Music License Agreement
Synchronization or master use license — for podcasts, video, advertising, film/TV, and other audio-visual works.
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MUSIC LICENSE AGREEMENT This Music License Agreement (this "Agreement") is entered into and effective as of May 11, 2026 (the "Effective Date") between: LICENSOR: Greenfield Music Publishing LLC (on behalf of composer Marcus T. Hall) Address: 2200 Music Row, Nashville, TN 37203 LICENSEE: Apexa Robotics, Inc. Address: 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 1. THE MUSIC ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Composition title: "Open Horizons" (instrumental) Composer: Marcus T. Hall (BMI) PRO affiliation: BMI (Collectively, the "Composition" and, where applicable, the "Master Recording.") ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 2. LICENSE GRANT ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Subject to the terms hereof, Licensor grants Licensee a one-stop synchronization AND master use license — Licensor controls or has authority to license both rights, and grants both to Licensee in a single agreement.. Licensee may use the Composition (and Master Recording, if licensed) in connection with the following production (the "Production"): Title: "Future of Robotics" — Apexa Robotics 90-second brand video Type: corporate or brand video Music use: Up to 60 seconds, used as background and intro/outro music Territory: worldwide. Term: in perpetuity from the Effective Date. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 3. LICENSE FEE ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Licensee shall pay Licensor a one-time license fee of $3,500.00 within 30 days of the Effective Date by check, ACH, or wire transfer. This fee covers the rights granted in this Agreement, including any combined synchronization and master-use rights as specified in Section 2. No additional payment is required for the rights granted, except as set forth below for performance royalties (Section 5). ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 4. PERMITTED USES AND RESTRICTIONS ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Permitted: synchronization with the Production; reproduction and distribution as part of the Production in the licensed territory and term; broadcast, streaming, and digital download of the Production. Prohibited: (a) Use of the Composition (or Master Recording) outside the Production; (b) Modification of the Composition's lyrics or melody (except as agreed for editing for length/timing); (c) Use in any production beyond the one identified above without separate license; (d) Sublicensing of the music separately from the Production; (e) Use that would associate the Composition with content prohibited under Section 7. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 5. PERFORMANCE ROYALTIES (PRO) ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Public performance royalties (broadcast, streaming, public-place performance) are NOT covered by this Agreement and are separately payable to BMI or other applicable PRO. Licensee or its broadcasters/distributors shall obtain blanket public-performance licenses from the relevant PRO. Licensor shall provide cue sheets / metadata as needed for proper royalty distribution. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 6. CREDIT ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Where reasonable and customary in the medium, Licensee shall include credit substantially as follows: "Music: '"Open Horizons" (instrumental)' written by Marcus T. Hall (BMI), used by license. BMI." For podcasts and corporate videos, credit in the production description / show notes is acceptable. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 7. PROHIBITED CONTENT ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Licensee shall not use the Composition in connection with: pornographic content; hate-group materials; tobacco / firearms advertising; political campaigns (without separate consent); content that disparages the Composer or Licensor. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 8. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Licensor represents and warrants that: (a) Licensor is the sole owner of the rights granted hereunder, or has authority to grant them; (b) The Composition does not infringe any third-party copyright; (c) No further consent or payment to any third party is required for the rights granted (except PRO performance royalties). Licensee represents that it has authority to enter into this Agreement and will use the music only as permitted. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 9. INDEMNIFICATION ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Each party indemnifies the other for breach of its representations and warranties. Licensor's indemnification cap: the license fee paid. Licensee indemnifies Licensor for any unauthorized use of the music outside the rights granted. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 10. NO MFN ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ No most-favored-nation provision applies. Other licenses for the Production may have different terms. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 11. GOVERNING LAW ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, and federal copyright law (17 USC §§101 et seq.). ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the parties regarding the licensed music and supersedes all prior negotiations. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ EXECUTION ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ LICENSOR: LICENSEE: _______________________________ _______________________________ Greenfield Music Publishing LLC (on behalf of composer Marcus T. Hall) Apexa Robotics, Inc. By: _____________________________ By: _____________________________ Title: _____________________________ Title: _____________________________ Date: _____________________________ Date: _____________________________
