Production & assets
Commissioned Music
Commissioned music is music written to order for a specific client or project, under a contract that should state explicitly who owns the resulting composition and recording.
In practice
Paying for the work and owning the work are separate questions. Without an assignment clause, the composer keeps the copyright and you hold an implied licence for the agreed use only. Contracts should name the deliverables (stems, formats), the scope, and whether the composer may reuse ideas elsewhere.
Real questions
Do I own music I paid a composer to write?
Only if the contract assigns the rights to you in writing. Payment alone does not transfer copyright in most jurisdictions.
What is work for hire?
A US concept where the commissioner is treated as the author for certain categories of work. Elsewhere the same result requires an explicit assignment.
How does commissioning compare to a catalogue buyout?
Commissioning gives you a bespoke result at a higher cost and longer lead time. A catalogue buyout gives you an existing track you can hear before buying, immediately.
"I paid for it" is not a legal argument
Ownership follows the contract, not the invoice. If the agreement is silent, the composer usually keeps the rights.
Related terms
Own the track instead of renting it
Sonify Music sells exclusive buyouts of catalogue tracks: one payment, full ownership, the track removed from sale and a named certificate of ownership.