Style-A-Likes

Our music royalty-free customers often ask us for 'something that sounds like _________'. Our reply usually rings a bit stiff. Not because we don't have a music track that is perfect for their video (we do), but because, in our business, 'sound-a-likes' can sometimes land clients in hot water. In the late 80's Ford's ad agency asked Bette Midler to sing onscreen in a TV spot. After Midler declined, the agency hired an unknown talent to mimic Midler's vocal stylings. Midler sued the agency for infringement of intellectual property and was awarded $400,000 in damages. Ouch. Instead of 'sound-a-like', we prefer the term 'style-a-like'. For example, if you needed musiconhold and really liked U2, we'd recommend a rock track with a simple groove, medium tempo and an intangible sense of the profound. Check out 'Face Value' on Pop Foundations (#BFUT05) . While that track is a unique creation, it does happen to have the same sonic features mentioned earlier. You could say it belongs in the same 'genus' as U2. As another example, let's say Jimi Hendrix's recording of 'Little Wing' would be perfect for your tribute video to the late founder of company X (who died in a tragic gardening accident). What really makes 'Little Wing' work is the solo electric guitar arpeggios throughout the recording. It just so happens that on our latest album of public domain music , you can find a terrific version of 'Amazing Grace' that features the same type of guitar work ( Public Domain Music #RFM111306 ). With 'style-a-likes', we drill down into your favorite music at the atomic level, figure out which squares on the “table of elements” are being used, and find tracks in our catalog that the utilize those same elements and make a new 'solution'. We don't think that's copyright infringement. We think that's creativity.

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