Music does more for a corporate video than almost anything else on screen: it sets the pace, carries the emotion and makes a brand feel modern or classic in the first three seconds. It is also the part most often used without the right permission. This guide explains, in plain terms, how to license music for a company video so you can publish it anywhere without takedowns, muted audio or legal letters.
Why you cannot just use a song you like
Every recorded song carries two separate copyrights. The composition (melody and lyrics) belongs to the songwriters and their publisher. The master recording (that specific recording) belongs to the label or the artist who paid for it. Putting music under moving images is called synchronisation, and it needs permission for both. Buying the track on a download store, having a streaming subscription or crediting the artist does not give you that permission.
The risks of skipping it are real: platforms block or mute videos, ads get rejected, and rights holders can ask for a licence fee after the fact, often higher than the original price would have been.
What a business licence should cover
For a typical company video, check that the licence states clearly:
- Who is licensed: your company, or the client if an agency or production company is working on their behalf.
- Which production: one licence normally covers one track in one video. Cut-downs and versions of the same video are usually included.
- Where it will be used: website, organic social media, internal communication, trade fairs and events. Paid advertising is a different use and usually a different licence.
- Territory and term: worldwide and perpetual for the licensed production is the standard for online corporate use.
- Both rights: master and composition, ideally from a single licensor (so-called one-stop clearance).
Organic use or paid advertising?
This is the distinction that changes the price most. A brand film posted on your website and LinkedIn is organic use. The same film boosted on Meta, YouTube pre-roll or TikTok with a media budget is advertising, and rights holders price it higher because it reaches a paid audience. If you plan to sponsor the video, say so before you license: upgrading later is possible, but it is simpler to choose the right licence from the start.
How much does it cost?
Prices depend on the size of the company, the media and the territory. As a reference, these are the online licences in the PA74 catalogue (prices excluding VAT):
| Use | Typical licence | PA74 price |
|---|---|---|
| Company up to 50 employees: website, social, internal, events | Business Online | €149 |
| Larger companies, agencies and production companies | Corporate Online | €349 |
| Paid online ads in one country, 12-month campaign | Online Ads – 1 country | €490 |
| Paid online ads worldwide, 12-month campaign | Online Ads – Worldwide | €790 |
TV, cinema, radio and large campaigns are quoted case by case. You can compare all options on our licence prices page.
Step by step: from brief to licensed video
- Write a two-line brief: mood, tempo and two or three reference songs (“warm and confident, mid-tempo, like Coldplay but instrumental”).
- Search by mood and genre: in the Sync Library you can stream every track in full, filter by genre and mood and check BPM, key and similar artists.
- Test it against the edit: put the track under a rough cut before you decide. Instrumental versions help when there is a voice-over.
- Choose the licence that matches the use, add the project title and the client, and complete the purchase.
- Keep the licence certificate with the project files. It lists the track, the production and the licensed media, and it is what you show if anyone asks.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using “royalty-free” music without reading what the licence actually allows (many exclude advertising or client work).
- Licensing under the agency name when the video belongs to the client.
- Re-using the same track in a new video without a new licence.
- Forgetting that a boosted post is paid advertising.
- Downloading from video platforms: the quality is poor and there is no licence attached.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pay SIAE, PRS or ASCAP as well?
No. A sync licence covers putting the music in your video. Performance royalties are collected by the collecting societies from broadcasters, cinemas and venues, not from the company that made the video.
Can my agency buy the licence for us?
Yes. Choose a licence that covers work for a client and enter your company as the client, so the certificate names you as the end user.
What if the video gets a copyright claim on YouTube?
Send the licence number and the video link to the licensor: a valid licence lets them release the claim. Our guide on Content ID explains how it works.
Can I use the music in a live event or trade fair?
Showing the licensed video at an event is normally included in a business licence. Playing music on its own in a venue is public performance and is handled by the venue through the collecting society.
Need help choosing?
If you have a deadline or a specific sound in mind, tell us about your project: we will send a short selection of tracks that fit, already cleared for your use.
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