SYNC in 60: August 1–7 News Headlines
AMPLIFIED NEWS HEADLINES in Sync, Licensing & Music Publishing
August kicked off with a bold tone for sync and publishing. Here’s what defined the first week of the month:
Kobalt & Spotify Cut a Direct Licensing Deal
Kobalt signed a multi-year direct licensing agreement with Spotify in the U.S., bypassing the standard Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) rate structure.
Why this matters: Publishers are gaining negotiation power. This move reinforces a growing trend of direct publisher-DSP deals and paves the way for more transparency in royalty flows.
Chordal Expands InstantClear to 13 New Partners
Chordal added Nettwerk, Neon Gold, Marathon Artists, and more to its InstantClear platform, which enables lightning-fast sync licensing for music supervisors and ad teams.
Big picture: More one-stop catalogs are entering automated marketplaces — raising the bar for sync-ready music.
August = Quiet but Golden for Sync Pitching
Music supervisors from top agencies and streamers call early August a prime pitch window.
With production teams in quiet mode and briefings light, now’s the time to land those sleeper placements — especially for seasonal, nostalgic, and cinematic tracks.
Downtown Music + Sync Enhancements
Downtown Music announced upgrades to its sync platform, including:
In-video tagging tools (see the scene before you license)
TikTok velocity tracking to prioritize culturally relevant placements
Sync is going visual — and predictive.
Wrap-up Insight:
The smart sync players are moving early this month — adjusting their licensing terms, metadata, and pitch strategy before the Fall wave hits.
American Music + Media: The New Voice for Music in Media
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The music licensing, publishing, and media industries have never been more competitive and lucrative. AMM aims to be the essential bridge between these worlds, offering the clarity, community, and connections professionals need to thrive.
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