicate, reproduce, or generate derivative work and orchestrate the Musical Work titled as (Name of the Song or Music Project) to Producer's venture/project for distribution in varied mediums and not restricted to the television broadcast, pay on demand, pay per view, and live events.

The Musical Work consists of (Describe work here) sound recordings and (Description) underlying musical composition, which is embodied in the Agreement.

A license agreement is not just about granting rights to use music. It also regulates the terms for distribution, performance, promotion, and public performance rights.

2. Payment of Royalty Fee

In addition to the project remuneration, [Producer.FirstName][Producer.LastName]shall pay a (Amount)% of the royalty fee to [Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName] through (Preferred Mode of Payment) within the duration of (Number of years/days) year.

The royalty fee is determined by how much money a company makes from using that song. For example, if a company earns $1 million for using that song, it must pay 10% of that as royalties.

3. Rights and Obligations Regarding Copywriting Composition

​[Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName] possesses the legal authority and competence to agree with [Producer.FirstName][Producer.LastName] and is the exclusive and sole owner of the Musical Content, having the right to grant the license rights intended to be provided as per this Agreement.

For individuals or companies in the music industry, our Music Business Proposal Template is an essential tool.

However, [Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName] is not liable to grant any rights or license to utilize any content, technology, or intellectual property which might raise a dispute with this Agreement.

​[Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName] agrees to insure, defend, and hold the [Producer.FirstName][Producer.LastName] and its affiliates, alongside their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, shareholders, and Producer Party’s Content Licenses, safe from and against all the claims, costs, losses, liability, and expenses.

These expenditures will also consist of the legal fees incurred or sustained by any Producer Party arising out of or in connection with any breach committed by [Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName] related to this Agreement or any claim asserted or threatened against the Producer Party. However, any such claim should be based on the contention that any Musical Content falling within the scope of this Agreement infringes the copyrights, trademarks, publicity, trade secrets, intellectual property, right of privacy, or any third party’s rights.

​[Producer.FirstName][Producer.LastName] reserves the right, at the expense of [Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName], to assume the exclusive defense and regulation of any matter if not subject to Musician’s indemnification, in such case, the Musician agrees to cooperate with Producer’s claim and defense.

A copyright composition clause specifies how much of your work can be used without your permission, and the more specific you are, the less freedom they have to use your work.

4. Obtainment of Content Through Legal Means

The Content (Name of the Song or Music Project) has not been acquired through any coercion or unlawful means, whether criminal or civil, and is not subject to any type of applicable access conditions or accreditation terms that might be ruptured by the Content being utilized by the [Producer.FirstName][Producer.LastName], its distributors or customers as envisioned under this Agreement.

5. Modifications in the Agreement Clauses

This Agreement sets forth the complete settlement and understanding between both parties concerning the intended subject matter hereof. It surpasses all the settlements or arrangements beforehand, if any, whether written or oral, concerning that.

With our Music Producer Contract Template you can cover critical aspects such as project scope, payment terms, ownership of recordings, credits, and production timelines, providing a clear and legally binding framework for your collaboration.

Both parties have the right to seek amendments or modifications in the Agreement owing to changes in technology or business practices only after seeking written consent from one another. If either party modifies the Agreement without informing and seeking approval from the other, it would lead to a breach of contract or even termination, depending upon the intention and scope of the modifications made.

6. Territory Covered by the Agreement

The clarification, legal effectiveness, and validity of this Agreement shall be administered by the laws of (State), applicable to Musical Contracts entered into and exercised thoroughly within (State).

Both the parties agree that the state or supreme/federal courts located in (State) will hold the sole jurisdiction over any disputes or claims arising under or with association with this Agreement. Accordingly, both parties will adhere to the jurisdiction/authority of such courts.

Generally, the music license agreements cover all types of use of music in any format. The territory covered by a music license agreement is usually defined as the geographic region where it is created or where it is published.

7. Termination of the Agreement

If any party breaches this Agreement and fails to cure such breach within (Insert number of days) days after written notice thereof, then the other party may terminate this Agreement upon written notice to the breaching party. In addition, to terminate this Agreement, either party must provide the other with written notice of termination specifying one or more of the following grounds for termination:

  1. The other party has materially breached its obligations under this Agreement.

  2. The other party has been convicted of a felony.

  3. The other party is insolvent and unable to make the payment as stated in the Agreement.

​

Signature
MM / DD / YYYY

​

Signature
MM / DD / YYYY

​[Musician.FirstName][Musician.LastName]​

​[Producer.FirstName][Producer.LastName]​

​[Producer.Company]​

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FAQ

  • A music license agreement is a legal contract between a musician and a party that wants to use their music. The agreement specifies the extent of rights, the amount of money to be paid for these rights, the contract length, and the territory where it can be used.

  • If you are a musician and want to license your music, you can sync license it. A sync license or synchronization license allows you to retain the rights to your song while enabling others to use your music. Alternatively, you can also register with Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) or a Performance Rights Organization (PRO). 

  • Music license fees differ from project to project. For example:

    • If your music is going to appear on TV or radio, the managers of these mediums will be responsible for paying the fees

    • If a creator posts copyrighted material on socials, then they have to pay the license fees

  • Unless your music is copyrighted, anyone can make money off your music. Licensing ensures every time someone uses your music, you get paid for it.

  • A music license is usually good for 70 years, after which it becomes open to the public to use it in any form they want. 

Disclaimer

Materials (e.g. templates, educational articles, blog posts and informational content), made available through PandaDoc, including via any integrations, connectors, extensions, plugins, or third-party AI platforms (e.g. ChatGPT, Claude, or similar tools) are for general information purposes only and are provided "as is." These materials do not constitute legal, regulatory, or compliance advice and should not be construed as such. It is your responsibility to ensure materials meet your specific legal requirements. Consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction before relying on these materials. PandaDoc disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement.

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Music License Agreement Template

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Use this music license agreement template if you need to ensure that your creative work is fairly compensated. This agreement allows the licensee to utilize the licensor's music entirely or partially in exchange for payment.

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