Cherry Lane Music is an independent music publishing company founded in 1960 by producer and arranger Milt Okun in New York City. The company administers music catalogs for film and TV studios including DreamWorks, The Weinstein Company, NFL Films, and Electronic Arts. Its historical catalog includes works by Elvis Presley, John Denver, Quincy Jones, and the Black Eyed Peas. Best suited for established composers, songwriters, and film/TV productions needing administration and sync licensing support.
How Cherry Lane Music Works
Cherry Lane operates as a traditional music publisher with a focus on film and TV music administration. The company built its business by finding revenue in areas that major conglomerates often overlooked.
The process works as follows:
- Catalog administration: Cherry Lane administers music rights for film and TV studios. The company collects royalties, negotiates licenses, and manages copyrights on behalf of its clients.
- Sync licensing: The company licenses music from its administered catalogs for use in film, TV, advertising, and other media. Cherry Lane negotiates fees and handles clearance.
- Production music partnership: In 2007, Cherry Lane signed a long-term agreement with APM Music to make its catalog available through APM's production music library. This includes music from NFL Films and EA video game scores.
- Co-publishing: Cherry Lane enters co-publishing agreements with songwriters and composers, handling administration, royalty collection, and creative pitching.
- Original music creation: The company has historically created original music for TV shows and films, rather than relying solely on catalog exploitation.
Real-World Example
A film production company needs to license a track from the DreamWorks catalog for a documentary. Cherry Lane, as the administrator of DreamWorks music, handles the clearance. The sync fee for a 60-second use in a theatrical documentary runs approximately $5,000 to $15,000 depending on territory and duration. Cherry Lane negotiates the terms, issues the license, and collects the fee. The songwriter receives their share of royalties through their PRO when the film screens on broadcast television.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
Cherry Lane represents a traditional publishing model. The company demonstrates how independent publishers can build profitable businesses by serving niche markets that major publishers ignore.
Consider these points:
- Administration focus: Cherry Lane excels at catalog administration for film and TV studios. If you are a composer for film or TV, this type of publisher can handle your royalty collection and licensing.
- Industry relationships matter: Cherry Lane built its business through relationships with studios like DreamWorks and Weinstein. Access to the company requires similar industry connections.
- Production music access: Through the APM partnership, Cherry Lane catalog tracks are available to the production music community. This increases exposure for administered works.
- Long track record: A publisher operating since 1960 brings decades of institutional knowledge and industry relationships. This stability can benefit writers with long-term career goals.
Drawbacks / Things to Consider
- No open submissions: Cherry Lane does not accept unsolicited music. The company works with established writers and studios through direct relationships.
- Traditional publishing model: Cherry Lane operates traditional co-publishing and administration deals. These may involve giving up a portion of your publishing share. Review terms carefully before signing.
- Corporate changes: The music publishing industry has undergone significant consolidation. Cherry Lane's position and ownership structure may have shifted since its peak years. Verify current operations before pursuing a deal.
- Limited indie artist focus: The company historically served established catalogs and studio clients. Independent artists with small catalogs may not fit their business model.
- APM dependency: Much of Cherry Lane's production music distribution flows through APM Music. If you want direct control over how your music is pitched, this layered arrangement may not suit you.
Company Type and Licensing Model
Cherry Lane Music operates as a traditional music publishing company. The company administers music catalogs for film and TV studios, negotiates sync licenses, collects royalties, and manages copyrights on behalf of its clients. Cherry Lane is not a production music library or a sync placement agency.
The licensing model is traditional publishing. Cherry Lane enters co-publishing agreements with songwriters and composers, handling administration, royalty collection, and creative pitching. Sync fees are negotiated per placement. Terms vary by contract.
Cherry Lane also operates administration deals for film and TV studios. In these arrangements, the company manages the studio's music rights, collects royalties, and processes sync license requests from third parties.
In 2007, Cherry Lane signed a long-term agreement with APM Music to make its catalog available through APM's production music library. This includes music from NFL Films and EA video game scores.
