Guide
How to Get Your Music in TV, Film and Ads
A song in a TV scene or an ad can pay more than a year of streaming. Supervisors pick music that fits the picture and clears fast. Here is how to be the song they pick.
The short version
- Music supervisors pick songs that fit the scene, sound finished, and clear fast.
- Your catalog needs clean metadata, finished masters, and splits agreed in writing.
- A placement pays a sync fee up front and performance royalties after.
- Submit for real briefs, not your whole catalog. The right song for the scene wins.
- Nice Set includes sync submissions. No placement is guaranteed.
What supervisors look for
- Fit first. The song has to match the mood, the tempo, and the story of the scene. Lyrics matter. A wrong lyric kills a right sound.
- Finished sound. A demo does not get placed. The master has to sound like it belongs on the screen.
- Fast clearance. The supervisor needs the master and the publishing cleared. If your splits are not agreed in writing, they move on.
- Range. Supervisors remember catalogs with range. One mood is a single. Five moods is a catalog.
How to prepare
- Organize your catalog. Every song tagged with mood, tempo, and lyrics. A supervisor searches by feeling, not by title.
- Get your splits in writing. Every writer, every producer, every share. Agree it before anyone asks.
- Register with your PRO. Performance royalties from a placement come through your PRO. If the song is not registered, the money does not find you.
- Submit through Nice Set. Your music goes to the team for open briefs. Keep releasing, keep submitting, and keep your catalog ready.
Questions artists ask
How do I get my music in a TV show?
Your music needs to fit a scene, sound finished, and clear fast. Submit for sync briefs through a distributor or sync service that pitches to supervisors.
How much does a TV placement pay?
It depends on the show, the usage, and the term. Fees are negotiated per placement, and performance royalties come after through your PRO.
Do I need a publisher for sync?
No. You can submit for sync yourself through a distributor that offers sync submissions. You do need to control or clear the publishing.
Can independent artists get sync placements?
Yes. Supervisors pick the song that fits the scene, not the label behind it.