Musicbed

Musicbed is a music licensing platform founded in 2006 and headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, offering a catalog of over 70,000 tracks and 150,000 sound effects to filmmakers, advertisers, and content creators. The platform operates on a rights-managed licensing model and is known for authentic, culturally relevant music that appeals to brands like Nike, Apple, and Google.

How Musicbed Works

Musicbed operates as a curated licensing platform, not an open marketplace. The company employs a team of curators who review submissions and build a catalog focused on authentic, story-driven music. The platform is selective about which artists it accepts, and has historically closed unsolicited submissions when catalog volume is high.

For buyers, Musicbed offers two primary purchasing models: subscription plans and single-song licenses. Subscriptions provide unlimited access to the full catalog during the subscription period, while single-song licenses cover one specific track for one specific project. Both models include Musicbed's SyncID service, which clears copyright claims on YouTube and social media platforms.

The licensing model is rights-managed, meaning the coverage you get depends on your subscription tier. Musicbed does not currently offer subscription plans that cover broadcast use. For broadcast, cinema, festival, or video game usage, buyers need to request a custom license quote from the Musicbed licensing team.

Musicbed also operates Filmsupply (a stock footage platform) and Stills.com (a stock photography platform), creating an integrated ecosystem for creative professionals.

Pricing Plans

Musicbed offers three subscription tiers with annual billing (monthly billing also available):

• Individual ($29.99 to $109.98/month): For freelance filmmakers, wedding filmmakers, independent creators, and podcasters. Covers web, podcast, and social media (up to 1M followers). Monetization included. Access to music and sound effects. Does not cover client work.
• Business ($99.99 to $219.98/month): For production companies, agencies, brands, and non-profits with up to 250 employees. Covers client work, web, podcast, and social media (up to 1M followers). Monetization included. Access to music and sound effects.
• Enterprise (custom pricing): For large brands with more than 250 employees. Covers broadcast, cinema, festivals, video games, and celebrities with 1M+ followers. Full monetization rights, custom licensing support, team workspace, music curation, and potential for custom music.

Single-song licenses are also available: $59.99 for personal use and $349.99 for business use. A 14-day free trial gives full access to the catalog.

Real-World Example

A freelance wedding filmmaker produces 30 wedding videos per year and needs licensed music for each project. Instead of purchasing 30 individual single-song licenses at $59.99 each ($1,799.70 total), they subscribe to the Individual plan at $29.99/month ($359.88/year). They download unlimited tracks across the 70,000+ catalog, use SyncID to clear YouTube and social media claims, and monetize their content. Even if they only use 12 tracks per year, the subscription saves $1,439.82 compared to per-track licensing.

A mid-size ad agency with 80 employees subscribes to the Business plan at $99.99/month ($1,199.88/year). They produce 200 pieces of content annually for clients across web and social media. The same volume through single-song business licenses at $349.99 each would cost $69,998. The subscription saves the agency over $68,000 per year.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Musicbed works with artists who are often affiliated with PROs, meaning the licensing model preserves your ability to earn performance royalties separately from sync fees. This differs from platforms like Epidemic Sound that acquire all rights upfront.

Consider these factors:

• Selectivity limits access: Musicbed is highly selective and may close submissions. If submissions are open, your music needs to stand out in terms of production quality and emotional authenticity.
• Rights-managed model: Because Musicbed uses rights-managed licensing rather than direct licensing, buyers may need to pay PRO fees in some cases. This can affect how often your tracks are selected for certain types of projects.
• PRO affiliation is an advantage: Unlike platforms that require you to give up PRO registration, Musicbed's model means you can earn both sync fees and backend performance royalties. Make sure your tracks are properly registered with your PRO.
• Catalog size means competition: With 70,000+ tracks, your music competes for attention. Metadata, tagging, and emotional categorization matter for discovery.

Use our sync licensing fee calculator to compare Musicbed subscription costs against traditional per-placement licensing fees.

Platform Features

• 70,000+ tracks and 150,000+ sound effects: Curated catalog with emphasis on authentic, story-driven music
• SyncID claim-clearing: Automatically clears copyright claims on YouTube and social media
• 14-day free trial: Full catalog access during the trial period
• Flexible purchasing: Choose between subscription plans or single-song licenses
• Enterprise licensing: Custom licensing for broadcast, cinema, festivals, and video games
• Integrated ecosystem: Musicbed also operates Filmsupply (footage) and Stills.com (photography)

Company Overview

Musicbed is a curated music licensing platform. It is not a royalty-free platform or a production music library. The company operates a rights-managed catalog where artists retain ownership of their music. Musicbed licenses tracks on behalf of artists, but the artists keep their copyrights and can continue earning royalties from their PRO registrations.

Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, Musicbed has paid over $100 million to artists between 2012 and 2022. The platform receives 1.5 to 2 million website visits per month and processes approximately 10,000 sync licenses each month. Musicbed also operates Filmsupply (a stock footage platform) and Stills.com (a stock photography platform).

Musicbed's catalog is not royalty-free. Tracks are flagged by YouTube's Content ID system because artists retain ownership. Subscribers use Musicbed's SyncID service to clear copyright claims on YouTube and social media.

Licensing Model

Musicbed offers two purchasing models: subscription plans and single-song licenses.

Subscription Plans

• Individual ($29.99 to $109.98/month): For freelance filmmakers, wedding filmmakers, independent creators, and podcasters. Covers web, podcast, and social media (up to 1M followers). Monetization included. Access to music and sound effects. Does not cover client work.
• Business ($99.99 to $219.98/month): For production companies, agencies, brands, and non-profits with up to 250 employees. Covers client work, web, podcast, and social media (up to 1M followers). Monetization included. Access to music and sound effects.
• Enterprise (custom pricing): For large brands with more than 250 employees. Covers broadcast, cinema, festivals, video games, and celebrities with 1M+ followers. Full monetization rights, custom licensing support, team workspace, music curation, and potential for custom music.

Subscriptions are billed annually (monthly billing also available). A 14-day free trial gives full access to the catalog.

Single-Song Licenses

• Personal use: $59.99 per track
• Business use: $349.99 per track

Single-song licenses do not include monetization or SyncID claim clearance. Only subscription plans include SyncID.

Broadcast and Cinema

Musicbed does not offer subscription plans that cover broadcast use. For broadcast, cinema, festival, or video game usage, buyers must request a custom license quote from the Musicbed licensing team.

Catalog Size and Genre Coverage

Musicbed's catalog contains over 70,000 tracks and 150,000 sound effects from over 1,500 artists. An additional 5,000 songs are available for single-use licensing. Genres include indie, electronic, orchestral, pop, folk, ambient, and hip-hop.

The platform focuses on authentic, story-driven music rather than generic production music. Tracks often feature clear dynamics, intentional builds, defined lyrical narratives, and production depth. This positioning targets filmmakers, ad agencies, and brands who want music that sounds like real records rather than stock library tracks.

Clients

Musicbed's clients include:

• Brands: Nike, Apple, Google, Facebook, Amazon, BMW, GE
• Ad agencies: Agencies producing paid media campaigns for major brands
• Filmmakers: Independent filmmakers, commercial directors, and wedding filmmakers
• YouTube creators: High-level digital creators with monetized channels
• Production companies: Companies producing branded documentaries, travel pieces, and narrative shorts

Musicbed reports handling approximately 10,000 sync licenses per month across its client base.

How Musicbed Pays Artists

Musicbed uses a curated, rights-managed payment model:

• Sync fee split: Musicbed operates approximately a 50/50 split on sync fees. Per-placement fees can range from $500 to $5,000 or more depending on the usage type and client.
• Artist ownership retained: Artists keep the copyright to their music. They can continue earning royalties and revenue outside of Musicbed.
• PRO royalties preserved: Because Musicbed uses rights-managed licensing (not direct licensing), artists affiliated with PROs can earn both sync fees and backend performance royalties. This differs from platforms like Epidemic Sound that acquire all rights upfront.
• No buyout: Musicbed does not pay a fixed upfront fee per track. Artists earn when their music is licensed. The platform reported paying $100 million to artists between 2012 and 2022.

Musicbed states that it does not take more than the artist's share on licenses. The company has stated that its pricing changes are designed to maintain existing relationships and revenue splits with artists.

Videos

The video below is a tutorial on creating a license with a Musicbed Personal Subscription, covering the step-by-step process from song selection to license generation.

Below is a review and comparison video examining whether Musicbed is worth the premium for serious filmmakers and sync creators. The video covers search tools, pricing, licensing, and catalog quality.

Comparison: Musicbed vs Other Sync Licensing Companies

Similar Sync Licensing Companies

• Audio Network - Production music library with 308,000+ owned tracks
• PremiumBeat - Royalty-free platform owned by Shutterstock, 40,000+ tracks
• Epidemic Sound - Subscription-based royalty-free platform with buyout model
• Marmoset - Curated licensing agency with similar rights-managed model
• Artlist - Subscription-based royalty-free music platform
• Songtradr - Open marketplace where artists set their own pricing

Related Resources

• Sync Licensing Companies Directory - Browse more sync licensing companies
• Sync Licensing Fee Calculator - Estimate licensing fees for your projects
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Calculate streaming revenue alongside sync income
• Sync License Glossary Term - Learn what a sync license covers
• Visit Musicbed for subscription plans and catalog access