Affix Music

Affix Music is an Atlanta-based music licensing company founded in 2008 that places premium independent urban music in TV, film, advertising, gaming, and digital media. The company maintains a pre-cleared catalog and a web platform that simplifies the licensing process for media clients. Best suited for independent urban music artists (hip-hop, R&B, trap, soul) who want sync representation without giving up rights ownership.

How Affix Music Works

Affix Music operates a pre-cleared catalog model designed to simplify licensing for both artists and clients. The company focuses specifically on urban music genres.

The process works as follows:

1. Artist submission: Artists submit music through the Affix Music website. The team reviews submissions for production quality, sync suitability, and genre fit.
2. Pre-clearance: Accepted tracks are pre-cleared, meaning both master and publishing rights are secured for one-stop licensing. This removes the clearance delays that often kill sync deals.
3. Catalog placement: Approved tracks are added to the Affix catalog, organized by genre, mood, and theme for easy searching by music supervisors.
4. Client licensing: Media clients search the catalog, select tracks, and license them through the platform. The pre-clearance system solves the legal and creative issues that complicate urban music licensing.
5. Rights retention: Artists retain ownership of their music. Affix operates on a non-exclusive basis, allowing artists to pursue other licensing opportunities.

Real-World Example

A music supervisor needs an authentic trap track for a 45-second scene in a streaming drama. They search the Affix Music catalog, find a pre-cleared track from an independent Atlanta producer, and license it for $2,500 for one episode, all media, worldwide, 12 months. Because the track is pre-cleared, the deal closes in 48 hours instead of the typical two-week clearance process. The producer receives their split of the fee within 30 days.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Affix Music addresses a specific gap in the sync market. Urban music from independent artists often faces clearance problems because rights ownership is fragmented across producers, writers, and labels. Affix solves this by pre-clearing tracks before they enter the catalog.

Consider these points:

• Urban music specialization: If you make hip-hop, R&B, trap, or soul, Affix understands your genre. Generalist libraries often mislabel or misunderstand urban music.
• Pre-clearance advantage: Pre-cleared tracks close deals faster. Supervisors prefer one-stop tracks because they avoid multi-party negotiations.
• Rights retention: You keep ownership of your music. Affix operates non-exclusively, so you can still pitch your music elsewhere.
• Atlanta roots: Atlanta is a global center for urban music. Affix's location gives it access to emerging talent and industry connections in that scene.

Drawbacks / Things to Consider

• Genre limitation: Affix focuses on urban music. If you produce rock, folk, electronic, or orchestral music, this is not the right platform for you.
• No guaranteed placements: Being in the catalog does not mean your music will be licensed. Placements depend on client demand and supervisor preferences.
• Limited public information: Affix does not publicly disclose its exact fee split, client roster, or catalog size. You must contact them directly for specifics.
• Small team: With approximately 2 employees, Affix has limited bandwidth for active pitching compared to larger agencies with dedicated sync teams.
• Non-exclusive competition: Because the catalog is non-exclusive, your music competes with tracks that may be available on other platforms. Supervisors may find the same track elsewhere for less.

Related Resources

• Sync Licensing Companies Directory
• Sync License Glossary Term
• Visit Affix Music for submissions