Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Have questions about Song Licensing? Here are the FAQs!

Song Licensing from the Harry Fox Agency.. 
a great FAQ sheet to get you started 

1. What is the current statutory mechanical rate for physical product (ex. CDs, Cassettes and Vinyl), PDDs, and ringtones? How is it calculated? 

2. HFA’s Songfile rates for interactive streaming. 

3. What can be licensed through HFA Songfile? 

4. The HFA licensing percentage is not 100%. Why? What does that mean? 

5. What are HFA's Songfile Licensing Terms? 

6. How do I obtain print rights for sheet music? 

7. How do I obtain performance rights? 

8. How do I obtain master use rights? 

9. How do I license a recording with samples? 

10. How do I license at a reduced rate? 

11. Do I need a license for less than 25 CDs, ringtones or PDDs? 

12. Do I need a license for less than 100 interactive streams? 

13. Do I still need a license for recordings if I'm not selling them? 

14. What is "Fair Use"? 

15. How do I license for digital uses other than single PDDs (full, permanentdigital downloads), ringtones, or interactive streams? 

16. How do I pay my mechanical royalties to HFA? 

17. How do I license a new arrangement of a copyright-protected song, or a medley? 

18. Does HFA license karaoke? 

19. Does HFA license multi-session recordings (DVD-A, SACD,DualDisc)? 

20. Does HFA license recordings imported from other countries? 

21. What is a UPC code and how can I obtain one? 

22. What is an ISRC and how can I obtain one? 23. How can I license more than 2,500 units of physical or digital product? 

24. How can I license more than 10,000 interactive streams? 

25. Does HFA license internet radio? 

26. Can I license Express Live CDs and PDDs through HFA Songfile? 

27. Why can I find a song in the public search, but not when I search to license it through Songfile? Why can I license a song for some formats, but not others? 

28. How can I license a song longer than 30 minutes? 

29. How do I use the License Reorder Option? 

30. What is an HFA Song Code? 

31. How do I save a cart? 

32. I added multiple songs. Why is there only one song in my saved cart? 

33. How do I add multiple songs to one cart? 

34. When I click on "View My Cart", my order is missing. 

35. When I click on the View Cart icon on the top right of my Songfile page, I am unable to view my existing orders. 

36. Can I add songs to a completed order? 

37. Does a Songfile license apply outside the U.S.?