SONGSTUFF by Cary Ginell: Ransacking the Public Domain, Part 4 Folk Songs on the Charts
Last time we focused on Elvis Presley’s use of traditional material in crafting some of the best-selling hits of his career. Today we look at how folk music has been a constant source for other popular performers to draw from, especially songs that told stories. Folk music has been used in popular music for as long as records have been made. From early renditions of Stephen Foster songs and spirituals on cylinders to today, the timelessness of familiar melodies have always been a surefire recipe for success, especially when you add in the fact that with public domain songs, there are no royalties to pay. Folk music has produced hits [...]
From the vaults: Digital & Mobile Streaming of Live Broadcast Content- What Does it Mean to You?
This post originally appeared in the Megatrax Newsletter. Want to subscribe? Email info@megatrax.com today! You may have been following the issue in the news, or you may have been tackling it first-hand at work, but the era of live streaming of broadcast content online and via mobile devices is upon us, and the ripples of this change will touch every aspect of the broadcast world. As we’ve followed the Aereo lawsuit in particular, we’ve been thinking about how this transition will affect our clients and the world of music licensing. Megatrax’s Senior Vice President of Sales, Phil Macko, says: “No one can argue with the fact that this move is [...]
From the vaults: licensing notes from leisa korn for 8/8/2011
Several people have asked me lately to explain “ephemeral use”…and they have asked me more than once so I am going to simplify this as best I can. e·phem·er·al/əˈfem(ə)rəl/ Noun: An ephemeral shooting star. Adjective: Lasting for a very short time: “fashions are ephemeral”…and so are some uses of music in broadcast. Let me start with a couple of examples…a news reporter is doing a live feed from Malibu beach during a surfing competition…surf music is blaring in the background and people are moving to the beat. That same reporter is later broadcasting from a local bar and music is heard in the background. Because this type of use is caught [...]
From the Vaults- Ephemeral Use and Production Music: Just the Facts
In the production music business, we tend to take sync fees for granted; we assume that if a client wants to use our music, they need to pay a synchronization fee and obtain a proper license. Yet from time to time there are situations that arise where clients claim that they can use our music without a license due to something called “Ephemeral Use.” Can shows like “Good Morning America,” “Today” and “SNL” really use our music for free? This article will endeavor to shed some light on this oft-misunderstood topic. What is Ephemeral Use? First let’s start with a definition of the word “ephemeral,” which according to most dictionaries [...]
Demystifying Sound-Alikes
Through the years I have had some interesting conversations with creative directors regarding their inquiries to me about doing a re-recorded version of a popular song. In many cases what they think they need is not necessarily what they are asking for initially, so I thought I’d present a basic “I Want Something That Sounds Like (fill in the song title here) 101” here. If a client wants to use not only a popular song, but also use a previously recorded version of that song, they need two different sets of rights granted to them. The first would be from the publisher(s) of that song, for synchronization rights. There is [...]
Megatrax Celebrates Deep East Music Launch at West Hollywood’s London Hotel
A positively smashing time was had by all as Megatrax feted the launch of our newest library, UK-based Deep East Music. Hosted in the Gordon Ramsay restaurant at the posh and trendy London Hotel in West Hollywood, the event featured British-themed pub drinks and hors d’oeuvres such as English Pea Soup, Beef Wellington and of course Fish & Chips. The gala, co-sponsored with the Guild of Music Supervisors, provided an excellent opportunity for clients and friends to mingle and get acquainted with the producers of the new London-based catalog. A few of the guests in attendance included music supervisors Gary Calamar, Maureen Crowe, John Houlihan, Bonnie Greenberg, Toddrick Spaulding and [...]
Megatrax’s Wendie Colter Goes to SXSW 2013
Austin in the Spring – toasty temperatures, friendly faces, and the annual madness known as South By Southwest! I attended the Music event again this year, to seek out new talent for our Marquee Music emerging artists catalog and to get a bead on upcoming music trends. Here are my highlights as well as some nifty video to give you that “you-are-there” feeling (apologies in advance for wobbly footage!). The music takes off on 6th Street in downtown Austin. 6th Street is lined with dozens of clubs, all of which feature bands from 10am to 2am daily. There are also special stages set up on side streets that showcase bands [...]
Megatrax is heading to NAB Show 2013!
The National Association of Broadcasters’ 2013 Show kicks off next week in fabulous Las Vegas, and we hope we’ll see you there. Megatrax Production Music will be setting up shop in booth SL7920 in the South Lower Hall. We’ll be celebrating the launch of our latest catalog from Deep East Music, and there’s always something fun happening in the booth. Here’s a look at what we did last year, when we were launching Sound Adventures. We really hope you’ll drop by!
Is your production music library an aggregator?
There are generally two types of production music libraries on the market: companies that commission new, original music and companies that ‘aggregate’ preexisting content. Why does it matter? Traditional production music libraries like Megatrax hire composers and songwriters to write 100% new, original music. Our music is created directly in response to current trends and market demand. Strict quality control is maintained since our producers work directly with composers and songwriters to ensure that the material is commercially viable, non-infringing on any existing copyrights, and consistent with our high production standards. We carefully screen and vet our composers, being sure to only work with reputable, seasoned professionals who often have [...]
Come Sizzle with Megatrax!
It’s that time of year again… time to check out the latest sizzle reel from Megatrax Production Music! Enjoy!
