APM Custom is the bespoke composition and custom music services division of APM Music, the largest production music company in the industry. Headquartered in Hollywood, California, APM Custom operates from the iconic studio formerly known as Lion Share, where artists like Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, and Beck have recorded. The division creates original scoring, covers, re-records, theme packages, and track enhancements for film, television, advertising, sports broadcasting, and video games.
How APM Custom Works
APM Custom collaborates directly with clients to create tailored music from scratch. The process begins with a creative call where the client provides reference tracks and guidelines for the desired feel. APM Custom then assembles a team of composers matched to the project's stylistic requirements, ranging from solo instrumentalists to 80-piece orchestras and choirs.
The division is led by Robert Navarro, Head of APM Custom Music, who coordinates composer teams for each project. Recent work includes producing five new versions of the "Heavy Action" theme for ESPN's Monday Night Football across Orchestral, Rock, Funk, Jazz, and EDM styles, each arranged by a different composer specialist.
APM Custom also operates GameRoom, a dedicated division for video game audio. GameRoom delivers adaptive, interactive scoring with middleware expertise in WWISE and FMOD, shipping stemmed, mixed, and mastered assets or fully implemented audio systems.
Services Offered
- Original Scoring: Bespoke compositions for TV shows, films, trailers, ads, and games
- Covers and Re-records: New versions of existing tracks tailored to project needs
- Theme Packages: Custom theme music for sports broadcasts, shows, and brands
- Track Enhancements: Modifications and adaptations of existing APM catalog tracks
- Adaptive Game Scoring: Dynamic music systems that evolve with gameplay, delivered in WWISE/FMOD or as stemmed assets
- Licensed Music Adaptation: Transforming pre-existing tracks into interactive, game-ready assets
Real-World Example
ESPN needs five new versions of the Monday Night Football theme "Heavy Action" for the 2019 season. APM Custom head Robert Navarro assembles a team of five composers: Takeshi Furukawa (Orchestral), Ken Belcher (Rock), Nick DePinna (Funk), Ross Garren (Jazz), and Joachim Svare (EDM). Each composer produces a distinct arrangement of the same theme, recorded at APM's Hollywood studio. ESPN receives five broadcast-ready versions covering different musical styles for use across different segments of the broadcast, all cleared through a single agreement with APM.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
APM Custom employs a rotating network of composers for its projects. If you specialize in a specific genre or style and can deliver broadcast-quality recordings on tight deadlines, the APM Custom team is a potential client. Composers who land recurring work with APM Custom get exposure on major network broadcasts and streaming platforms. To get on their radar, build a strong portfolio of genre-specific work and reach out through the APM website with examples of your scoring and arrangement capabilities.
Company Type and Licensing Model
APM Custom is the bespoke composition and custom scoring division of APM Music, the largest production music company in North America. Unlike APM Music's main library business (which aggregates and licenses pre-existing catalogs from 150+ affiliated libraries), APM Custom creates original music from scratch for each project. The division does not maintain a searchable catalog of pre-made tracks.
The licensing model is project-based and negotiated per contract. Clients can choose between two structures:
- Work-for-hire buyout: The client owns the resulting music outright, with no ongoing royalty obligations. Higher upfront cost.
- License arrangement: APM retains ownership and grants the client a sync license for a defined term, territory, and media type. Lower upfront cost but potential renewal fees.
APM Custom is not a subscription platform, a royalty-free marketplace, or a sync placement agency. It is a custom music production house operating within a larger production music company.
Catalog Size and Genre Coverage
APM Custom does not maintain a fixed catalog. Every project produces original music tailored to the client's specifications. The division can deliver:
- Solo instrumental pieces to 80-piece orchestral recordings with choirs
- Genre coverage spanning orchestral, rock, electronic, pop, hip-hop, jazz, EDM, funk, and hybrid styles
- Adaptive and interactive scoring for video games using WWISE and FMOD middleware
- Covers, re-records, and theme packages derived from existing APM catalog tracks
APM Music's parent catalog (available through the main APM library, not APM Custom) exceeds 1,000,000 tracks aggregated from 150+ affiliated libraries including KPM, Bruton, Sonoton, Cezame, and Kosinus.