About this template
Music licensing is the most-fragmented area of copyright law. A single piece of music typically has TWO separately-owned copyrights: (1) the COMPOSITION (the underlying musical work — melody, harmony, lyrics) — owned by the songwriter and/or publisher; and (2) the MASTER RECORDING (the specific recorded performance) — owned by the recording artist and/or record label. To use a recorded song in a video, podcast, or commercial, you typically need BOTH a sync license (composition) AND a master use license. "One-stop" licensing means a single party controls both rights and can license them together; this is common for indie artists who self-publish, but most catalog music has split rights. Major licensing categories: (1) SYNC LICENSE — synchronization with audio-visual content (video, film, TV, advertising, podcasts). Negotiated case-by-case; rates range from $200-$5,000 for indie/podcast use to $50K-$500K+ for major film/TV/advertising. (2) MASTER USE LICENSE — use of the specific recording. Often negotiated alongside the sync license for the same piece. (3) MECHANICAL LICENSE — reproduction in phonorecords (CDs, downloads). The Music Modernization Act of 2018 created the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) which administers a blanket statutory mechanical license at 9.1¢ per copy / 1.75¢ per minute over 5 minutes (37 CFR §385.31). For physical or downloadable products, mechanical licenses are typically obtained via Harry Fox Agency or directly from publishers. (4) PUBLIC PERFORMANCE LICENSE — for broadcast, streaming, and public-place performance. Administered by Performance Rights Organizations (PROs): ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and Global Music Rights (GMR). Most broadcasters and streaming platforms have blanket licenses with the PROs. The licensee in a sync deal does NOT generally need to obtain performance licenses separately; the broadcaster/streamer handles that. (5) PRINT LICENSE — for sheet music, lyrics in publications. Administered by music publishers. The most-overlooked aspect of music licensing in podcasts and corporate video: PRO blanket licenses do NOT cover synchronization. Many video creators wrongly assume that paying ASCAP/BMI gives them the right to use any music. It does NOT — performance licenses cover BROADCAST/STREAMING of the music, not embedding it in a new audio-visual work. Embedding requires a sync license from the publisher and a master license from the recording owner. Royalty-free music libraries: services like Epidemic Sound, Artlist, Soundstripe, AudioJungle, and Pond5 offer blanket licenses for a subscription fee or per-track payment. These are convenient for podcasters and corporate-video producers but have limitations: (a) the music is heard in many other productions (lower exclusivity); (b) some libraries restrict use in advertising or paid YouTube monetization; (c) the licensor's warranty is sometimes limited. Read the terms before relying on a library. Public domain music: compositions whose copyright has expired (generally pre-1925 in the US, with rolling expiration each year under post-2018 rules) are free to use in any way. But specific RECORDINGS of public-domain compositions are typically still copyrighted (the recording itself has its own copyright). Most-favored-nation (MFN) clauses: standard in major-production music licensing — if the producer licenses other music on better terms, the licensor with MFN gets matched. Common in film and TV but rare in podcast/corporate-video deals. State considerations: while music copyright is federal, the contract is governed by state law. Tennessee, Nashville, and Los Angeles are common choices for music industry contracts. Use this template for: podcast theme music, corporate-video soundtracks, YouTube content background music, brand-video music, audiobook score. For high-value campaigns (national TV, theatrical film), use industry-standard sync agreements drafted by music attorneys.
When to use it
- Licensing music for a podcast theme, intro, or background.
- Licensing music for a corporate / brand video.
- Licensing music for a YouTube channel or online video series.
- Licensing music for an audiobook or audio production.
- Licensing music for advertising, film, or TV (use heavier industry-standard agreements for major productions).
What to include
- Composition and Master Recording identification.
- Composer/songwriter and PRO affiliation.
- License type (sync / master / sync+master / mechanical).
- Production identification (title, type, music use duration).
- Territory and term.
- License fee.
- PRO public-performance royalty handling.
- Credit / attribution.
- Prohibited content carve-outs.
- MFN clause (if major production).