Before you dive into the world of using popular music in your radio ads, it’s essential to understand the ins and outs of licensing for commercial use. Here’s a concise guide:
Copyright
Popular music—everyone knows it, and everyone loves to sing along. But is it worth paying out the ass for in your radio ads? Tons of people ask us if they can use a popular song or theme from a TV show/movie in their radio ad. The answer is no—well unless you have a huge budget. Then the answer is sometimes. All popular (and unpopular) music is copyrighted—that includes the original track and recorded performances of the track. This means you aren’t allowed to use the music in your radio ads legally unless you want to pay to license it, which can be costly.
Boo. There has to be an easier way, right? Then we receive the following follow-up questions: “Well, can we do a remake? Can we use the instrumental and rewrite the lyrics? Can we use the lyrics but have a different instrumental? Can we do a cheap rip off of the song?” The answer again is no.
Licensing for Commercial Use
If you want to obtain a license for commercial use of the song, you will need to find the record label that produced it and contact them directly. You’ll have to ask them permission to use the song in your radio ads, and see what the price will be—costs can greatly differ for different songs. Most likely, you’ll need both a master use license and a synchronization/transcription license.
How much does it cost?
Okay, so what’s the cost of all this? Well, you can expect to pay a hefty price between $75,000 and $200,000 to license a popular song for national commercial use for one year. However, costs can get as high as a million dollars for a major pop hit in a national campaign. Licensing fees for local campaigns usually start around $10,000 to $25,000. You can license the song for your radio ads for 1 to 3 years, but you will never own the rights to the song—and if you want to continue running the radio ads after that, you’ll have to renew your license.
Sigh. We know, we know. That isn’t the best news ever. But artists take pride in their work—and if you’re using it for commercial use and making money off of it…well, they rightfully want a cut of that profit too. So, what’s the worst that can happen if you use it anyway? At best, a fine—and at worst, a lawsuit.
Is it worth it?
So…is it really worth it for your radio ads? In our expert opinion—no. Why use someone else’s track when you can create your own? Get customers to sing along to a jingle about your brand rather than some celebrity singer’s brand. When the consumer walks away from the radio ad, are they gonna remember your product…or just the pop song that you spent butt tons of money on to be able to license? Get them singing your lyrics instead—it’s cheaper, you can use it forever, and you own it.
Try something creative!
Ready to make your radio ad unforgettable? That’s where Push Button Productions shines. We specialize in crafting creative, brand-tailored radio ads that leave a lasting impression. Let’s create the best radio ad that keeps your audience singing long after it’s aired.
Contact Push Button Productions for creative radio ads and more creative marketing solutions!
