Do You Need a Software Licensing Agreement for Your App?
Imagine launching your dream app, only to discover a user has reverse-engineered your code and is selling it as their own. Or worse, a business...
5 min read
LegalGPS : Jul. 11, 2025
If you're a musician or producer, you've probably had someone ask, “Can I use your song in my video?” Or maybe a friend running a podcast wants to feature your track in their intro. That moment—where art meets permission—is where licensing comes in.
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And it raises a big question: Can musicians use a template to license their work?
The short answer: Yes, but only in the right situations. For small projects and clear deals, a good template can save time and protect your rights. But if there’s serious money, complexity, or risk involved? You’ll want to bring in a lawyer before clicking “send.”
This guide breaks down when templates are enough, when they’re not, what to include in your licensing agreement, and how to avoid deals that leave you empty-handed or legally exposed.
Licensing is how musicians get paid—and how they stay in control of their work. It gives someone else the right to use your music in a specific way, while you retain ownership of the song.
Whether you’re licensing an instrumental for a YouTuber, a chorus hook for a brand, or a custom beat for a podcast, you need a written agreement. Not a casual email. Not a handshake. A clear, signed license.
Why? Because things change. Maybe the video goes viral. Maybe the podcast becomes a top-10 show. Maybe you want to repurpose that same beat next year. If you didn’t spell out the deal in writing, you may lose the right to say “no” or get paid when it really counts.
Think of licensing as renting out your song—not selling it. A good licensing agreement should clearly say:
“You can use this track for X purpose, in Y format, for Z time—but I still own the music.”
You don’t always need a lawyer or a custom agreement. For simple, low-risk licensing—especially when you know the person and trust the use case—a template licensing agreement can do the job.
In these cases, the key isn’t legal complexity—it’s clarity. If the agreement says where, how, and for how long the music will be used—and you’re okay with that—templates work.
Mike, a jazz guitarist, was asked by a coffee shop owner to use a mellow instrumental track in a 30-second Instagram ad. He used a simple template license with:
It was quick, clean, and worked for both sides. No drama, no confusion—just a fair, clearly documented deal.
Even a simple licensing template should cover the key components of a solid deal. These terms not only protect you—they also set expectations for the person licensing your work.
Here’s what your license should include:
Clearly name the track, version, and file format being licensed.
“The track titled ‘Golden Hour (Lo-Fi Version)’ in MP3 and WAV format.”
Where, how, and for what purpose can the music be used? Examples include:
Sample Provision: Scope of Use
“Licensee is granted the non-exclusive right to use the Track as background music in one (1) promotional video distributed on social media platforms, excluding paid advertising.”
Where in the world can the song be used? And for how long?
“Worldwide, in perpetuity”or“U.S. only, for one year starting from the date of agreement.”
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Flat fee? Royalty split? Free with credit? Whatever it is—get it in writing.
“The Licensee agrees to pay a one-time fee of $150 upon execution of this agreement. No additional royalties are due.”
Specify whether credit is required and where it must appear.
“Credit shall be given as follows: ‘Music by [Your Name]’ in the YouTube description.”
Make it crystal clear that you still own the music.
“The Licensor retains full ownership of the Track. This is a non-exclusive license.”
If it is exclusive, define what that means—and for how long.
Can the agreement be terminated? Under what conditions?
“The Licensor may revoke this license in the event of breach, misuse, or misrepresentation.”
If you don’t say whether the license is exclusive or non-exclusive, a client might assume they’re the only one with rights to the song—which can cause issues if you reuse it elsewhere. Always be specific.
Templates work well for simple, one-off licenses. But they start to break down when the deal gets messy—or when the stakes get higher.
A singer-songwriter licensed her track to a fitness app with no expiration date in the contract. It was marked as “exclusive”—but she didn’t realize that meant she couldn’t use the same song for a clothing brand’s promo video six months later. The new deal fell through.
A lawyer could have helped her limit exclusivity to the fitness category or a shorter time period—and saved her from missing a better opportunity.
As a rule of thumb:
If the licensing fee is more than what you’d pay a lawyer to review the contract—bring in the lawyer.
Not all templates are created equal. Some are vague, outdated, or written for totally different industries. Start with sources that know music.
Avoid pulling a “free” template from a random blog post unless you fully understand the legal language.
A good template gives you options—not just fill-in-the-blanks. You should be able to define how your work is used, whether credit is required, and how long the license lasts—all without rewriting the entire agreement.
Absolutely—if the deal is simple, the terms are clear, and both sides are aligned.
A clean licensing template can help you move faster, look more professional, and protect your rights without needing a full legal team. But the moment you see complexity, money, or red flags? That’s when it’s time to upgrade from template to legal review.
Your music is valuable. Don’t let a vague or missing contract limit what you can do with it next.
The biggest question now is, "Do you need a lawyer for your business?” For most businesses and in most cases, you don't need a lawyer to start your business. Instead, many business owners rely on Legal GPS Pro to help with legal issues.
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