# Epidemic Sound: is this the way the jobs are heading to?



## mwarsell (Nov 16, 2015)

A company in Sweden signs RF deals with major networks in Scandinavia and northern Europe. This is what they proudly claim on their About -page:

"*A Truly Royalty Free Solution*
Royalty Free Music Re-imagined, is our approach to tackle the complexities of music licensing. Where other Libraries claim to be Royalty Free; then require you to report usage, pay performance royalties, or even sync and mechanical rights. We include everything, bundle all the legal rights you need into one simple license.

Once you have paid for our music, your production is ready for distribution worldwide – you can sit back, relax, and know your content is ready for global success; even in years to come, with just one payment. This is Royalty Free Music Re-imagined: all rights cleared in perpetuity."

The sickest thing is that they seem to be proud of this. Of abolishing all roaylties - in perpetuity. What kind of composers apply for them? Many too, it seems, because they claim that out of 5000 composers they select maybe 200. Is this the future? I don't want to a part of this future. Does anyone?


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## GULL (Nov 16, 2015)

mwarsell said:


> What kind of composers apply for them? Many too, it seems, because they claim that out of 5000 composers they select maybe 200. Is this the future? I don't want to a part of this future. Does anyone?



First thing, they don't accept a composer who has PRO affiliation. Period.


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## mc_deli (Nov 16, 2015)

GULL said:


> First thing, they don't accept a composer who has PRO affiliation. Period.


Maybe. But it has been rumoured that there are aliases used in track sheets from this library. If this is true then it would be duplicitous. 

What is true is that the Finnish national broadcaster has a blanket deal with this library for trailer music. The Finnish national broadcaster used to spend 1.5m€ plus annually on PRO registered library for trailers. That budget is now dead, does not stay in the country, and what's left of it is going to a Swedish profit-making company.

Interested to know how the UK composers would feel if the BBBC did the same...?

(You should also note that this library has deals with most major commercial channels and indy production companies in the Nordics, including the big warehouses).


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## C.R. Rivera (Nov 16, 2015)

I, for one, do not have a horse in this race, but I wonder who makes less from their work, musicians who actually do royalty free music, or, authors who have their books acquired in great numbers by public libraries that patrons can check out free?


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## mwarsell (Nov 16, 2015)

When do other tv networks around the world follow suit and sign blanket deals with rf libs? I think the future will be like that. But that's just my opinion.


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## Tatu (Nov 16, 2015)

mc_deli said:


> What is true is that the Finnish national broadcaster has a blanket deal with this library for trailer music. The Finnish national broadcaster used to spend 1.5m€ plus annually on PRO registered library for trailers.


Yeah this just sucks ass. Best thing is, Finnish composers aren't allowed to join that library.


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## mc_deli (Nov 16, 2015)

Tatu said:


> Yeah this just sucks ass. Best thing is, Finnish composers aren't allowed to join that library.


Well, unless you are friendly with a library that and they let you join under an alias... Of course, we are highly unlikely to find out about that on an open forum:(

Lots of Swedes on VIc, br interesting to know if any have tracks on Epidemic and have been paid the quoted rate... and if they are a legit Pro-free composer?


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## Tatu (Nov 16, 2015)

mc_deli said:


> unless you are friendly with a library that and they let you join under an alias


Everything is possible, often easy to do when it comes to aliases, fake addresses etc. I wouldn't join that library even if I could. It sucks ass because of the stupid decision YLE (Finnish broadcaster, funded from taxes yay!) made, since it was basically a big bitch slap to composers here.


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## Katzenjammer (Nov 16, 2015)

Epidemic are expanding to the US. I can't remember where I read it, but stumbled upon an interview a while back about their plans for expansion. Here in Sweden they are constantly growing. When IKEA launched their new big campaign with their own show, they opted for music from Epidemic. So both large corporations and tv networks use Epidemic extensively these days.

Btw, why wouldn't Finnish composers be allowed to work with Epidemic? As long as they're not related to any PRO I can't see why they wouldn't be allowed to? Not that it's something I would want for my neighbors to the east.


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## Tatu (Nov 16, 2015)

"

Please note: At the moment we accept applications from US residents only.
Important: Regrettably we’re not able to work with members of collecting societies (BMI, ASCAP etc.) at the moment. In the US (and a few other jurisdictions around the world) it is possible for an author of musical works to opt out certain works from their collecting society or PRO for certain usage areas. However, this practice is generally not accepted by local collecting societies or PRO's when these works are broadcast or made available to the public outside of the US."

Though things might have changed a bit, since TEOSTO (Finnish PRO) allows opting out these days, I believe. I checked this when there were news here about this odd arrangement between YLE and Epidemic.


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## Katzenjammer (Nov 16, 2015)

Yes, that I know about. They're currently only recruiting from the US. But if you're not with any PRO (like TIESTO or STIM, that I'm with) you are free to join, when ES are accepting submissions from your territory/country.


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## Vin (Nov 16, 2015)

Katzenjammer said:


> Yes, that I know about. They're currently only recruiting from the US. But if you're not with any PRO (like TIESTO or STIM, that I'm with) you are free to join, when ES are accepting submissions from your territory/country.



Don't they do buyouts for some pathetic amount of money, like ~€150 per track? No thanks.

Found this info as well.


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## Vin (Nov 16, 2015)

mwarsell said:


> What kind of composers apply for them?



Desperate? Amateurs?

Same as with Audiojungle and similar sites, I presume.


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## Katzenjammer (Nov 16, 2015)

Vin said:


> Don't they do buyouts for some pathetic amount of money, like ~€150 per track? No thanks.
> 
> Found this info as well.


Something like that. I think it's higher now and they have a climbing scale. No clue, I'm not with ES. I actually checked up on one composer from Sweden I know who is with ES. His company made at least 80k USD last year (available public figures). If it's all ES or not I don't know. But he only posts things related to ES as far as I can tell. But I guess he must have been getting some other work as well because of being featured in so many shows and campaigns. This summers online campaign for Star Trek Beyond (The Boldly Go thing) used ES music.


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## mc_deli (Nov 16, 2015)

If you are a composer with ES how could you make that kind of money from 150 per track and some performance back end?

So far, I have no evidence to suggest that anyone has been paid anything for a track by ES, 150 or otherwise. That's is the number they have given. The suspicion is - and it would be great if YLE, Epidemic and TEOSTO (Finn PRS) would show us an open book on this - that it is a small number of PRO registered Swedish composers, using aliases. That's why the library is so relatively small. That's why there never seems to be anyone "joining" ES. How could you "join" anyway if what they say they do is pay by the track.

For all that. ES provides a service that broadcasters and production companies want. The red tape is minimal, the cost is minimal. The site is smooth. It is not so good for editors, for various reasons - hearing your same cues on other channels, lack of breadth of material, basically limited choice and unable to commission local works.

For YLE it is a huge embarrassment. And TEOSTO, who have failed to negotiate well to give YLE a deal they could live with, and Elvis (the composers' association) should also be in the dock, for allowing this to happen 2 years ago. It has been swept under the carpet though. And YLE are getting away with it because there is no real oversight it seems - there is a charter that clearly states the remit is to support Finnish culture - but there is no QUANGO/watchdog to wrap management knuckles.

(Finland also has draconian rules for composers income - only 50% of royalties can be incorporated in a publishing company and the other 50% has to be personal direct income AFAIK. Elvis are focusing on that now. It would surely be overturned in a heartbeat as anticompetitive in Brussels - again, unbelievable that it is still the case. And the reason many successful Finns move abroad or at least deal with publishing abroad... etc etc The food and weather are great though!)


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