What are Cue Sheets? Why do I need to fill them?

We have had clients that have brought up another question about why we require submission of Cue Sheets. Many think that collecting Cue Sheets mean you will be charged additional fees. This is not true. Again, we do not collect any additional fees from you - period. Opuzz Music is 100% Royalty Free Music!

So what are Cue Sheets?
Cue Sheets are forms that are required to be filled with details of use ONLY if our music is use for TV, Radio, Film or Theatre. So you are not required to submit cue sheets if you use our music for the web (yes even Podcasting), presentation, games ...basically anything besides the list above, you won't have to fill Cue Sheets. If you are not sure, you can fill them up anyhow as Opuzz does not collect any additional fees from any of our customers regardless if you fill up Cue Sheets or not.

So why are Cue Sheets REQUIRED if you use Opuzz music for TV, Radio, Film or Theatre?
Broadcasting companies like TV, Radio networks are REQUIRED to fill in cue sheets to be submitted to Performance Rights Societies (PRS) like ASCAP and BMI, SOCAN for Canada (non-profit org) for every piece of music they air. PRS have the job of collecting royalties from broadcasters for all music broadcasted. Every broadcasting company pays a set performance royalty fee monthly or yearly without exceptions. Broadcasters pay fees for the rights to broadcast music. Now this fees is not borne by you but by the broadcasting company. You do not pay any additional fees to Opuzz or to the broadcasters.

Why submit Cue Sheets?
By filling up your Cue Sheets, you provide information to whom the fees should be paid to. When we mention fees, this refers to fees to be paid by broadcasters and not by you. If you do not fill up cue sheets or do not fill them properly, these set fees that broadcasters have to pay without exceptions will be channeled to a 'pool' and later distributed to composers or artist with the most airplay (such as pop artists or main stream consumer music) as they are unable to track or trace where the actual music comes from. Submission of Cue Sheets is a REQUIREMENT and not an option. No money is saved by not filling up Cue Sheets.

But what if I am a Broadcaster...?
A client starting a radio station once had a question to why he is still required to pay royalties to PRS even if he uses royalty free music. Well, even if we decline to accept royalties from the PRS, he would still be charged royalties - only that the fees would go to a 'pool' and distributed to top artist and composers and not our deserving composers. So there is no such thing as broadcasters not needing to pay royalties. This term 'royalty free' unfortunately simply does not exist or rather is not relevant for broadcasters.

But what if I am a Podcaster...?
The same thing here. PRS like ASCAP have laid down some rather 'confusing' rules. What we decipher is that Podcasters will have to pay an annual royalty fee directly to ASCAP. There have been some heated discussion on this online seeing that Podcasting is still relatively new. At Opuzz, our intentions are to provide music at low prices. Opuzz music is 'podcast' safe. Opuzz does not collect any additional fees from Podcasters or require submission of cue sheets. However if you do already pay fees to ASCAP, please do fill in cue sheets for reasons to give credit to where it is due else these fees collected will be distributed to popular artist assumed as the most common playlist.

No one gains except maybe Mariah, Paul and Ringo...
We have also encountered cases where our clients submit cue sheets claiming that they are the composers of our music for reasons of ignorance or greed. Now this is firstly illegal and totally traceable. Aside from this, no one gains as information when checked against the performance right society's member list and 'publishing firm' comes up empty, again the fees is thrown into the 'pool' to be distributed to popular artist & composers like Mariah Carey, Beatles and such. If you do not fill up cue sheets thinking this will save you some money (relevant for broadcasters only), note that there is no money saved as you will still be charged by PRS except that the fees collected with be wrongly distributed.

In Summary
Help us keep our prices low by reporting accurately.
Be kind to our composers. Give credit where it's due.