What is Stock Music?
Stock Music, also known as production music, is commercially-licensed music that can be legally used in various mediums like films, television, videos and websites. Unlike commissioning a composer to create an original score, Stock Music is pre-recorded and ready to be licensed for a fee.
Stock Music is composed, recorded and licensed by media libraries and publishers for public use. These music libraries maintain large databases of tracks across various genres, moods and styles. Rights to use the tracks can be purchased through royalty-free licenses or sync licenses.
Royalty-Free vs Sync Licensing
Royalty-free licenses allow buyers to use tracks indefinitely without incurring additional fees. Royalty-free tracks can be reused for unlimited projects. However, the buyer does not own exclusive rights to the track.
Sync licenses allow buyers exclusive rights to sync tracks to their audiovisual projects. Tracks licensed through sync require a separate license for each project usage. Sync licenses typically cost more than royalty-free but provide exclusive synchronization rights for that specific work.
Advantages of Using Stock Music
Access to Large Music Libraries
Media libraries maintain extensive catalogs containing hundreds of thousands of tracks across all genres and styles. This vast selection allows content creators easy access to music suitable for their needs.
Cost Effectiveness
Stock Music provides an affordable alternative to commissioning original scores. While sync licenses may require project-based payments, royalty-free tracks can be obtained for a one-time fee. Overall, Stock Music is more budget-friendly than hiring composers.
Time Savings
Pre-recorded stock tracks are immediately available for download upon purchase of a license. This eliminates lengthy composition and production timelines associated with custom scores. Content creators can add appropriate tracks seamlessly into their projects.
Remove Creative Blocks
When original scoring isn't feasible, Stock Music acts as a solution to fill creative gaps. Vast libraries ensure finding suitable temp tracks that set the right mood or tone until a final track can be commissioned.
Adaptability to Different Mediums
Unlike custom scores tailored to specific projects, stock tracks are versatile enough for use across various mediums like films, advertisements, videos and multimedia presentations. Their adaptive nature increases potential uses.
Changing Landscape of Stock Music
Evolution of Digital Distribution
Digital licensing and online track delivery platforms have streamlined the Stock Music buying process. Tracks can be previewed, purchased and downloaded instantly from online libraries. This shift to digital distribution has increased music accessibility globally.
Demand for Independent Artists
While major publishers still dominate the market, independent Stock Music labels are growing in popularity. More independent artists are directly submitting tracks to these labels for global distribution and licensing. This provides an additional revenue stream for creatives.
User-Generated Content Boom
The rise of user-generated content across social media has bolstered demand for affordable licensing options. Stock Music fulfills this need by providing budget-friendly tracks for all kinds of short-form video content like Instagram Stories, TikToks, YouTube videos and more.
Customized Licensing Options
Libraries now offer customized and flexible licensing structures. 'Micro-budget' options have emerged for projects with stringent budgets. Selectors catering to video game/app needs have also developed. Stock Music is adapting licensing to remain relevant in the digital age.
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