Epidemic Sound
If you find this information helpful, please consider donating.
| If you are a composer and/or songwriter, please leave your comments and experiences with this company. We want to hear the good as well as the bad! Please rate, from 1 to 10, by clicking on one of the stars. Below is some general information but we make no guarantee of accuracy. Check with the company for all details. Please contact us for any corrections. | ||
| URL: | http://epidemicsound.com/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Accepting Submissions: | Yes | |
| Submit Via Uploads: | Unknown | |
| Submit Via Mail: | Unknown | |
| Submissions Reviewed: | Unknown | |
| Types Accepted: | Unknown | |
| Charge For Submissions: | Unknown | |
| Up Front Money: | Unknown | |
| Royalty Free: (non-broadcast use) |
Unknown | |
| Exclusivity: (Exclusive, Non, Semi) (Semi = Free to place on own but not with another library) |
Unknown | |
| Re-Title: | Unknown | |
| Set Own Price: | Unknown | |
| Contract Length: | Unknown | |
| Payment Schedule: | Unknown | |
| License Fee Split: (writer/library) |
Unknown | |
| PRO Split Based on 100%: (writer/library writer/library/publisher or writer) |
No PRO Payment! | |
| Requires Licensee To File Cue Sheet: | Unknown | |
| Notes: | ||
Did you find this information helpful? If you did, please consider donating.
Categories: Music Libraries E to G | 
Tags: composers, music libraries, music library, songwriters | 
24 Comments »
Reader Frank alerted me to this site and the following e-mail that was sent via another forum.
NO Pro payment!
Thanks for the heads up Frank!
———————————————–
My name is Peer.
I am a music producer and the co-founder of a brand new exciting music company.
We, the company Epidemic Sound, are looking for talented American writers/producers.
All styles!
If you´re good at Rock, then that’s what you should do!
If you’re good at Folk music, then that’s what you should do!
The same goes for Punk, Film, Pop, Funk, Country etc etc….
The music is so called production music, used in TV, on the web and so on.
So mainly instrumental music.
We have created a business model that will allow you to make a good living from your music!
As of today this model will only fit with non PRO members, but we will be launching a PRO member version later.
(PRO=Perfoming Rights Organization i.e Ascap,Bmi, Sesac,Stim etc.)
So if you can write and produce a song, by yourself, with a professional result, then this might be something for you!
Check our site: epidemicsound.com
Please email us at interest@epidemicsound.com for more info on how you can be a part of our team!
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Peer
Co-founder of Epidemic Sound
————————————–
[Reply]
Matt, March 1st, 2010 at 10:25 pm Reply:
Good luck to them finding music of decent quality from composers that haven’t signed with a PRO!
[Reply]
Art, March 1st, 2010 at 10:53 pm Reply:
And according to their site Epidemic Sound was founded by two producers who have sold over 60 million records. I bet they are getting their PRO money! Something a bit fishy here.
[Reply]
Anonymous, March 4th, 2010 at 4:28 pm Reply:
From another forum:
Yeah…I have seen their post on other composer forums as well. It is disgusting quite frankly. Their website says that epidemic Sound is
Quote:
“founded by two of Sweden’s most prominent music producers with more than 60 million records sold including mega hits for artists like Celein Dion, Madonna, Kelly Clarkson, Westlife, Enrique Iglesias and Josh Groban.”
AND they are,
Quote:
“aiming to redefine the broadcast music landscape as we know it today.”
So if these people are so successful…then why disrespect those who would be creating for them by taking away or not allowing them to collect broadcast royalties? Yeah they are trying to redefine the music landscape alright…in a horrible direction and on the backs of the people who create their content. Taking advantage of them by taking their only existing revenue stream in the broadcast world. They don’t want PRO affiliated composers because they are going to register and then collect all the royalties that you are entitled to. It is disgusting for “music producers” to be doing this to what is essentially their “their own.”
No self respecting composer should even give this a thought. This will not advance anyone’s career and any up front fees that may be offered would not even make a dent in what one’s music is worth over the long haul.
No one should buy into this in my opinion.
[Reply]
Matt, March 4th, 2010 at 6:31 pm Reply:
Hey Art, I’ve actually had first hand experience with a successful record producer who had no idea what performance royalties were. A lot of these guys get upfront fees and maybe a cut of the mechanicals, but no publishing or writer’s share.
