The Neverland Rancheros Offer Royalty Free Rights to Tracks from Love Letters & Death Threats

Michigan rock trio The Neverland Rancheros have expanded into the world of royalty free music sales, boldly going where most rock bands don't really feel like going.

The term "royalty free music" is typically associated with 30- and 60-second instrumental clips that are available in a variety of styles, moods and genres. These clips are used as the soundtracks for television and radio advertisements, or as lead-ins for news pieces and talk show segments. Royalty free clips are often "elevator music," stereotypical blues riffs, or cheesy hair metal arrangements. Regardless of genre, royalty free music clips are generally very forgettable and very sterile. Traditionally, these clips are made by professional composers and studio musicians--not by "real" rock bands.

"Real" rock bands with "real" songs rarely ever license their music on a royalty free basis. In most situations, if a filmmaker or advertiser wants to use a popular rock song in their work, they have to buy a one-time license--for a hefty fee--from the record label or artist. Such licensing agreements generally involve a structure by which royalties must continue to be paid so long as the secondary work (the film or video game or whatever the song is being used in) is still making money. Royalty free licenses, on the other hand, are purchased with a one-time flat fee that allows unlimited commercial use of the song.

"I consider it a win-win situation," says Leo Siren, guitarist for The Neverland Rancheros and mastermind behind the band's venture into the royalty free market. "It gives independent filmmakers and local advertising firms easy access to our songs. It makes sure any producer or advertiser who wants to use the Rancheros in their work has easy access to our library. It also lets us set our own up-front price for the licensing. Basically, the royalty free scheme is pretty sweet because it means that everybody can get what they want without dealing with stuff like royalties and contracts."