Cherry Lane was acquired by BMG Rights Management in March 2010. The acquisition price ranged between $85 million and $100 million. As of 2019, BMG no longer lists Cherry Lane as a separate subsidiary or brand. The Cherry Lane website was merged into BMG's platform.
Catalog and Clients
At the time of the BMG acquisition in 2010, Cherry Lane held approximately 150,000 copyrighted musical works. Some earlier reports cited 75,000 copyrights. The catalog has been integrated into BMG's broader portfolio since the acquisition.
Genre coverage spans pop, rock, country, folk, classical, and hip-hop. The print music division included sheet music for artists from Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers, Barbra Streisand, and Richard Marx to Metallica, the White Stripes, Dave Matthews Band, and Jack Johnson.
Notable clients include DreamWorks Animation, DreamWorks Pictures, The Weinstein Company, Lakeshore Entertainment, NFL Films, NASCAR, Electronic Arts, and Cirque du Soleil.
Historical catalog representation includes works by Elvis Presley, John Denver, Quincy Jones, the Black Eyed Peas, John Legend, Ashford and Simpson, Peter Paul and Mary, Laura Nyro, Harry Belafonte, will.i.am, and Warren Haynes.
Cherry Lane distributed print products through Hal Leonard, another US-based music publisher. The company also published Music Alive!, a not-for-profit magazine for music education.
Founder Milt Okun died on November 15, 2016, at age 92. He produced and arranged for Peter, Paul and Mary during the 1960s and for John Denver for decades, producing hits including "Rocky Mountain High" and "Leaving on a Jet Plane."
Payment Structure
Cherry Lane operates traditional co-publishing and administration deals. In co-publishing agreements, the publisher typically takes 50% of the publishing share. The songwriter retains the writer's share and 50% of the publishing share.
Sync fees are negotiated per placement. When a sync license is issued, the fee is split between the publisher and the songwriter according to their agreement. The songwriter receives their share plus any performance royalties through their PRO when the music airs.
For administration deals (such as those with film and TV studios), Cherry Lane collects a percentage of revenue as an administration fee. The remainder goes to the rights holder.
Cherry Lane does not charge upfront fees to songwriters. Instead, co-publishing deals may include advances against future royalties. Advances function as a loan that is recouped from the songwriter's share of future earnings.
The company does not accept unsolicited submissions. Access requires established industry relationships. Independent artists with small catalogs typically do not fit Cherry Lane's business model.
Comparison: Cherry Lane Music vs Other Sync Licensing Companies
| Company | Type | Licensing Model | Catalog Size | Exclusivity | Artist Payout | Typical Fee Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Lane Music | Music publisher | Co-publishing and administration | ~150,000 works (at 2010 acquisition) | Exclusive | Co-pub split (typically 50/50) plus PRO royalties | $5,000 to $15,000 (60s theatrical doc) |
| Sony Music Publishing Sync | Major music publisher | Administration and co-publishing | 5M+ works | Exclusive | Co-pub split plus PRO royalties | $5,000 to $50,000+ per placement |
| Warner Chappell Sync | Major music publisher | Administration and co-publishing | 4M+ works | Exclusive | Co-pub split plus PRO royalties | $5,000 to $50,000+ per placement |
| Concord Music Publishing | Independent music publisher | Administration and co-publishing | 400,000+ works | Exclusive | Co-pub split plus PRO royalties | $3,000 to $25,000 per placement |
| BMG Production Music | Production music library | Per-use licensing from owned catalog | 50,000+ tracks | Non-exclusive catalog | Writer's royalties via PRO | $500 to $5,000 per use |
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Similar Sync Licensing Companies
- BMG Production Music - BMG's production music division (acquired Cherry Lane in 2010)
- Sony Music Publishing Sync - Major music publisher with sync licensing services
- Warner Chappell Sync - Major music publisher with sync licensing division
- Concord Music Publishing Sync - Independent music publisher with sync services
Related Resources
- Sync Licensing Companies Directory
- Sync License Glossary Term
- Visit Cherry Lane Music for inquiries
