Music in the Pole Studio

You see the angry posts on Facebook all the time.  Someone posted a video on YouTube and YouTube yanked it or silenced the audio.  They blame YouTube, but YouTube is only doing what it is legally required to do to save it's own ass from being sued for copyright infringment (if you want more information about copyrights, click HERE).  It is the artists, who (rightfully so) are trying to protect their work product and income (we can get into whether they are overpaid, but the truth is, I can't carry a tune to save my life, so if I am paying to hear someone else sing well, they deserve whatever the market is willing to pay them).  Yes, we provide the beautiful dances, but the music we are using belongs to someone else (although it probably belongs to the music label, not the artist, not that it changes anything). 

For those of us with a day job, we show up for our eight hours (more or less), and go home with a paycheck. Imagine if you were suddenly working the same hours for half the pay. You'd be pissed. Granted, when you're already making millions of dollars, some might find it hard to be sympathetic, but hopefully you can kind of understand what I'm saying.

It's not just your videos being posted to YouTube, Facebook or Vimeo.  If you are playing music in your pole studio, you owe someone, somewhere money.  We are not allowed to just play music in "public" situations without licensing that music. 

How can you license music to play in your studio? 

One way to avoid the fee is to search for royalty free music.  However, that will not include the Top 40 hits that most of your students are excited to dance to.  Another way, which is what one studio owner in Canada is doing, is to ask a local, unsigned band to provide original music for your studio.  You will need to sign some paperwork to make sure everyone understands the deal, but there are certainly some amazing bands out there that might be willing to trade their music for some free plugs.

You can also obtain a blanket license through ASCAP -- The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.  They claim to have the world's largest musical repertory.  Although they license millions of songs, you only have the legal right to play the songs on their list.  BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) also offers licences.  Between the two companies, there are a reported 4 million+ songs.  SESAC is another licensing service.  They claim that, "[u]nlike ASCAP and BMI, SESAC utilizes a selective process when affiliating songwriters and publishers, resulting in a roster of affiliates who have personal relationships with the SESAC staff.  In short, SESAC’s creative staff provides affiliated songwriters and publishers with a level of service and attention unparalleled in the industry."  If certain artists have tired of the same ol', same ol' that may be haunting companies like ASCAP or BMI, you may see some jump ship and join SESAC.  And, keep in mind that the fees paid to these companies must be paid every year.  This is not a one-time payment. 

[Did you know that the Happy Birthday song is still copyrighted? Read the saga of that song HERE.]

By the way, licensing the music to play in your studio does not then buy you the rights to post videos with that song on YouTube.  I wish it worked that way but it doesn't.  The internet was a fabulous invention and has made the world a much smaller place.  But it has also presented a huge problem for a lot of artists, whose work can be shared for free on a much larger scale.

I know it's frustrating.  You opened your studio because you love pole dancing, and you are being nickel and dime'd at every turn.  But please make sure you are paying the correct fees to the correct place.  Getting fined after the fact is no joke and will cost you a lot more. 

Do you have any experience with licensing music?  Please feel free to leave tips for those just starting their journey to pole studio ownership!