Music Issues

Entcounsel provides legal services to musicians and artists including music recording agreements, publishing agreements, music licensing issues, music clearance issues and more.

Artists need to evaluate whether it’s a good idea to work with a publisher, label, or manager who take the publishing, recording, and merchandising rights claiming they can do everything for an artist (i.e. that they are a one stop shop). The artist needs to evaluate whether the label is really a publisher and actively pursuing master and synchronization licences with music supervisors.

Film and TV Music Licensing

When dealing with film and/or tv music licensing, you are dealing with music publishers, record labels, collectives, performing rights societies, managers and music supervisors

  • Synchronization License(If a Producer has a synch license, then a producer can record their own version of the song which is helpful especially if the producer is unable to get the record label to grant them the master use rights of a particular recording)
  • Soundtrack Rights (each affiliate of a record label usually controls the company’s repertoire in its home territory).
  • Mechanical License for Records (DVDs)
  • Public Performance (theatres)
  • First Use Rights
  • Right to Copy (lyrics)
  • Master Use (only required if you are using the original soundtrack of the music).
TV and film producers have to be cautious of sound-a-likes and misappropriation of personality if you use a singer that sounds very similar to the original artist.

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A law firm for creatives, startups & entrepreneurs in the areas of intellectual property, copyright, contracts, entertainment and technology.