libraries and hit songs

[horacejesse]

Some of the music libraries allow you to shop your music elsewhere while they are working with it.They allow it, but what about the other side? If a major artist or his agent is interested in one of your songs, how do they feel when they learn that a music library is also working to get the song placed? Does that effectively kill the song's chances of being picked up by the major artist? Or does it have any affect?Should one withhold from libraries those songs that might be a good match for a big star?

[horacejesse]

No replies here? I must have hit a nerve.

[hummingbird]

Hey... well, I'm no expert, but it seems to me it would be better to have that problem than hold back submissions that 'might' fit an artist on the off chance that they might want it.Hummin'bird

[bc]

Hi Horace,There is no set-in-stone answer. It depends on your tolerance for risk vis-à-vis typical music biz machinations. Last year one of my songs, forwarded to a music library, was also being pitched directly to a well known country artist. He loved the song, however, his label wasn't so sure about it. In the mean time we were contacted by the library and offered a contract. Because of this particular artist's enthusiasm we opted to hold off on the music library contract (they totally understood and wished us luck) and play poker with the suits in Nashvegas. We played our cards and the song wasn't included on his latest cd. But, it's been a consistent concert favorite, so maybe it will get cut next time. And, no regrets on that particular decision, but, I'm signing some non exclusive library deals on other tunes this week!I know I really didn't give you a hard answer, just a real life scenario. best,bc

[horacejesse]

BC,Thanks. Actually that was a good reply. You did what I would have done and what I plan to do. I am not going to send any songs to libraries that I feel are undiscovered hits until I find out how artists/agents/ record companies feel about that particular situation where they may want a song but a library already has it.It seems your opinion on this is similar to mine, otherwise you would not have withheld your song from the interested library.I have a lot of other things that I can send to libraries which I consider just as good as my potential hit songs but which are simply in the wrong genres to be a hit today. Something that sounds like it should be sung by Frank Sinatra I have no reservations about sending to a library.Are you able to reveal the name of your song and the artist who is performing it at concerts?