It looks like the main thing holding it back is the fact that the songs are only licensed for the actual show, not for a side soundtrack.
The only way Hasbro can go ahead with it, would be to re-record every single track, or drop a pretty large chunk of money on buyouts.
If you want to read up on the discussion, you can find it all here!
51 comments:
Wait...
ReplyDeleteWAHT??
What is this licensing nonsense!?!?
>.> Makes sense on their part to license them as such I suppose.
ReplyDeleteWho could've expected a demand for a mlp soundtrack.
Hmm... I wouldn't mind a CD being made. There are mp3's everywhere on the web with the songs, but an official CD made for just the songs would be amazing as well.
ReplyDeleteDAMN YOU LEGALITIES! WHY MUST YOU SUPPRESS ALL OF MY MONEY!
ReplyDeleteI honestly had no idea they only had the license to use the music on the show, who holds the rights to the background music overall?
ReplyDeleteThat's ... just stupid bureaucracy ...
ReplyDeleteWhy not go ahead and re-record them? (besides obvious time and money constraints)
ReplyDeleteAfter all, is season 2 is under way, all of the singers and voice actresses will all be together anyway.
"Only licensed for the show."
ReplyDeleteI'm confused as to the legal structure here.
Hasbro, which commissioned the composers and artists to write and perform these songs only owns the license to have them as part of the show?
I thought that they owned the rights to the songs, no?
I guess my question is, who owns the rights (license?) to have the songs made into a soundtrack?
That's nothing. So long as either party hires a competent lawyer, they'll get around it (whether it's lawful or not...), so long as there's market for profit.
ReplyDeleteRe-recording them would be nice, as we can get a non-horrible Cutie Mark Crusader's theme.
ReplyDeleteRedirect all petitions?
ReplyDeleteRedirect all petitions.
Rerecord?
ReplyDeleteThey used a couple of music tracks at least twice.
One in Show Stoppers, the Cutie Mark Crusaders' montage, was used in Party of One.
The music in Swarm of the Century, where Twilight was surveying the preparations for Celestia's visit before the "Welcome Princess Celest" banner was used in Green isn't your Color.
The licensing concept is fairly straightforward. Hasbro/Hub/whoever owns the music is only licensed (most likely from the FCC or ASCAP) to release that music in a limited format to their audience. Think of it like this: Your band is allowed to perform at the local bar, but you can't just walk into Best Buy and stick your CD on the shelf. They're two different formats, and different rules apply. You still hold the full copyright, though.
ReplyDeleteAlso, just in case you were wondering, these licenses aren't cheap. You're talking thousands of dollars for even a moderately small one. Any petitions will have to make a reeeeeally good case to Hasbro. (Of course, I'm simplifying things greatly; talk to a real lawyer if you want more info.)
(picture Twilight standing up on a soapbox)
ReplyDeleteThe recording industry is FULL of ridiculous legal rules like this. It's all designed for them to make it as hard as possible for artists to make money off their own music. This is a fine example: even if you own a song completely, you have to acquire different rights to use it in different contexts. You can't just record a song you performed live and put it on CD; you have to go through all sorts of expensive and ridiculous channels to license your music. Essentially you have to pay someone money for the right to use something you already own.
Think about that the next time you hear some RIAA exec whining about how downloading music "steals from artists." They've set up an entire system that steals more money from artists than you or I ever could.
@Stormy BraveYou missed the point. The songs were only licensed for use in the show. They can use them in the show as many times as they want, just not outside the show (ie a soundtrack CD)
ReplyDeleteI think the record label would have to license the songs, not the copyright holder.
ReplyDeleteIf they rerecord every song, I hope they take advantage of what they have and make some extended versions. From all the hints they dropped on Twitter, I think a DVD (and I pray Blu Ray) release is coming. Maybe if they make a ton of money from sales, it will justify whatever costs they require to put out the songs on CD.
ReplyDeleteMr. Ingram posted some new info on that discussion a few minutes ago
ReplyDeleteI remember Daniel saying that he wanted to do a re-record of the songs anyway, if there ever was a soundtrack made. Specifically, he wanted to redo the CMC song with the singers using their natural voices, instead of the horrible character voices that the story demanded.