[Reply]
Art, March 4th, 2010 at 6:45 pm Reply:
Back in the day a lot of the hot producers made sure they were writers on the song as well as publishers. A lot of writers went for it to get on those records. Must still go on today. He/she will learn soon enough:)
[Reply]
This is one company I’ll be staying away from…
[Reply]
Now I’m fired up. I’d give them one star but that would boost their ratings.
[Reply]
Maybe they’re making direct performance royalty deals with the networks, thereby bypassing the need for a PRO.
If this company passes on such royalties to the composers, that’s not a bad thing at all…
[Reply]
Art, March 4th, 2010 at 10:08 pm Reply:
The devils in the details:-)
[Reply]
sam broussard, April 10th, 2010 at 7:46 pm Reply:
You may be right; see John Buckman’s posting in the Magnatune review in this site. Non-PRO deals can make more for the writer – if the company is trustworthy. Having said that, this one sounds fishy, all those claims. If you’ve got even a fractional piece of 60 million records, why do you need to start a licensing agency?
[Reply]
They are not leaving anything to the composers , believe me. They force you to leave your collective society and sign themselves as composers to your songs…
From what I hear they will get what is coming to them
[Reply]
This is very strange indeed. The blurb on the website would like to suggest to the viewer that Max Martin is involved, or someone of his ilk. Look at the credits listed. I severely doubt that he is involved in this or any of the other top Swedish producers I have known. They certainly know what PRO means, they make the majority of their money from writing the tracks aswell as producing them. Very fishy indeed.
[Reply]
No, nothing fishy about Epidemic Sound, I’ve worked for them for the last eight months. Money from day one. Nothing strange about it. /Stefan, Sweden
[Reply]
I too have been working with Epidemic Sound from day one.
Nothing fishy at all.
I’ve got payed from day one just like Stefan above.
The great thing with Epidemic is that you get feedback on every song!
And its feedback from people that know what they’re doing.
[Reply]
This is the reply you get when contacting Epidemic Sounds:
You do the math….
# In order to work with us, at this time, you need to be either a or
American or Swedish citizen.
# You can not, at this moment, be a part of any PROs (Performing
Rights Organizations i.e Ascap,Bmi,Sesac,Stim etc).
# You must be 18 years or older.
# You must be able to write and produce a song by yourself.
# You must be able to get a professional result.
If this applies to You, then please send an email to the below
address, where you tell a little about yourself, and where you attach
an mp3 example of your work.
What we are looking for what is refered to as production music.
That is usally an instrumental piece of around 2 minutes.
It can not contain any illegal sampling or any part of previously
copywrite-protected material.
It can be any style.
But it should be something that You are good at, and that You like!
If You are great at Thrash Metal, that’s what we want to hear!
If You do Film score type, then that’s what we want to hear!
If You are an fantastic Mandolin player, then that’s what we want to hear!
You get the picture…
Looking forward to listening and answering Your questions!
And hopefully working together!
[Reply]
guscave, May 18th, 2010 at 8:01 am Reply:
Why would they not want you to be a member of a PRO? That raises a red flag for me.
[Reply]
Just another nail in the composer’s coffin. Are they willing to pay upfront per track money?
I think under these conditions $1,000 a track plus 60% of the licensing fee would be reasonable – really!
“Epidemic” is an appropriate name for this company.
[Reply]
Johan, May 31st, 2010 at 9:15 pm Reply:
I worked for Epidemic Sound for a while, but quit because they paid me about 80 USD per song excluding VAT, The contract I signed gave them the lifetime copyright of my songs (But yay, I still owned the nonprofit copyrights). In order to have the music as my profession I had to record, produce and mix/master 3 (by them approved) songs per day. I never managed to keep that tempo, but if I did, I would have the same salary as a Burger King employee (In Sweden)..
[Reply]
Denis W, June 1st, 2010 at 10:28 am Reply:
Thanks for posting Johan. You confirmed what most of us suspected about this operation.
What are the names of the people behind it ?
[Reply]
Johan, June 1st, 2010 at 12:18 pm Reply:
Peer Åström and David Stenmarck
[Reply]
Denis W, June 1st, 2010 at 12:59 pm Reply:
Thanks Jonas. These two should be ashamed of themselves.
[Reply]
What I dont get is why it makes a difference wether your a member of a PRO or not. Being a member of ASCAP doesn’t stop you selling the whole copyright of your songs does it ?
[Reply]
Their “About Us” page states the company was founded by two prominent music producers with more than 60 million records sold including mega hits for artists like Madonna, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson, etc., etc…
If they’re artists “like” the above, why not mention their names instead of ones they didn’t write for? Who are these two prominent music producers. Come on, don’t be shy.
[Reply]