In the digital age, brands are under immense pressure to create a high volume of content to stay relevant. Social media, streaming platforms, and online advertising demand a steady flow of engaging, music-rich content.
However, a lesser-known yet critical legal issue lurks in the background: expired music licenses. Often overlooked, expired licenses can leave brands vulnerable to significant legal and financial challenges. In this article, we’ll unpack the compliance risks of expired music licenses for modern corporations, before exploring how MatchTune can ensure your brand's content remains unimpeachable.
The Hidden Risk of Expired Music Licenses
Most music licenses are issued with defined usage restrictions, for scope and duration of use. While they may grant a brand the rights to use a specific song for a campaign or a limited time, these rights are susceptible to expire, often unbeknownst to brands.
If the music continues to be used in content after the license ends, the brand is effectively using it without permission—a form of copyright infringement that opens them up to legal action. Unlike initial compliance issues, which are easier to track, expired licenses are a subtler risk, especially as brands produce large quantities of content that often live online indefinitely.
Potential Legal & Financial Penalties
If rights holders discover that their music is being used without an active license, there are a number of actions that they can take. Usually, this begins with a cease and desist order, essentially commanding the brand. While not as immediate as a lawsuit, failing to act on a cease and desist order can quickly escalate matters. And given the prevalence of AI-driven content monitoring, rights holders are more equipped than ever to identify non-compliant usage in real-time.
More severe legal consequences from expired licenses, however, can also include costly lawsuits and fines. Brands often assume they’re in the clear after securing an initial license, only to discover that overlooking a license expiry has left them liable for massive claims. As recent high-profile lawsuits against brands such as Marriott, Johnson & Johnson, and 14 NBA teams demonstrate, copyright holders are increasingly vigilant, and their claims often seek 9-figure compensation.
How MatchTune Helps Ensure Compliance in an AI-Driven World
Staying compliant with music licensing isn’t just about securing the rights to a song once—it’s about maintaining that compliance for as long as the content exists. MatchTune’s AI-powered technology helps brands navigate the complexities of music licensing, from identifying and replacing expired tracks in past content to offering pre-cleared, zero-claim music for new projects.
With MatchTune, your brand can access compliant, high-quality music, along with revolutionary AI-powered post-production technology, to align with your content needs without risking legal setbacks.
Looking to safeguard your brand’s music use? Reach out to MatchTune today.