The complete guide
Music licensing, in plain language.
Music licensing is permission: the right to use someone's music in a defined way, with the rights holder paid for it. What used to take negotiation now takes a checkout — on Starchild, artists license original songs to record from $30, creators buy out royalties for $99, and productions clear sync on pre-cleared songs. Here's every license type that matters and what each one grants.
| License | Price | What it grants | Browse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song License | $30 | Record and release your own version of an original song | Songs for artists |
| Song + Instrumental | $50 | Everything above, plus the instrumental track to record over | Songs to sing |
| Personalized Productions | $60 | The song fully produced in different genres, true to the original | Adaptive music |
| Exclusive License | $60–$150 | The song leaves the marketplace for your 3, 6, or 12-month term | Pricing |
| Royalty-Free Buyout | $99 once | Use without ongoing royalty obligations — videos, podcasts, social | Royalty-free songs |
| Sync License | Quoted per project | Pair a recording with film, TV, ads, or games — both rights pre-cleared | Sync licensing |
Music licensing questions, answered
What is music licensing?
Music licensing is buying permission to use a piece of music in a specific way — recording your own version of a song, placing a recording in a video, playing it in a product. The license defines the use, and the rights holder is paid for it. On Starchild, licenses are fixed-price and instant for artists and creators, and quoted per project for sync.
How do I license music?
On a marketplace like Starchild: find the song, pick the license that matches your use, and check out — the files and a certificate naming the writers and your rights arrive immediately. Traditional licensing outside marketplaces means negotiating with the publisher (composition) and label (master) separately, which can take weeks.
How much does it cost to license music?
Artist licenses on Starchild start at $30 to record and release your own version of a song — $50 with the instrumental, $60 for personalized productions. Exclusive terms run $60 to $150 for 3 to 12 months, and royalty-free buyouts are a one-time $99 where offered. Sync placements in film, TV, and ads are quoted per project.
What kinds of music licenses are there?
The ones most people need: a recording license (record and release your own version of a song), a sync license (pair a recording with picture), an exclusive license (take a song off the market for a term), and a royalty-free buyout (use without ongoing royalty obligations). Each Starchild song page shows exactly which of these it offers.
What's the difference between royalty-free and licensed music?
Royalty-free music IS licensed music — the license just removes ongoing royalty obligations after a one-time payment. The real distinction to watch is what you're licensing: most royalty-free libraries sell instrumental background tracks, while Starchild licenses complete human-written songs with vocals, with a $99 buyout available where the writer offers it.
Do I keep the rights to my own recording?
Yes. When you license a song and record your own version, your recording is yours to distribute and monetize within the license terms. The songwriters keep authorship of the composition and are credited as writers — exactly as with any outside song an artist records.
License your first song
Every song streams free, in multiple production styles and your own key, before you spend anything.
Go deeper: what rights you get when you license a song and the song licensing glossary.