LEARN ABOUT LICENSING LIBRARY MUSIC

WHAT IS LIBRARY MUSIC?

Library music, also known as production or catalogue music, is non-commercial music used in TV, film, advertising, gaming, podcasts and more. It’s written, performed and produced by composers, artists and production music companies (that’s us). As a production music company, we make music to spec for our clients: our team create music specifically for a brief, or we make music in line with current trends in media. We specialise in creating music for specific content, covering a variety of genres and themes — dramedy, high-impact sports, and expressive piano, to name a few.

Once complete, clients then license these library music tracks for a standard rate. This is much more affordable than licensing a commercial track, such as music from a significant artist or composer. Library music has all been pre-cleared; for us, it is ‘royalty fair’: clients have all the copywriting permissions necessary to immediately use their tracks of choice.

Without knowing it, you will have heard many library music songs in the background of commercials, your favourite reality TV shows, your meditation app and even the latest Marvel movie.

HOW DO I FIND THE BEST LIBRARY MUSIC?

• By genre: One of the most common ways to start your library music search is by genre, or style, of music. Popular genres include tension, atmospheric, corporate pop, electronica, country, orchestral hybrid, hip hop, children’s, classical, r&b, jazz, latin, pop and rock. We work with some of the most talented composers worldwide and across these genres to create music that authentically reflects each genre.

• By “music for “: Our clients often ask us for help to find specific music or genres for their projects or content. A few examples are music for documentaries, music for sports, music for trailers, music for fashion, music for pharmaceuticals, music for corporate events, music for local TV, music for movies, music for wedding videos and music for Christmas. Our state-of-the-art website has a dropdown list of tonnes of “music for” categories to help guide your search.

• By label: We have 15 unique labels that specialise in various genres and styles of music. These are:
  • And Then Some – a dynamic collection of tracks reflecting a young and diverse audience.
  • West One Music is our signature label that embraces different genres and programming styles from past to present, always with an eye on future trends.
  • Electronic Dance Series is pure electronic music from the European underground dance scene.
  • The Scoring House is a highly inspired composition that combines a group of virtuosos in the music industry to create timeless works.
  • Somos is a vibrant and exciting celebration of authentic Latin music recorded locally across Latin America.
  • Somos Mas showcases the best of Latin America’s vibrant and inspiring music scene from award-winning independent artists.
  • Fired Earth Music is a high-impact trailer music that’s sweeping, dramatic, innovative, and experimental.
  • West One Music Group is a collection of programming-themed compilations drawing on music from our family of labels.
  • Asia Record Collective – featuring local composers and artists from across Asia.
  • Little Assembly is home to emerging and independent artists who push boundaries.
  • Real to Reel is our scoring collection designed to support various human dramas, documentaries, and true crime.
  • Zero Degrees is our home for independent Canadian talent, producing authentic, mainstream music across genres.
  • Refuel Music is our retro collection of original vintage music recorded live in the 60s and 70s.
  • Sonic Station is one of our newest labels, providing the sound of today’s dynamic programming.
  • Real Again Records captures the true essence of emerging, on-trend, independent artists across genres.

• By mood: Sometimes, you may not know precisely what library track you need for your project, but you know the feelings and emotions you’d like to impart to your audience. This is where our list of mood options can help guide your search. Examples of moods to search by are dramatic, happy, peaceful, scary, tender, disturbing, neutral, sad, profound and uplifting.

• By instrument: A library music track’s instrumentation can impart powerful feelings. Brass instruments create a robust and powerful atmosphere, while strings are tender and passionate. Examples of other instruments to search by are vocals, woodwinds, Spanish guitar, string quartet, and djembe.

• By What’s Trending: We understand that our clients are constantly moving on to the next season or time of year. Our expert team of music supervisors create playlists for the latest event, holiday, or season to anticipate our client’s needs. In our website’s “What’s Trending” section, you’ll find specially curated playlists for Best of Latin, Romance in Reality TV, Mindfulness, Christmas, Finance & Economics, Environmental Concern, Politics and much more.

HOW DO I LICENSE YOUR PREMIUM LIBRARY MUSIC?

Contact us today to learn about our pricing, register for an account and get more information on how to license our music.