What Is Sync Licensing? (Why Should You Care as an Artist)

Let’s say you’ve made a banger. It slaps. You’re proud. But instead of it collecting dust on your hard drive or slowly racking up 83 streams on Spotify (thanks, Aunt Linda), what if that same track ended up in a Netflix trailer, a Nike ad, or a YouTube video with 2 million views?

That’s sync licensing. And it’s a seriously underrated revenue stream for independent artists.

Wait, So What Is Sync Licensing?

Sync licensing (short for “synchronization sync licensing”) is when your music gets sync licensed to be used in sync with visual content — stuff like TV shows, films, commercials, video games, YouTube videos, TikToks… basically anything with a screen and sound.

When someone wants to use your track in their video, they need to get a sync license. You get paid. You keep the rights. And sometimes, that placement leads to more exposure than a playlist ever could.

How Do Artists Make Money From Sync?

There are a few ways money rolls in:

• Upfront sync fees: This is what someone pays to sync license the track. These can range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the project.
• Royalties: If your track is registered with a PRO (like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC), you earn backend performance royalties when that content airs on TV or streams online.
• Streaming boosts: A killer placement can drive people to look you up on Spotify. One great sync can act like a supercharged release.

It’s not magic. It’s just smart catalog strategy.

Do I Need a Label or Publisher to Do Sync?

Nope.

These days, artists are taking sync into their own hands. You don’t need a label, a manager, or an insider friend at HBO. You just need two things:

1. Great music (which you already have).
2. A way to get that music in front of music libraries and music supervisors.

That’s where platforms like That Pitch come in.

What Kind of Music Gets Synced?

It’s not always about trending genres or huge names. Sync libraries and music supervisors are looking for usable music. That means:

• Emotionally clear: Can the feeling be felt in the first 5 seconds?
• Well-produced: It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does have to sound polished.
• Rights-ready: All collaborators agree to sync licensing and splits are clear.
• No samples: Period.

Your unreleased tracks, instrumentals, alt mixes, and even leftovers might be exactly what a sync library is looking for.

What Is a Music Library?

Think of music libraries as digital shelves where music supervisors go to shop for songs. Sync libraries organize, tag, and offer your music to clients like agencies, production companies, brands, and studios.

Some sync libraries are generalist, others are boutique. Some want vocal pop, others want horror cues. All of them want high-quality music that’s ready to sync license right now.

Getting into sync libraries is like getting your foot in the door — from there, anything can happen.

Is Sync Worth It for Indie Artists?

Short answer: absolutely.

Sync licensing helps artists:

• Earn money from tracks that otherwise sit unused
• Build relationships with music buyers
• Reach new audiences
• Diversify income beyond streaming and touring

Plus, unlike social media or playlisting, sync is a long game. One placement today can still pay you a year from now. Ten placements? You’ve got a catalog that’s working for you while you sleep.

How Do I Get Started?

You could spend months cold emailing sync libraries, formatting metadata, chasing signatures… or you could just join That Pitch.

We’ve already partnered with 100+ top music libraries around the world. You upload once. We take care of the rest.

And the best part? You keep 100% of your earnings.

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Wanna get your tracks into 100+ top music libraries?
Join free. Upload unlimited music. Keep 100% of your earnings.
👉 thatpitch.com