Master License Agreement for Music
License a specific master — for a specific use — without giving up the recording.
A master license agreement is what you sign when a film, TV show, advertising agency, video game, compilation, or sampling project wants to use a specific master recording you own. The licensor (you, or the master owner) grants the licensee a limited, defined right to use that recording in a specific context — and collects a fee, a royalty, or both. Unlike a recording contract or a distribution deal, a master license does not transfer ownership: you keep the master, the other party gets a scoped use.
Most independent sync placements and ad spots get killed not by budget but by a missing master license agreement. Music supervisors and clearance teams will not place a track until ownership of the master is evidenced in writing and the scope of use is nailed down. If you cannot produce the paperwork in 48 hours, the cue goes to someone who can. A clean, pre-drafted master license agreement is the difference between closing the placement and losing it to a competitor.
MUSILOCK generates a master license agreement covering the essentials: parties and master(s) licensed, exact use case (sync in a named production, ad campaign, compilation, sampling), territory and term (worldwide-in-perpetuity vs. 2-year-EU-broadcast, for example), exclusivity flag, media scope (theatrical, streaming, broadcast, internet, retail compilations), synchronization license fee and master use royalty, most-favored-nations protection against the publishing side, warranties of title and clearance of all featured performers, and credit obligations on-screen and in metadata.
The same template supports all common sync scenarios: one-shot sync placement in a film or trailer, ad campaign use with a defined media buy, compilation inclusion on a third-party album, and sample clearance where your master is embedded into a new work. Pair this with a publishing license from whoever controls the composition — a master license alone does not clear the composition side.
Electronic signatures via SignWell are legally valid worldwide under the US ESIGN Act and the EU eIDAS Regulation. Once both parties sign, the finished PDF lives in your MUSILOCK account — ready to hand to the music supervisor, the clearance attorney, or the accounting team the moment they ask.
License your master — keep the recording.
Fee, royalty, use-case and territory — all in one signed document.
Create this contractFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between a master license and a sync license?
A sync license covers the composition (the song itself), granted by the publisher or songwriter. A master license covers the specific recording of that song, granted by whoever owns the master. A film, ad, or TV placement almost always needs BOTH — if you only control the master, the user still needs a separate sync license from the publisher before the cue can clear.
How much should I charge for a master license?
Widely variable. Indie films pay a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per placement. National TV ads pay tens of thousands. Global streaming platforms and major ad campaigns can pay six figures. The MUSILOCK template does not impose a rate — you fill in whatever fee and royalty you negotiate, and the document supports flat-fee, royalty-only, or flat-fee-plus-royalty structures.
Should I grant an exclusive or non-exclusive license?
Almost always non-exclusive for a specific use. Exclusivity is appropriate for flagship ad campaigns or theatrical trailers where the licensee is paying a premium precisely because no one else can use the track in that context during the term. Even then, the exclusivity should be narrow — exclusive for "automotive advertising in the US for 12 months" is fine, but blanket exclusivity for all uses worldwide in perpetuity is effectively a sale of the master.
What is a most-favored-nations (MFN) clause?
A clause saying that if the licensee pays any other rights holder (typically the publisher of the same composition) a higher fee than they pay you, your fee is automatically bumped up to match. MFN prevents split-deal arbitrage where the sync side gets paid more than the master side for the same placement. The MUSILOCK template includes an MFN option you can toggle on.
Do I need clearance from featured artists to license the master?
Yes, if your deal with featured performers reserves approval rights over sync uses. Many recording contracts and featured-artist agreements require the performer to approve each sync use individually. The MUSILOCK template includes warranties requiring the licensor to have obtained all necessary featured-artist consents — and the licensee will ask for them in due diligence regardless.