ReplyDeleteI, for one, would fully support it. I'd even buy the CD. Although, I'd much rather it be packaged with say, a collector's edition Blu-Ray of season 1! *Glares at Hasbro*
well first off: OLYCRAPAFACEBOOKTOPICISTATSBEENFEATUREDONEQUESTRIADAILYYEYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES *imagine Twilight hopping around at this point*
ReplyDeleteOk Im normal nao, but about 10 mins ago Daniel updated on the descussion with this:
Daniel Ingram - Composer/Songwriter Hasbro told me they've set up an iTunes store now and have a plan to rollout music, but I think it's still a ways off. There's technical things like getting the music properly mastered, etc. and re-recording singers. I'd love to see it happen early 2012 but can't make any promises as to what their plans are exactly.
Here ya go. Not so Hard when you put ITunes in their minds. Lets hope this carry on in a good way and we will have Digital Pony Soundtrack very soon :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all Ponies in the Petition Online. Now we must do another to Hasbro demanding ITunes release of FiM Soundtrack :)
I love my bronies, bronies forever!!!
FOREVER!!!!
Greets.
@megeman
ReplyDeleteDang, I'm a purist.
That is the dealio, eh.
ReplyDeleteHaving only scant knowledge of business law in general - and knowing nothing about copyright law - I must confess that I'm unsure whether to be concerned or encouraged. So...I'll be both! ^^;
It is true that the RIAA's rules are draconian, but they have been declining in power, mostly because people can just release something online and become famous and make a lot of money. There are numerous examples of this.
ReplyDeleteI saw that comment! I'm glad that Hasbro has recognized the bronies, and is actually making moves to actually market some of the stuff we bronies want. Now, they just need to release a DVD/Blu-Ray of the show and make the dolls not look like malformed horse monstrosities.
@RobotPony
ReplyDeletehhahahahahaha " malformed horse monstrosities" thats great, im gonna use it in MLP toys description LOL.
@Bronies
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks. It's pretty much the only way to describe the toys. They are somehow both too cartoony and too realistic at the same time.
Why are laws regarding copyright such a bunch of bullshit.
ReplyDeleteAny chance we could request a Fluttershy only and Sweetie Bell only versions of "Hush Now Quiet Now" lullaby? You think? ( I want all three if possible )
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it's good to know about the sound track has a possibility ( although I find it weird like many others ). Now just need to know when DVD/Bluray season 1 boxsets are planned!
........ Has anypony thought to ask the singers kindly if they'd sign a new license?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Hasbro is keeping the whole licensing issue in mind for season two...
ReplyDeleteAre they also planning CD-Rs manufactured on demand? Because I don't think it'll break even just on iTunes.
ReplyDelete>Hasbro told me they've set up an iTunes store now and have a plan to rollout music, but I think it's still a ways off.
ReplyDeleteAWWWW YEAH
FUCKING !yay!
@Reginart-Renart In as short of an explanation, it goes like this: The singers gave permission for Hashbro to use their voices and singing for the episodes, and they get paid money each time it's used in the show, BUT there was nothing in the contract about Hashbro using the voices for an OST.
ReplyDeleteAt least now we know that Hashbro is listening and trying to get an OST out, but they just need to work out the legal kinks since they never planned on releasing one.
So it's a licensing problem? Well, compared to the labyrinth self-perpetuating sociological loop that keeps Celestia toys pink this should be a snap to solve. All we need to do is raise enough money or gain enough signatures for Hasbro to be able to buy the licenses for the songs. Alternatively, they'll just rerecord them for the soundtrack, which would be very nice.
ReplyDeleteLicensing get's freaking bizzare on TV shows. There's things like anime that will never appear here because the license in Japan requires a large scale CD release which they'd never do over here.
ReplyDeleteThe TV series Quantum Leap has most of the soundtrack replaced in the DVD release because they had the license to put it out on the air, and even to release parts as part of the soundtrack but can't put it on the DVD. Note they were authorized to do a vhs release with it. Yes. That bizzare.
Happens all the TIME with TV series.
The first 'soundtrack' for the live action Transformers movie had...
no music that was actually IN the movie on it. Because they didn't have a license to make a soundtrack out of it. (They negotiated something later).
And while it's not the RIAA per se blocking this, all these contracts are boilerplate from the RIAA and MPAA. Other contracts can be negotiated but that would require everyone involved to hire lawyers for dozens of billable hours (and even Hasbro has to bill hours for that sort of thing, it could cost them 4 figures just to review a contract. per artist (singer, performer, and writer).
Doesn't Hasbro own MLP:FiM? O.o
ReplyDeleteHow can they not have control over what to do with their own licenses?
