Lyric House

Lyric House is a woman-led music publishing and sync licensing agency based in Los Angeles, founded in 2012 by Jessica Cole. The company represents over 250 artists and songwriters for placements in television, film, trailers, video games, and advertising. Lyric House operates as a full-service publishing company, handling both creative pitching and administrative services, with a pre-cleared catalog designed for fast all-in licensing. Best suited for independent artists who want publisher representation and direct pitching to music supervisors.

How Lyric House Works

Lyric House functions as a traditional music publisher adapted for the modern sync market. The company signs artists to its roster, represents their catalog globally, and pitches tracks directly to music supervisors and creative directors across film, television, trailers, gaming, and advertising.

The process works as follows:

1. Artist submission: Artists submit music through the Lyric House contact page. The company requests download links or streaming links only. No attached MP3 files are accepted. Due to high submission volume, response times vary.
2. Review and roster selection: The Lyric House team reviews submissions for quality, sync suitability, and rights clarity. Accepted artists join a roster of over 250 artists and songwriters.
3. Publishing and pitching: Once signed, Lyric House handles creative pitching to supervisors and administrative publishing services. The catalog is represented by music publishers worldwide, giving artists access to international placement opportunities.
4. Licensing and payment: When a supervisor selects a track, Lyric House negotiates the license, collects the fee, and pays the artist their share. The company also handles royalty administration on behalf of its roster.

All tracks in the Lyric House catalog are pre-cleared for all-in licensing, meaning both master and publishing rights are controlled in a single transaction. This eliminates the clearance bottlenecks that cause supervisors to pass on otherwise suitable tracks.

Real-World Example

A music supervisor working on an Amazon MGM Studios trailer needs a high-energy remix for the official trailer of "How To Rob A Bank." They license "America (Disciple Theory Remix)" from Lyric House. Because the track is pre-cleared, the supervisor signs a single license agreement and the track is placed within days rather than weeks.

In another scenario, Google Pixel needs an upbeat track for a digital ad campaign. Lyric House pitches "Outta This World" by lunaluxe. The supervisor licenses it for a national digital campaign. The artist receives their split of the sync fee and earns performance royalties through their PRO when the ad runs on broadcast platforms.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Lyric House offers independent artists access to major-brand placements that would be difficult to secure alone. The company has secured placements with Amazon MGM Studios, Google Pixel, HBO MAX, and Honda. For artists without an established supervisor network, Lyric House provides the relationships and pitching infrastructure to get music in front of decision-makers.

Key considerations before submitting:

• Your music must be broadcast-ready: Submit professionally recorded and mixed tracks. Lo-fi demos will not make it past the review stage. Read our guide to creating music for sync licensing for production standards.
• Have all rights cleared: Confirm ownership splits with all co-writers, producers, and performers before submitting. Use a split sheet to document agreements. Lyric House will not represent tracks with ambiguous rights.
• Prepare instrumental versions: Supervisors frequently need instrumentals for dialogue scenes and voiceover placements. If you cannot deliver them, you lose the placement.
• Be patient with response times: Lyric House receives a high volume of submissions. Do not follow up aggressively. If they are interested, they will contact you.
• Understand publishing representation: Lyric House is a full-service publisher, not just a licensing library. This means they may take a publisher's share of your royalties in exchange for pitching and administrative services. Read our guide to music licensing agreements to understand what rights you are granting.

Use our sync licensing fee calculator to estimate potential earnings from different placement types before signing any deal.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Limited public information on fee splits: Lyric House does not publicly disclose its commission structure or artist split percentages. You will need to negotiate terms during the signing process. Compare any offer against the industry standard of 50/50 before agreeing.
• Submission volume means low acceptance odds: With over 250 artists already on the roster, Lyric House is selective. Do not treat rejection as a final verdict. Continue building your catalog and resubmit when you have stronger material.
• Publishing deals require careful review: Full-service publishing agreements may involve transferring a portion of your publishing rights. Understand exactly what you are granting before signing. Some deals are exclusive, others are non-exclusive. Clarify this upfront.
• No self-serve licensing portal: Unlike platforms such as Epidemic Sound or Bopper, Lyric House does not offer a searchable online catalog for supervisors. All placements go through the pitching team, meaning your music only gets placed when someone actively advocates for it.

Related Resources

• How to Get Your First Sync License - Complete walkthrough for beginners
• Sync Licensing Companies vs Music Libraries - Understanding the difference between publisher-agencies and stock libraries
• Music Licensing Agreements: Types, Terms, and Red Flags - What to watch for before signing any publishing deal
• Sync License Glossary Definition - Core sync licensing concept explained
• Lyric House Official Website - Submission details and current roster