Magnatune provides you with instant music licensing from our catalog of 20,000 songs, covering a wide variety of genres. With a few mouse clicks, you get CD quality audio files and the right to use the music in your project. No waiting, no haggling, no lawyers.
We sell more music licenses online than anyone else: over 7000 licenses in our 12 years of business. 4000 films have used our music. And there have never been any legal problems with any of them. How Does It Work?
Our music is licensed through two dedicated web sites that we also own and run.
Every day, Magnatune licenses music for use in films, television, web pages, CDs and DVDs, and much more. Other uses include telephone hold music, public space music for retail stores and galleries, music for runway fashion shows, and even themed CD compilations that act as extra revenue streams for shops, hotels, and spas. See who has licensed our music. Can I Trust My License From You?
Yes. Magnatune is a real company, incorporated since 1999 and we have hundreds of music licensing clients, including prominent filmmakers, large advertising firms, and video game producers. Our innovative online licensing tool was crafted in close collaboration with top flight entertainment lawyers, and are valid legal documents that have held up under scrutiny.
What does "Royalty Free Music" Mean?
Magnatune's music is "royalty free" in the sense that we don't build points into our agreements. In other words, if your project is wildly successful, you don't have to give us any of the profits. However, our music is not "production" or "stock" music. If you're using it for anything other than private enjoyment, you must purchase a license along with the music itself. Fortunately we've made doing this incredibly easy and affordable! What Are the Terms of the Contract?
Magnatune will not ask to see your work to approve the use. Our process and pricing structure is the same for all buyers, which removes legal fees as a built-in cost. The actual legal license agreements for MoodMixes and iLicenseMusic are on those web sites. Do You Offer "Buy Outs?"
Absolutely. If you don't want to license our music by subscription, we are happy to negotiate a single "buy out" rate for the rights you need, so that you won't ever have to pay us again. Email Us. Do You Offer Custom Licenses?
Absolutely. If our standard approach doesn't meet your needs, we are happy to build a custom agreement for you. Email John. I don't want to subscribe!
Our music licenses are available via subscription because we've found this to be a much better way to operate than having to negotiate lots of individual rights. For example, most people making a film need to distribute DVDs, have their film in festivals, have advertisements, distribute through Netflix and show parts of their film on Youtube. Our simple $89/month fee via iLicenseMusic grants you all these rights and more, so you can get back to your project quick! Also, if you need more than one song, you're already a subscriber, and can use more music at no additional cost.
With iLicenseMusic, you can cancel at any time, though you will no longer have the right to use our music in new projects or new products after you have cancelled.
With MoodMixes you can also cancel at any time, but you will need to stop playing our music in your place of business. If this still fails to convince you, we do offer a buyout option. Email John. How Does The Artist Benefit?
At Magnatune our artists retain all the rights to their own music. Each one signs a contract with Magnatune that allows us to license their music for commercial use. Unlike our competitors, we split the licensing fee directly with the artists, 50-50. Our artists love it when their work is licensed because it provides them with both income and exposure. What is Music Licensing Anyway?
Music licensing is all around us. A popular song in a TV commercial or in a movie. The music on the radio. Music in restaurants and even elevators. Basically, whenever music is used in a commercial project or public space, that music has to be licensed for a specific type of use. The rights to use music are bought and sold every day. What About Non-Commercial Projects?
Magnatune maintains generous policies regarding non-commercial use of our music. To use our music in a non-commercial project, you must first meet the legal requirement for "non-commercial use" as defined by the Creative Commons License which governs all Magnatune music. If you meet these requirements, simply join as a regular paying member, use the music as you like, as long as you abide the Creative Commons by-nc-sa license.