Extended License for Music?

rjm1717 wrote on 8/1/2008, 1:26 PM

Has the music industry ever considered offering an extended license for their songs? For example, some of the stock photo agencies will sell images for a $1 all the way up to $50 each. The license is less restrictive as you go up in price.

It would be nice if the studios or online retailers offered a price that is higher than what you would normally pay on Napster, Rhapsody etc (99 cents) so that you could use commercial music in your videos. There would be a limit of use of course. Let's say, you were making a video for someone's Reheasal Dinner and were only making 10 copies. You could buy commercial songs for $5-$10 each as opposed to the 99 cents. The extended license would be more liberal. I guess what I mean is that it would be good to be offered a license that costs more than the standard 99 cents but obvioulsy less than what a major ad agency would pay for use in a TV commercial.

I know it sounds like a stretch but so was selling individual songs for 99 cents each on the internet a few years ago.

Any thoughts?

Comments

JackW wrote on 8/1/2008, 3:46 PM

I read some time ago that WEVA has negotiated something like what you're suggesting. You might check out their web site or contact them to see about it.

As I recall, the selection was extremely limited, but this was a couple of years ago and that might have changed.

Jack

rjm1717 wrote on 8/1/2008, 6:21 PM

Thanks for the tip. When you log on to the WEVA website you can click through to http://www.zoomlicense.com/

What I suggested earlier is what they are trying to do. They have about 3,500 songs on there for a higher than normal retail fee. They have everything from Willie Nelson to the Prague Philmarmonic Orchestra:)) Seriously though, it is encouraging that someone is looking at this.

rjm1717 wrote on 8/1/2008, 6:26 PM

Update: There are not all that many songs. Many of these songs are listed multiple times by different artists etc. Sorry!

Illusioneer wrote on 8/2/2008, 1:17 PM

Other countries in the world do have such licenses, e.g. Uk, Australia. It is only here in the US that the music industry lawyers are afraid of giving away too much, primarily their own fees.