You Can Approach Sync Companies Directly
Did you know that you do not always need a middleman to start pitching for sync placements. A large part of the sync world is built around independent artists and labels reaching out directly, whether that means uploading to an open submission portal or emailing a specific contact. The barrier is not access. It is knowing which companies to approach, in what order, and with what.
This guide walks through the practical steps for getting your first submissions out, using real companies as examples so you can see exactly what each type of pitch looks like.
Step 1: Get Your Catalogue Pitch Ready
Before you send anything anywhere, make sure your tracks are actually ready to be pitched. Sync teams move quickly once a brief lands on their desk, and a track with missing files gets skipped rather than chased.
For every track you plan to submit, have a broadcast-ready master, a clean instrumental version if there are vocals, individual stems if you can provide them, and accurate metadata covering genre, mood, and tempo. Confirm that both the recording and the composition are free of unresolved samples or unclear ownership splits. A strong track with a clearance question attached will be passed over every time.
Step 2: Know the Three Types of Companies You Will Approach
Sync licensing companies generally fall into three categories, and each expects a different kind of pitch.
Sync libraries and aggregators run open or semi-open submission portals. You create an account, upload your tracks, and a review team decides whether they fit the catalogue. Audiosocket runs a straightforward artist submission process through its artist registration page, and Music Vine takes new artists through its artist application form. Musicbed also accepts submissions this way, though it is worth setting expectations here. Musicbed states on its own site that its in-house team accepts under one percent of artist submissions, so treat it as a long-term target rather than your first stop.
Sync agencies work more like representation. They pitch your catalogue directly to music supervisors, usually without a public submission form, and you need to reach out to a specific contact rather than upload through a portal. Terrorbird is a well known example, representing artists and labels for sync licensing across film, TV, ads, and games, and its site invites artists who think they are a fit to get in touch directly.
Production music houses supply pre-cleared music for trailers, broadcast, and corporate content, often through a network of specialist sub-libraries. APM Music is a good example. It acts as a licensing agent for dozens of libraries, and composers submit directly to the specific library that matches their sound through its composer submissions page, which lists each library and how it wants to be approached.
Step 3: Check Submission Status Before You Send Anything
Submission windows change, so check the current status of a company before you build a pitch around it. Some companies, such as Marmoset, do not run a public submission form and are better approached through a direct introduction or their general contact page rather than a cold upload.
It is also worth knowing when a platform is winding down. Songtradr has confirmed its Marketplace will close on 1 September 2026, with new placements moving to an invite-only model run through its creative agencies, so it is not currently a place to send new artist submissions.
Step 4: Pitch Each Type the Right Way
For open libraries, follow the submission form exactly as instructed and expect a genuine review period rather than an instant response. For sync agencies, keep your first message short, name the genre or mood you think fits their roster, and link to a small, well chosen selection rather than your entire catalogue. For production music houses, listen to what a specific sub-library already carries and pitch only tracks that clearly match, rather than sending a broad cross-section of your work.
Across all three, a small, curated submission beats a large, unfiltered one. Sync teams remember artists and labels who send exactly what was asked for.
Company Websites to Apply To
Here is a starting list of real companies across all three categories, with where to go to apply directly. Check each one’s current status before you submit, since submission windows do change.
Open submission portals, apply directly:
- Audiosocket, sync library: audiosocket.com
- Music Vine, sync library: musicvine.com
- APM Music, production music house representing many sub-libraries: apmmusic.com
Highly selective or invite-driven, worth applying to but expect a long review or a low acceptance rate:
- Musicbed, sync library: musicbed.com, which states on its own site that it accepts under one percent of artist submissions
Representation-style agencies, no open portal, approach through their contact page with a short, targeted pitch:
- Terrorbird, sync agency: terrorbird.com
- Secret Road, sync agency and artist management: secretroad.com
- Bank Robber Music, sync agency: bankrobbermusic.com
- Marmoset, sync agency: marmosetmusic.com
Not currently accepting new artist submissions, check back rather than pitching now:
- Songtradr, whose Marketplace closes on 1 September 2026, with new placements moving to an invite-only model run through creative agencies
Step 5: Understand Exclusivity Before You Sign Anything
Check whether an agreement is exclusive or non-exclusive before you commit a track. Non-exclusive deals let you place the same track with multiple companies at once, usually in exchange for a smaller share of any individual fee. Exclusive deals typically offer a larger share in return for committing that track, and sometimes your wider catalogue, to one company for a set period. Read the term length too, since some agreements auto-renew unless you actively opt out.
Step 6: Track What You Send and Follow Up
Keep a simple record of what you submitted, where, and when. Sync review periods can run to several weeks, and a spreadsheet showing submission dates and responses will save you from either chasing too early or letting a promising lead go cold.
Where to Go From Here
Pitching sync companies directly is entirely possible with the right preparation, but it takes time to build relationships and read each company’s process correctly. If you want support identifying the right partners for your catalogue and managing the negotiations that follow, get in touch with MN2S about licensing and sync as part of our Label Services offering.