# Back end royalties



## zamyen (May 30, 2019)

Hi Vi control,

There seem to be a number of “Royalty Free” libraries these days. Do the ‘back end’ payments differ from an exclusive library.

i.e. apart from the up front fees, if you are registering pieces with the PRO is there a difference if your piece is picked up and used on say TV, media or advertising?

Thanks a lot if you know about this and can share your experience.

Cheers, Z


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## muk (May 30, 2019)

Doesn't 'royalty free' literally mean that there is no backend at all? Roayalties are the back end payments. So if music is 'royalty free' they pay the upfront fee, and nothing else. I could be wrong about it as I don't work with royalty free libraries.

Some of the royalty free libraries only accept composers that are not registered with any PRO. I would strongly advise to not ever work with any library that demands that. On the contrary, do the research and join a PRO before you start releasing music.


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## zamyen (May 30, 2019)

Thanks for highlighting this, that is exactly what is confusing. Apparently if you are PRO registered (and the RF library supports this), then if your RF track is used for broadcast etc. the cue sheet would go to the PRO and you receive payment. So I’m trying to understand if that back end payment differs in any way.


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## muk (May 30, 2019)

Good question indeed.


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## Jaap (May 30, 2019)

As confusing as it is, royalty free does not mean there is no backend. It means that the company/person who buys it only pays a one time fee for the usage and will not have to pay afterwards.
So lets say Company X makes a small documentary about a local town with the intention to only display it at a company for a select group of people, he/she grabs a piece of music from Pond 5 and pays a one time fee for using the music.
But if lets say the network ABC sees that it is a great documentary and decides to broadcast it on its network, then ABC will have to pay the royalties for the music, hence the reason your music should always be registered with a PRO.

And then it does not matter if it is music from a RF or exclusive library. The royalties are paid by the broadcasting network and not by the company who bought license to use the music.
I hope this example clears it up a bit 

And btw welcome to VI Zamyen!


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## zamyen (May 30, 2019)

Thanks so much Jaap, both for the welcome and such a clear explanation of how it works!


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## Jaap (May 30, 2019)

zamyen said:


> Thanks so much Jaap, both for the welcome and such a clear explanation of how it works!



You're welcome Zamyen 

It's a confusing subject due to actually the naming of Royalty Free is sort of being wrong and utterly confusing because we link the name royalties automatically to the public performance rights royalties.
It would have been better if these companies where called "Pay Once Libraries" or "Right Managed Free Libraries" or something like that.


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## Desire Inspires (May 30, 2019)

How many customers who buy music from royalty free music libraries actually file cue sheets?


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## Jaap (May 30, 2019)

Desire Inspires said:


> How many customers who buy music from royalty free music libraries actually file cue sheets?



The customers dont need to file the cue sheets, the networks that airs the show/music has to.


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