What does a Music Clearance Specialist do?
Some music is public domain and doesn’t require legal permission for usage. However, a lot of music is under copyright. Music Clearance Specialists are the primary point of contact for clearance requests. They administer music clearances for visual media by identifying music and lyrics requiring legal clearance versus music that is public domain. They also research and confirm current rights holders to obtain proper clearance. Specialists review and secure quotes from labels, publishers, and music libraries. Lastly, they negotiate terms and fees.
How much does a Music Clearance Specialist make?
According to Ziprecruiter, Music Clearance Specialists maintain a national annual salary of $81,139, which is an hourly wage of $39.00. In general, entry-level music clearance specialists start around $41,132 annually. Senior-level music clearance specialists make an annual average of $108,589. The range in salary widely depends on factors including skill and seniority level.
What impact does this career have towards the music industry?
The role of a Music Clearance Specialist is highly collaborative. Foremost, they oversee the licensing process from start to finish. They also make sure production companies and film studios pay royalties accurately. Sometimes they have to serve as researchers and historians. As musicians pass away, copyrights go to relatives or estate inheritors. Specialists have to locate the correct rights holders to obtain clearance.
What is the job outlook for aMusic Clearance Specialist?
Music revenue is forecasted to more than double to about $131 billion by 2030. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job opportunities in the field (including Studio Engineer) are expected to grow at a rate of 9.0% during the 2019-2029 decade (www.bls.gov).
Learn from:
Mark Frieser
Music Industry Essentials contributor, Founder and CEO Sync Summit
Related Careers:
Music Supervisor | Sync Licensing Specialist | Music Licensing Counsel | Licensing Representative | Field Merchandiser | Radio Programmer
