FAQ
Q. What is Universal Production Music?
Universal Production Music is a top-tier production music company that produces and licenses music for use in television, film, advertising, online media and much more. You can find out more about Universal Production Music here.
Q. Are you part of Universal Music Group?
Yes, specifically we are a division of Universal Music Publishing.
Q. What is production music?
Production music is all the songs in television, gaming, social media, Netflix, and corporate video. It’s all the music that you don’t recognize as popular music. Production music is more affordable than hiring a custom composer or using popular core music. It’s everywhere, and it’s used by professionals around the world to influence attention, emotion and moves you though a production.
Q. Do I have to be registered to download music from the site?
Yes, you must have a registered account to download tracks. Signup is free.
Q. How much does a license cost?
The cost of a license is based on where and how the music will be used. Please visit our Licensing page to see relevant licensing details and licensing rates for the US and Canada.
Q. Do I have to be registered to listen to music?
No. You are free to stream tracks on the Universal Production Music website to find music you might want to license for a production. You can also stream our music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, organized by album or track title.
Q. Can I add additional download users to my account, or should I share my login with my team?
Yes, we advise against sharing your login with your co-workers. You have an unlimited number of users that can be added to your account, we recommend giving each person their own unique log in and password. To set this up please contact your account rep to set up a company admin who can manage your users, or have the new users register on our site and we will add them to your account, Contact Us
Q. Is your music royalty-free or copyright-free?
No. We hold the Master and Synchronization rights for the compositions and recordings in our catalog, and each use of the music needs to be licensed. Any unlicensed use of our recordings is a violation of international copyright law and is vigorously pursued.
Q. How long is my license good for?
Most Universal Production Music licenses are granted in perpetuity. This means that the license never expires specific to the original project for which it was granted. Should you desire to use a track licensed to you by Universal Production Music for another project, a separate license will be required. Some licensing categories for Advertising carry specific terms, such as 13 weeks and 1 year. Again, please visit our Licensing page for more specific information on license terms.
Q. Can I edit the music to fit my project?
You may edit a track any way you choose and as long as the resulting edited version of the track played continuously in your production, it would be considered a single use and would be licensed as such. One exception: if a track is extended beyond its original length as it appears in our catalog, we consider that a “looped” track which a looping charge would apply. Example: if you used a track that is 2:00 and extended it to cover a video that is 3:00, the looping charge would apply.
Additional instrumentation and/or vocals may be added to any Universal Production Music track. The resulting new version may be licensed using the current per-use pricing schedule, or under an Annual Subscription Blanket license. There is no additional fee for this license, however, the rights to the new version are held by Universal Production Music and not the licensee or their clients.
Q. Do you offer unlimited music usage subscriptions?
Yes, subscriptions are available in annual, multi-annual or monthly plans, covering all your productions that call for music. We can also provide subscriptions that cover a single episode or an entire production series. More info is available on our Licensing page
Q. Can I monetize my video?
Yes. A production using a track from the Universal Production Music catalog that is classified as either paid media or free media and is being posted to the web, may be monetized by the original author.
Q. Do I need to obtain a Performance License from ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC when using your music in a production that will be exhibited (performed) in the U.S.?
Normally, no. Typically this is the responsibility of the Radio, TV, Cable station, website or social media platform that will be exhibiting (performing) the production. In some situations, however, these venues do not have a Performance Agreement with ASCAP, BMI or SESAC. In these instances, the venue may require you to obtain a Direct Performance License from Universal Production Music.
Q. If I use a Public Domain (P.D.) track in your catalog, must I still pay for it?
Yes. A track produced and published by Universal Production Music represents a new arrangement of the Public Domain composition and is copyrighted by us, even though the underlying work may be in the Public Domain. Therefore, all Universal Production Music must be licensed.
Q. What audio formats can I download?
Audio can be downloaded in WAV, AIFF or mp3 formats (320 kbps).
Q. Are the downloaded tracks watermarked?
No. Our audio files are broadcast-ready and do not carry any audio watermarking.
Q. What if I can't download at all?
If you already have a valid Universal Production Music account but are not able to download, please contact your Music Licensing Executive or our Tech Support team via email - or reach out via Live Chat.
Q. Can I search by lyrics?
Yes. Click the arrow in the main search bar to switch from Keyword Search to Lyric Search.
Have a question not covered here? Please contact us and a knowledgeable Music Licensing Executive will be happy to address any questions you have in detail.