APM Music

APM Music (Associated Production Music, LLC) is the largest production music company in the industry, headquartered in Hollywood, California. Founded in 1983 as a joint venture between Zomba/Jive Production Music and EMI Production Music, APM is now jointly owned by Sony Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing Group. The company's catalog contains over 1 million tracks from more than 300 global libraries, including renowned collections like KPM Music, Bruton, Sonoton, Cezame, and Kosinus.

How APM Music Works

APM solves a fundamental problem in music licensing: the separation of publishing and master rights. Historically, creators had to track down both the publisher (who controls the composition) and the record label (who controls the recording) to license a single track. APM consolidates both sides. Every track on the platform comes with publishing and master rights cleared through a single transaction.

The company employs a team of award-winning Music Directors who work directly with clients to curate and deliver playlists for any production. Clients can also search the catalog independently through APM's online platform, which includes advanced filtering by mood, genre, instrumentation, tempo, and energy level.

APM's licenses are tailored to the specific project. Pricing depends on the media type (film, TV, advertising, corporate, broadcast), territory (local, regional, worldwide), and duration of use. Clients pay only for what they need.

Catalog and Libraries

APM represents over 300 diverse global libraries with more than 1 million tracks:

• KPM Music: Historic British production music library dating back to the 1930s
• Bruton: Classic production music spanning orchestral, jazz, and contemporary styles
• Sonoton: European production music with cinematic and world music collections
• Cezame: French library known for orchestral and electronic scores
• Kosinus: French library specializing in cinematic and dramatic music
• APM Exclusive: Original content produced specifically for APM

The catalog covers every genre from orchestral and cinematic to electronic, rock, pop, hip-hop, jazz, world, and ambient. New music is added regularly to reflect current trends and demands from music supervisors.

Real-World Example

A music supervisor working on a network drama needs a 45-second orchestral cue for an emotional scene. Instead of hiring a composer or negotiating with a record label and a publisher separately, the supervisor searches APM's catalog, filters by "orchestral" and "emotional," and finds a suitable track from the KPM library. The supervisor licenses both the composition and the master recording through APM in a single transaction. The fee might range from $500 for a single TV episode use to several thousand dollars for worldwide distribution, depending on the negotiated terms.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

APM's scale means your music can reach supervisors working on the biggest productions in entertainment. In 2025, over 70% of the top-grossing domestic films used APM music, and 18 out of 35 Oscar-nominated feature films used APM music in their production or marketing. Getting your music into an APM library puts it in front of music supervisors who are actively searching for tracks for high-profile projects.

If you are a composer or publisher, APM accepts submissions through their website. The company looks for broadcast-quality recordings that fill specific market needs. Having your music in an APM library means it sits alongside historic collections like KPM and Bruton, giving it instant credibility with supervisors who trust the APM brand.

Industry Impact

• Over 70% of 2025's top-grossing domestic films used APM music
• 18 out of 35 Oscar-nominated feature films used APM music in 2025
• Over 1 million tracks from 300-plus global libraries
• Joint venture between Sony Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing Group
• Operates specialized divisions: APM Film and TV, APM Games (GameRoom), APM Sports, and APM Custom

Related Resources

• Sync Licensing Companies Directory - Browse more sync licensing companies
• APM Custom Profile - Learn about APM's custom music division
• Sync Licensing Fee Calculator - Estimate licensing fees for your projects
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Calculate streaming revenue alongside sync income
• Visit APM Music for catalog access and licensing information