Music licensing is confusing. Like, REALLY confusing. Case in point? Sync licenses and master use licenses. I talked through this with someone the other day using the song Poison by Bell Biv DeVoe as an example (long story), so, with apologies, I'll stick with that one. Feel free to mentally insert a song of your choosing.
Ok. Let's say you've got a film, and you want to use Poison in a scene. If you obtain a sync license, you have the rights to use the music and lyrics from the song - but not the BBD version of the song or any specific version. In other words, you can recreate the song yourself and sync it with your visual images.
BUT, let's say you can't find any way to capture the magic of the original, and you decide only BBD will do. In that case, in addition to your sync license, you need to obtain a master use license (aka a master license or master recording license). This license gives you the right to use a particular pre-existing recording of a song in your film project.
Now, I must warn youuuuuu (see what I did there?): failing to get the appropriate kind of license for the project that you're working on can come back and bite you in a big way. If you're not sure, get some legal advice. For more about sync licenses and master use licenses, check out this info:
i just randomly stumbled upon this little article but i must say… you are hilarious! i may be just a big entertainment law dork but you made me laugh out loud
Ha – thanks, Tricia!