Fine Gold Music

Fine Gold Music is a boutique music licensing firm based in New York City, founded in 2002 by Jonathan Finegold, that licenses music for advertisements, films, movie trailers, and video games. The company represents over 25,000 total titles from labels including Westbound/Bridgeport Music, Curb Records, Roc Nation, Spinnin', and Luaka Bop. Over 15,000 of these titles are one-stop, meaning Fine Gold controls both master and publishing. The team consists of 3 staff: Jonathan Finegold (Founder), David Drucker (Executive Licensing Consultant), and Lucy Whiteford (Director of Licensing). Best suited for artists and labels with clearable catalogs who want a boutique New York firm with both exclusive and non-exclusive deal options.

How Fine Gold Music Works

Fine Gold Music operates as a multi-faceted boutique firm. The company combines catalog licensing with music supervision and A&R services.

The process works as follows:

1. Catalog representation: Fine Gold represents over 25,000 titles from labels including Westbound/Bridgeport Music, Curb Records, Roc Nation, Spinnin', Luaka Bop, Fierce Panda, Honest Jons, and ONErpm. Over 15,000 of these titles are one-stop, meaning Fine Gold controls both master and publishing.
2. One-stop licensing: For one-stop titles, clients can clear both master and publishing in a single transaction. This eliminates the multi-party negotiation that often delays or kills sync deals.
3. Music supervision: Fine Gold provides music supervision services for films, documentaries, TV series, and ad campaigns. Founder Jonathan Finegold is a Guild of Music Supervisors award winner specializing in indie film and TV.
4. Custom music: The company has in-house Billboard charting producers and established artists who create custom music for sync needs when catalog tracks do not fit.
5. A&R services: Fine Gold offers A&R capacities for projects, including guest hip-hop features and original music production for documentaries and ad campaigns.

Submission / Application Details

Fine Gold Music accepts submissions through the contact form on their website. This is the only accepted method.

• How to apply: Fill out the form at finegoldmusic.com/contact. Music sent in any other way will not be listened to.
• Styles currently sought: Hip-hop (no samples), electronic pop, and female vocals.
• Do not send: Instrumental compositions or composers (classical, score), musicians writing only for sync licensing, anything made with generative AI, instrumental beats, or demos.
• Deal types: Fine Gold offers both exclusive and non-exclusive deals. With a non-exclusive deal, you can place your music elsewhere. With an exclusive deal, all sync deals go through Fine Gold. You always have final approval.
• No application fee: Fine Gold does not charge a submission fee.
• Response time: Fine Gold does not publish a guaranteed response time. They will contact you if they think they can represent your music.

Real-World Example

A music supervisor needs a 1970s soul track for a film set in Detroit. They search the Fine Gold catalog and find a track from the Westbound/Bridgeport Music catalog (which includes funk and soul classics). Because Fine Gold controls both master and publishing for this one-stop title, the supervisor clears the track in a single call. The sync fee for a theatrical film use of a classic soul track typically ranges from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on the film's budget and distribution. Fine Gold issues the license and handles all paperwork.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Fine Gold Music demonstrates how a boutique firm can build a substantial one-stop catalog by representing independent labels and rights holders.

Consider these points:

• One-stop value: If you control both your master and publishing, you are more useful to licensing companies. Fine Gold's one-stop titles close deals faster because they eliminate multi-party clearance.
• Label representation: Fine Gold works with labels, not just individual artists. If you run a small label, this type of firm can represent your entire catalog.
• Music supervision expertise: Founder Jonathan Finegold's award-winning supervision work means the company understands both sides of the licensing process. They know what supervisors need because they are supervisors.
• Diverse catalog: Fine Gold's catalog spans oldies, hip-hop, indie rock, electro, reggae, punk, and pop. This diversity means the company can serve a wide range of briefs.

Drawbacks / Things to Consider

• Strict submission rules: Fine Gold only accepts music through their contact form. Music sent in any other way will not be listened to. They also reject instrumental compositions, instrumental beats, demos, and anything made with generative AI.
• Small team: With 3 staff members, Fine Gold has limited bandwidth for active pitching. The company relies more on its catalog depth and one-stop convenience than proactive outreach.
• Catalog-focused: Fine Gold primarily represents existing catalogs and labels. Individual artists with only a few tracks may not fit their business model.
• Limited public fee information: The company does not disclose its fee split or pricing structure publicly. All terms are negotiated directly.
• NYC-centric: Fine Gold is based in New York and its strongest relationships are in the NYC market. Artists and labels in other regions may find less direct benefit.

Company Type and Licensing Model

Fine Gold Music operates as a boutique sync licensing agency and music supervision firm. The company is not a production music library, royalty-free platform, or subscription service. It licenses music on a per-placement basis, negotiating sync fees for each individual use.