I dunno. I think it would be even better to do a new contract, with extended, re-recorded versions of the songs. As long as they kept close to the show, that would be awesome.
ReplyDeleteI mean, think of an extended "So Many Wonders" for young Fluttershy. My heart just exploded thinking about it. Twice.
Professional recording engineer chiming in here. If they did the original recording in-house, the only complications should be between Hasbro and the actual artists utilized in the performance. It *should* be as simple as getting the artists to sign off on a new contract allowing the rerelease of the music on a physical format, of course with caveats for each and every one of them to get their share of profits and the like. If they did it out of house and somebody else holds the performance rights, it could be much more difficult due to having to follow any and all contractual obligations signed prior to recording.
ReplyDeleteThe RIAA does *not* stop you from selling your own stuff if you record it yourself. If you go through a label, then you have to follow the contract you sign with the label. Wanna sell your own indie CDs? It's dead simple and cheap to do it here: http://www.cdbaby.com/
But yeah, here's to hoping they can work through this and we can get a soundtrack! Especially one with extended songs! ^_~
@Anonymous 5:46
ReplyDeleteAre you saying "Hashbro" as some kind of troll/stoner version of Hasbro or something?
Anyway as far as all this legalese is concerned, I'm kind of discouraged from it because I really don't think any kind of petitioning is going to do any good. Apparently this kind of thing costs a lot of money to do or whatever and is considered bad for business.
I've seen this kind of thing going on to get a localization for Gyakuten Kenji 2 (the newest game in the Ace Attorney series), and you need a shitload of people to actually sign it. I'm talking like in the hundreds of thousands at least. And it needs to be all on the same petition, because otherwise there's no way they'll take it seriously.
Hasbro has to have one of the strangest licencing departments I have ever seen. The amount of things they own that change hands or expire quickly is insane.
ReplyDelete>possible iTunes release
ReplyDeleteBut I hate Apple! I hope they'll make it available through some other way. (I guess that iTunes has DRM that prevents me from doing this: make iTunes account -> buy pony music -> delete iTunes account -> listen to pony music like you never touched iTunes)
If they don´t want to release a cd I´ll just download it.
ReplyDeleteIt´s their choice if they don´t want to make some extra money.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteiTunes allows you to release DRM-free music on their store now, but it's still up to the copyright holder to decide whether or not they want to. In addition to that, you could always burn it to CD with iTunes, then rip it back to your computer as a high-quality, DRM-free mp3 or even lossless FLAC file with your CD ripper of choice (including iTunes). Apple's been pretty vocal about basically hating DRM; the music industry demanded it when the iTunes store was opened, or they wouldn't have allowed Apple to sell any of their music on it.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteiTunes no longer has DRM on their music downloads. :)
@Anonymous
ReplyDelete@Heartmend
Oh thank Luna for that! But I still despise having to give any information to Apple or having iTunes on my computer.
Oh wait, I guess/hope living in Finland won't be a problem with iTunes?
ReplyDeleteQuestion - could they get around at least some of the legal redtape if they self-published and distributed the soundtrack online?
ReplyDeleteProbably not, no.
ReplyDeleteWhat I think he probably means is that the contract they have with the VAs allows them to use the work in the show no problem, but their contract with the VAs obviously wasn't as a work for hire and doesn't let them release it on a soundtrack. They'd have to ask the VAs again and do another contract (and presumably the singers would want a cut, and possibly Daniel Ingram as well, which seems fairly reasonable on the face of it). Maybe. Or it could be something else.
I will still want it when they release it, however, so let's hope it actually gets out there (and hopefully actually on CD, iTunes is fail).
Dang RIAA is still a mafia, what with ripping off musicians and singers the money they deserve only to feed their never ending greed... :/
ReplyDeleteBack in October, Lauren Faust had said "No doubt I will fail miserably, but I'll have lots of rainbow colored fun while I'm trying," regarding MLP:FIM. I don't think anyone expected the cartoon to do nearly this well. I'd wager Hasbro didn't bother with setting up special licensing in the first place for that very reason.
ReplyDeleteYou can see the comment thread here:
http://comments.deviantart.com/4/1603670/1715375057
I think if Hasbro knew that the cartoon would be incredibly popular, they might have taken care of all the special licensing up front. Maybe they will be better prepared for Season 2. :)
@Heartmend
ReplyDeleteIf this is her idea of failing, then I'd REALLY like to see her WIN! :D