Client Base
APM Custom serves professional media producers and broadcasters:
- Sports broadcasters: ESPN (Monday Night Football theme "Heavy Action" across multiple genre versions), NFL Films, college football broadcasts
- TV networks: Major broadcast and cable networks for programming, promos, and theme packages
- Film studios: Original scoring and trailer music for theatrical releases
- Advertising agencies: Custom commercial scores and brand sonic identity packages
- Video game developers: Adaptive scoring through the GameRoom division, with WWISE/FMOD implementation
- Streaming services: Original content scoring for streaming platforms
How APM Custom Pays Artists
APM Custom employs composers on a project-by-project basis. Payment structures vary by engagement:
- Work-for-hire fees: Composers receive an upfront flat fee per project. The client or APM owns the resulting music. No ongoing royalties are paid to the composer for work-for-hire assignments.
- License arrangements: Composers may receive a reduced upfront fee plus ongoing royalties when the music is licensed to additional clients. Royalty terms are negotiated per contract and are not publicly disclosed.
- No pooled revenue: Unlike subscription-based libraries that distribute pooled revenue, APM Custom pays composers per project engagement.
- PRO royalties: When custom music is broadcast on television or performed publicly, composers registered with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, PRS) may receive performance royalties directly from their PRO, separate from the work-for-hire fee.
- No open submission for custom work: Composers are recruited through industry relationships and demonstrated scoring experience. There is no public application portal for APM Custom specifically.
Comparison: APM Custom vs Other Custom Scoring Companies
| Feature | APM Custom | Bleeding Fingers Music | Immediate Music | Audiomachine | Position Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company type | Custom scoring division of production music company | Composer collective | Production music library and custom scoring | Production music library and custom scoring | Production music and publishing company |
| Catalog model | No fixed catalog (bespoke per project) | No fixed catalog (bespoke per project) | Pre-made catalog plus custom work | Pre-made catalog plus custom work | Pre-made catalog plus custom work |
| Pricing model | Project-based, per contract | Project-based, per contract | Per-use and blanket licenses | Per-use licensing | Per-use and blanket licenses |
| Exclusivity | Work-for-hire or license arrangement | Project-based contracts | Full rights assignment for catalog tracks | Full rights assignment for catalog tracks | Full rights assignment for catalog tracks |
| Composer payout | Upfront fee per project, no public split | Project-based contracts, not disclosed | Varies by deal | Varies by deal | Varies by deal |
| Parent catalog access | Yes (1,000,000+ tracks via APM Music) | No | Yes (own catalog) | Yes (own catalog) | Yes (own catalog) |
Videos
APM Music introduces Collaborative Projects, a feature for teams working on custom music searches and licensing:
APM Music Director Office Hours from July 2026, demonstrating the APM Search platform and music discovery workflow:
Similar Sync Licensing Companies
- Bleeding Fingers Music - Hans Zimmer's composer collective for custom film and TV scoring
- Immediate Music - Trailer music library with custom scoring services
- Audiomachine - Cinematic and trailer music library with custom scoring
- Position Music - Production music and publishing company for trailers and advertising
- Score-a-Score - Custom music scoring and licensing for film and TV
- Cutting Edge Group - Music supervision and scoring services for film and TV
- Two Steps From Hell - Epic and trailer music library with custom scoring capabilities
Related Resources
- Sync Licensing Companies Directory - Browse more sync licensing companies
- APM Music Profile - Learn about APM Music's main production library
- Sync Licensing Fee Calculator - Estimate licensing fees for your projects
- Sync License Glossary Term - Learn what a sync license covers
- Visit APM Custom for project inquiries and portfolio examples
