Concord Music Publishing Sync

Concord Music Publishing Sync is the global synchronization licensing division of Concord Music Publishing, based in New York City with teams in the US, UK, Germany, and Australia. The division licenses Concord's catalog for film, TV, advertising, trailers, and gaming. The catalog includes works by Rodgers and Hammerstein, John Fogerty, Phil Collins, Genesis, and Robert Johnson. Best suited for music supervisors and creative directors seeking to license established catalog tracks for high-profile media placements.

How Concord Music Publishing Sync Works

Concord's sync division operates as a global team of 17 staff members across multiple territories. The division is led by Executive Vice President of Global Sync Brooke Primont, based in the New York City office.

The process works as follows:

1. License requests: Music supervisors and creative directors submit sync license requests through the form on Concord's website. The licensing team responds with availability and fee quotes.
2. Catalog pitching: Concord's sync team actively pitches catalog tracks for specific briefs. The team covers TV series, promos, trailers, sports media, advertising, and gaming.
3. Catalog revitalization: The team creates remixes and covers of iconic Concord works to tailor them for modern sync placements. This approach makes older catalog tracks usable in contemporary contexts.
4. Annual sync camp: Concord runs a sync camp in Nashville, now in its twelfth year. The camp hosts over 80 songwriters and several music supervisors for a week to create original music for all media.
5. Global coordination: The US team covers Canada and Latin America. The London team, led by SVP Adam Gardiner, handles European territories. Sub-publishers cover remaining global markets.

Real-World Example

A music supervisor needs an 1980s rock track for the trailer of a major film. Concord's sync team pitches "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger from the Concord catalog. The trailer runs in theaters and online for 6 months. The sync fee for a trailer use of an established catalog track typically ranges from $15,000 to $50,000 depending on the film's budget and the term. Concord clears the publishing rights, and the supervisor separately clears the master rights with the record label.

In another example, Concord secured a Super Bowl ad placement for UberEats featuring Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It." Super Bowl ad sync fees for well-known tracks can exceed $100,000 for a 30-second national broadcast use.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Concord's sync division demonstrates how a large publisher operates at scale. The division's approach to catalog revitalization (creating remixes and covers of older works) offers a model for how independent artists can make their back catalog sync-ready.

Consider these points:

• Scale matters: Concord's 17-person global sync team can pitch across multiple territories simultaneously. Independent artists cannot match this reach alone. Partnering with a publisher of this scale requires a signed deal.
• Sync camps as a model: Concord's annual sync camp brings writers and supervisors together to create music for specific briefs. Independent artists can replicate this model on a smaller scale by organizing writing sessions around supervisor needs.
• Catalog revitalization: Creating new versions of older tracks extends their sync life. If you have a back catalog, consider recording updated versions, remixes, or covers to keep them pitch-ready.
• Genre diversity: Concord's catalog spans pop, rock, R&B, soul, classical, country, and jazz. This breadth allows the sync team to serve a wide range of briefs.

Drawbacks / Things to Consider

• Major publisher scale: Concord is a large company with a massive catalog. Independent artists signed to Concord may find their music competing for attention against iconic works by Phil Collins and John Fogerty.
• No open submission for publishing deals: You cannot submit music for a publishing deal through a public portal. Concord signs writers through industry relationships and A&R outreach.
• Licensing complexity: Licensing from Concord requires navigating a corporate structure. Response times may be slower than with boutique agencies.
• Sync camp access is limited: The annual sync camp in Nashville is invitation-only. Independent artists cannot simply sign up to attend.
• Fee transparency: Concord does not publicly disclose its fee structure for sync placements. All negotiations happen case by case.

Related Resources

• Sync Licensing Companies Directory
• Sync License Glossary Term
• Visit Concord Licensing for license requests