The company provides multiple services:

1. Catalog licensing: Fine Gold represents over 40,000 titles for sync licensing, with placements in advertisements, films, television series, trailers, and video games. Over 15,000 of these titles are one-stop, meaning Fine Gold controls both master and publishing rights.
2. Music supervision: Founder Jonathan Finegold provides music supervision services for films, documentaries, TV series, and ad campaigns. He is a Guild of Music Supervisors (GMS) award winner specializing in indie film and TV.
3. Custom music: The company has in-house Billboard charting producers and established artists who create custom music for sync needs when catalog tracks do not fit.
4. A&R services: Fine Gold offers A&R capacities for projects, including guest hip-hop features and original music production for documentaries and ad campaigns.

Fine Gold offers both exclusive and non-exclusive deals. With a non-exclusive deal, artists can place their music elsewhere. With an exclusive deal, all sync deals go through Fine Gold. Artists always have final approval on placements.

Catalog Size and Genre Coverage

Fine Gold Music represents over 40,000 titles for sync licensing (updated from earlier reports of 25,000 titles). The catalog includes more than 1,500 Billboard charting hits. Over 15,000 titles are one-stop, meaning Fine Gold controls both master and publishing.

The catalog spans multiple genres:

• Pop: Mainstream and indie pop
• Rock: Classic rock, indie rock, punk
• Hip-Hop: Including artists from Roc Nation and catalogs with no-sample hip-hop
• Electronic: Electronic pop and dance
• R&B: Soul and R&B classics
• Indie: Independent alternative music
• Oldies: Including funk and soul classics from the Westbound/Bridgeport Music catalog
• Reggae: Jamaican music including dancehall

Represented labels include Westbound/Bridgeport Music, Curb Records, Roc Nation, Spinnin', Luaka Bop, Fierce Panda, Honest Jons, and ONErpm. The company currently seeks hip-hop (no samples), electronic pop, and female vocals. It does not accept instrumental compositions, instrumental beats, demos, or anything made with generative AI.

Client Base

Fine Gold Music serves clients across film, TV, advertising, trailers, and video games:

• Music supervisors: Professionals seeking clearable tracks for film and TV projects, including documentary filmmakers and indie feature producers
• Advertising agencies: Agencies licensing music for worldwide ad campaigns
• Movie trailer houses: Companies producing network and cable movie trailers
• Video game publishers: Studios licensing music for game soundtracks and promotional content
• Label partners: Independent labels including Westbound/Bridgeport Music, Curb Records, Roc Nation, Spinnin', Luaka Bop, Fierce Panda, Honest Jons, and ONErpm

Jonathan Finegold's music supervision credits include the documentary "Little Richard: I Am Everything" (2023, directed by Lisa Cortes, produced for CNN Films and HBO Max), "Queen of the Ring," and "The Truffle Hunters." He has spoken at industry events including the Tribeca Festival, California Copyright Conference, Mondo.NYC, BIME (Spain and Colombia), Reeperbahn (Germany), and NY Music Month's Pitch Perfecto panel.

How They Pay Artists

Fine Gold Music operates traditional sync licensing agreements with both exclusive and non-exclusive terms:

• Sync fee splits: Fine Gold negotiates sync fees per placement and splits the fee with the artist or label according to their agreement. The specific split percentage varies by deal type (exclusive vs. non-exclusive) and is negotiated directly.
• Exclusive deals: Under an exclusive arrangement, all sync deals go through Fine Gold. The artist typically receives a higher percentage of sync fees in exchange for granting Fine Gold exclusive representation rights.
• Non-exclusive deals: Under a non-exclusive arrangement, the artist can place their music with other licensing companies. Fine Gold takes a smaller percentage of sync fees in this model.
• Artist approval: Artists always have final approval on placements. Fine Gold does not place music without the rights holder's consent.
• No upfront fees: Fine Gold does not charge artists for representation or submission. There is no submission fee.
• Performance royalties: Artists continue to earn performance royalties through their PRO when music airs on TV, radio, or in public venues. Fine Gold does not collect performance royalties on behalf of artists.
• No buyout model: Fine Gold does not purchase catalogs outright. The company represents existing catalogs and individual titles on a licensing basis.

Comparison Table

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Related Resources

• Sync Licensing Companies Directory
• Sync License Glossary Term
• How to Get Your First Sync License: Complete Guide
• Music Licensing Agreements: Types, Terms, and Red Flags
• How to Negotiate Better Terms on Music Deals
• Use our Sync Licensing Fee Calculator to check if their offer is fair
• Submit music through Fine Gold Music's contact form