Licensing tracks for a compilation

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How do you go about making a comilation album for retail? Is it simply a case of finding who owns all your tracks, negotiating a fee to use them, mastering from the vinyl or CD then equalizing all the levels? More specifically, how much should you expect to pay to license a song - cult 60s garage/soul say - and does it vary according to the amount of units you're pressing up? Finally, from other ILMers' experiences, is this something that could be undertaken solo, or is it best done in conjunction with an existng label?

― laticsmon (laticsmon), Thursday, 18 December 2003 14:29 (twenty-one years ago)

it's pretty much how you say it is. some tracks may require you to pay an advance which is usually based on how many you intend to press but may be some totally random (and outrageous figure). if you have to deal with any major labels, it could be a nightmare as they tend not to be interested unless they think it might be a big seller.

i would totally advise doing it in conjunction with an existing label (at least for your first comp.) as it will make yr life a lot easier - the amount of work involved (esp. if the songs are hard to track down) can be immense. i've done this on my own twice and while it wasn't too bad an experience, i would have got them out twice as fast if i had had someone who knew what they were doing helping. the next three i do will be in conjunction with other labels.

if you havw any other questions, feel free to email me. best of luck.

― stirmonster, Thursday, 18 December 2003 14:38 (twenty-one years ago)

foegot to say, the amount you will pay for each song (if there is no advance) is usually a fixed royaly based on the dealer price and divided by the number of songs on the comp.

― stirmonster, Thursday, 18 December 2003 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)

You know, this is the great thing about burning your own compilation CDs. You don't need to license the tracks. And thus, finally you are able to make, for instance, 60s hits compilations with Beatles tracks in them ;)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 19 December 2003 01:55 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

What about for a TV show?

― alex in montreal, Thursday, 27 January 2005 20:33 (twenty years ago)

I mean, should you contact the label or the artist?

― alex in montreal, Thursday, 27 January 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

i would say label first. most labels own the rights to the songs on their label... but some don't.

― deadair (deadair), Thursday, 27 January 2005 20:36 (twenty years ago)

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