Making a buck from music is a tough gig for 99 percent of musicians, performers and songwriters around the world. Thanks to a brilliant new site, it may have just become a little easier.
Finally there is an excellent online resource that allows, bands, performers, songwriters and independent record labels to navigate the labyrinthine nature of music licensing and syncing, thus enabling all to compete on a level playing field. It's not necessarily about who you know, but what you know.
The The Music Licensing Directory creates a simple path for artists and music rights holders to get their music licensed and tap into a global multi-billion dollar industry.
Launched on Tuesday 4th December, The Music Licensing Directory is a an online tool for artists, bands, producers, labels and music industry professionals that simplifies the music licensing process and enables artists to extend their reach to global music licensing opportunities. The site lists and analyzes more than 400 companies around the world, that license music into film, TV, advertising & games as well as new companies that license music directly to brands and new media.
The simplicity of this website is it's greatest asset and as such should be welcomed by many users with open arms. I have had the good fortune to be provided with a peek of the website and I can tell you right now that it is a fabulous tool. I'm not alone in my praise, Johnny Mackay of band Children Collide has this to say of The Music Licensing Directory;
" It feels like the things I’ve learnt from just a short time poking around the Music Licensing Directory are going to be invaluable in helping to spread my music further in all directions. The guide and listings are set out in such a way that it’s helped me make sense of an area I previously had no real idea about. I almost want to keep it as my own little secret. "
And this from the owner of Popboomerang Records, Scott Thurling;
"I have been running an indie label for 10 years now and constantly dreaming of a resource such as the Music Licensing Directory. Access to “the guidebook” itself is worth the price of membership alone but when combined with a constant stream of the latest “synch” opportunities appearing before your eyes and access to the best music supervisors and synchronisation agencies around the world, then the Music Licencing Directory membership is already a vital and essential business changing tool for Popboomerang Records. "
The testimonials make for a compelling case to investigate this resource for yourself. The entire concept is probably best described in a nutshell by website co-founder Winston Giles;
"The basic concept for a subscriber – no matter what their status or niche (artist, producer, label, manager, publisher) is to read the guidebook – make some basic decisions and form a strategy that works for you and your music – then use the directory to find and approach appropriate companies to work with from the database of over 400 companies. Further to this the opportunity alerts provide genuine opportunities worth perusing as some may be very relevant. The platform also allows you to keep a record of your correspondence with companies, and as the members community grows the “members experience” feature allows further insight into each listing in the directory."
Winston and his brother Adrian Giles are the industry professionals behind the much needed service the website provides. Although from different professional backgrounds (Adrian is an entrepreneur specializing in the Internet and information technology industry and Winston’s background is in the music and entertainment industry) the pair merged their knowledge and experience to create the Music Licensing Directory.
Winston has run his own record label and licensing company for over ten years and currently represents over 500 hundreds artists. He knows what he is talking about. Further evidence of this is in the comprehensive 78 page " A Guide To Music Licensing" that forms part of a subscription to the site. Logical, thorough, informative and with a dynamic layout, punters would be hard pressed to find anything else on the subject of music licensing as informative and easily digestible.
Checkout the site for yourself, it could take you who knows where. The opportunities for musicians are potentially endless with the help of The Music Licensing Directory.
