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I got a message on Soundcloud about licencing my music...

Mornats

Mornats

Hobbyist
So, today I got a message on Soundcloud from Licier International:

LICIER INTERNATIONAL
Hi Paul
Hope all is well. I just came across your wonderful compositions.
We are a Music Company based in Switzerland and would be interested in a non-exclusive Licensing of your songs. So we could include them into some of our compilations.
Here is an example:
open.spotify.com/album/3cmX1IIdwp…7nRZ-kI_Q5QsMfXA
Should you be interested or have queries please send me an email to: ******.com [I removed the email]
I would be looking forward to hearing from you.
Best regards
David

Now, I'm a hobbyist and completely new to anything about licencing and my first thoughts were that this is spam but I wanted to check if anyone had heard of Licier? If they're genuine then they warrant a reply either way I think but I do get so many spam message on Soundcloud that it naturally makes me suspicious.
Click to read more...
 
I checked their website - they seem legit but small. I would arrange for a video call - should be okay to ask for one these days.
 
Yeah, I did some poking around myself and thought the same. I'll get back to them and ask a bunch of questions and maybe have a chat. The playlist they linked has some tracks that are in a similar genre and style to some of mine, so that helps distance this from spam too.
 
So this is the entirety of the licence agreement from them:

"Non-Exclusive right only to market, distribute, re-distribute and sell the above noted recordings as singles, EPs, Albums or in compilations compiled by Licensee."

Any alarm bells ringing? It's a small fee but I wasn't intending to sell anything and I like the tracks on the compilations they've done so far and I'm thinking it would be good tracks to sit alongside.
 
Hi @Mornats
Did you take this any further with the Licier International Company.
They've recently reached out to me as well and have sent a very brief licence agreement and a promise to pay me 75USD if I sign.
Surely there must be a catch?
 
Hywel said:
Hi @Mornats
Did you take this any further with the Licier International Company.
They've recently reached out to me as well and have sent a very brief licence agreement and a promise to pay me 75USD if I sign.
Surely there must be a catch?
Click to expand...

Yeah I asked them for the licence terms and got the same brief licence agreement and the $75 payment promise. I've been listening to some of the music they've put into compilations and found one of the artists on Soundcloud. I'm going to reach out to the artist to see if they have anything to say about Licier.
 
A fair deal, IMHO, would be if they share 50% of what they make on selling licenses for using your music AND that you should keep the right to receive future performance money (when your stuff get played in public media, normally piped into your wallet by your PRO or Publisher)
 
I mentioned this above also but this is the licence agreement in full. It doesn't mention anything about performance money. I'd honestly have expected more detail and based on what's been said so far, I'm inclined to say a big fat no to this.

"Non-Exclusive right only to market, distribute, re-distribute and sell the above noted recordings as singles, EPs, Albums or in compilations compiled by Licensee."
 
SamC said:
That is the catch. They get to monetise your music and throw you a measly $75.

They’re being intentionally obtuse by sending a “brief” license agreement.

Sounds like a really bad deal. They’re not even trying.
Click to expand...
I agree with you and have declined.
 
More info...

I got an email from these folks this week and asked "how are performance royalties handled under this agreement?"

Their response:

Hi Marc

We can unfortunately only do a royalty split for artists with at least 50 000 monthly listeners. Otherwise the involved back office work (invoicing, accounting etc.) wouldn’t be in proportion to the payed out amount.
Click to expand...

So in the end, this is basically for 'exposure'.

For a minute there, I got excited and thought... 'wow, is someone really interested in my music?' LOL
 
The shtick is that they throw you some crumbs to use your tracks to build their library portfolio. They'll probably rebrand, remix/modify and resell your tracks on non-English markets or something of that sort.

I suspect many people fall for it, because I see this coming up over and over again on social media.
 
marclawsonmusic said:
More info...

I got an email from these folks this week and asked "how are performance royalties handled under this agreement?"

Their response:



So in the end, this is basically for 'exposure'.

For a minute there, I got excited and thought... 'wow, is someone really interested in my music?' LOL
Click to expand...

“Back office work?”. I’d run for the hills.
 
Hi everyone,
I am new to VI and actually came across this thread doing a search on Licier International, so thanks for the heads-up!

I got the exact same message from them via Soundcloud, and will be declining their offer. I wasn't offered any payment at all and was given the same very brief 'Compilation Agreement' to sign.

I think giving a publishing company the right to sell and distribute my music, for zero royalty split, and with no control over where it ends up is a really bad deal.

They are exploiting emerging artists by offering them 'exposure' but in reality there are many other options to gain exposure on your own terms, such as getting tracks added to playlists.
 
So true. They're targeting people like me, who are hobbyists and aren't expecting to make money from their music. So they dangle a token small fee and the promise of the extra exposure to us. It can be quite tempting to say screw it, what do I have to lose so I suspect ma y do take them up on it.

I'm still tempted to package up a few of my best works into a few mini EPs to go on Spotify etc. via CDBaby or other services. So at least this offer has got me thinking about going it alone.
 
That's what made me think twice, because I noticed the musicians on their playlists didn't have huge amounts of followers so wondered how much 'exposure' being on their compilations would really bring.

I use Landr for mastering and digital distribution, and they also give you some good tips about promoting your music. There's a lot you can do DIY these days without a publisher. Good luck!
 
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