Music licenses are the most common way for musicians to receive royalties for their work by granting legal authorization to someone who wants to use it.

Sheet music reproduction, theater plays, jukeboxes, and major film pictures are all examples of how original works are used. People that want to use copyrighted content need legal authorization from the author, thus they'll need to secure a music license. In general, if you're going to use a song (that isn't yours) for something that will be heard by others, you'll need a music license. The usage and term rights, which control how the song will be utilized, will be included in this license.

Here are the six most common types of music licenses, as well as how they're used in practice:

• Synchronization License (Sync License)

The Songfindr platform is entirely dedicated to representing musicians and composers in sync licensing. This type of licence refers to music that will be used in conjunction with visual media. Commercials, studio films, streaming adverts, personal films, corporate communications, and other uses are all possible.

• Mechanical License

Any physical reproduction of an artist's work requires a mechanical permission. This primarily relates to the production of CDs or the distribution of music in any form. Artists, also known as copyright holders, will have mechanical terms of their music agreed upon with record companies, distributors, and publishers, and will be paid per-copy.

Even if only a fragment of the original music is used, a mechanical license is required if you plan to record a cover song. This includes changing anything about the original recording that affects the overall integrity of the artists' composition, such as adding your own lyrics, re-mixing, or changing anything about the original recording.

• Master License

Master licenses are a little more complicated than the rest, as they're similar to sync licenses but not nearly as extensive. The individual who owns the recording of a song has a master right. The master license allows a user to utilize a pre-recorded version of a song in a visual or audio creation, but not to re-record the song for that project (i.e. to cover or edit a song). A master license is usually provided in conjunction with a sync license.

• Public Performance License

This is perhaps the most common type of music license available today. While the term 'performance' may seem restrictive, it refers to any broadcast of an artist's work. This covers businesses that have music playing in their store, jukeboxes, or any other sort of public performance – from jukeboxes to concerts. SACEM, BMI, SESAC, and ASCAP are examples of performing rights organizations (PROs) that handle public performance licenses and issue music payments to artists on a per-use basis.

• Print Rights License

This license refers to the physical copy of the sheet music that an artist has created. It's required when someone publishes a sheet music compilation or when copyrighted work's sheet music is replicated.

• Theatrical License

Theatrical licenses, which are a highly specific type of formal permission, are very common in the theater industry. When a copyrighted work is performed onstage in front of an audience, the license is required.