The Popularity of Royalty-Free Music

A major part of our lives revolve around music - from the simple sound that we hear when we are put on hold during a phone conversation to the jingle that comes along with the TV advertisement that we are watching. Getting hold of the music for use in these instances, however, can be quite daunting as not all commercial music can be used without having to pay hefty fees.

The use of popular music, regardless of the genre, would usually require someone to acquire authority to use a copyrighted material or else he or she could face copyright infringement problems. Being authorized to use a copyrighted material usually means paying a lot of money for a one-time use of the said music. Additional use of the content would mean having to pay additional fees or "royalties".

Royalty Free Music is also referred to as stock music or library music. When one says "Royalty-Free Music", this usually means that, as soon as the licensee has purchased the content, he or she is free to use the licensed content forever without having to make any additional payment. This does not, however, mean that the licensee owns the copyright to the content as these remains with the creator. It should also not to be mistaken for free music. There is still some fees involved with royalty free music, although it tends to be lower than having to secure copyright of a certain commercial music content.

Inasmuch as copyright allows the producer, songwriter and singer to make a living out of the record that they have made, royalty-free music allows for consumers to make use of certain music and sound clips made by other people in a variety of ways. This could include background music for a slideshow movie presentation or a flash presentation, or as a hold music for a phone call. It could even be used on a grander scale such as background music for a commercial or as a part of a TV ad jingle. Some providers of royalty-free music, however, would require you to pay an additional fee if you would be using the music as part of a TV advertisement.

Aside from offering a convenient way to using a music legally at an affordable price, Royalty-free music also makes it possible for consumers to cut down on time that they would have spent trying to look for the copyright holder of a certain music. It also makes it possible for consumers to just download the file and skip any administration job that otherwise they would have to go through should they opt to use a commercial music.

In the past, royalty free music has been synonymous with sloppy sound and low production values. Nowadays, however, several companies who indulge in the provision of this type of content have taken upon themselves to ensure the quality of music. It is now even possible to get hold of royalty free music that could give commercial music a run for its money.

By Spiro Poulis