Sync licensing is one of the most underutilised income streams in Christian music. Faith-based film, Christian television, church media production, and increasingly mainstream TV and advertising all represent sync opportunities for Christian artists — but most are not positioned to access them.
The sync opportunity in Christian music
Sync licensing — the licensing of music for use in film, television, advertising, games, and online content — represents a significant but largely unclaimed income stream for Christian and gospel artists. The faith-based media industry has grown substantially in the past decade, and mainstream television increasingly uses Christian and gospel music in drama, documentary, and advertising contexts. Despite this, most Christian artists have no sync strategy and are not positioned to access sync income.
Faith-based sync markets
The core sync markets specifically relevant to Christian music:
- Faith-based film: the Christian film market is substantial, particularly in the US (Affirm Films, Pure Flix, Lionsgate Faith). UK-produced Christian content (BBC Songs of Praise specials, faith-based documentaries) also represents sync opportunities. Fees vary widely from a few hundred to several thousand pounds.
- Church media and sermon series production: many larger churches produce high-quality video content (sermon series, Christmas campaigns, Easter productions) and license music for these productions. This market is relatively accessible and often underserved by mainstream sync libraries.
- Christian television: CBN, God TV, TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network), and UK-based Christian broadcasters commission and license music. Contact their production teams directly.
- Streaming platform originals: Netflix, Amazon, and Apple have commissioned faith-themed content that requires music licensing.
Mainstream sync opportunities for Christian music
Christian and gospel music has a growing presence in mainstream sync beyond the faith-based market:
- Drama soundtracks: gospel and contemporary Christian music appears in UK and US drama series where the emotional tone suits the music — a significant BBC drama or Channel 4 drama with gospel elements is not unusual.
- Christmas advertising: Christmas advertising campaigns from mainstream retailers regularly use gospel choirs, Christmas hymns, and Christian music. This is one of the highest-value sync opportunities for UK gospel and Christian artists.
- Documentary: faith, spirituality, and gospel music are frequent subjects of mainstream documentary commissions. BBC Four and Channel 4 documentaries routinely license gospel and Christian music.
- Advertising: brands seeking inspirational, uplifting, or community-oriented emotional tones regularly use gospel and Christian music.
How to position your music for sync
To access sync opportunities as a Christian artist:
- Ensure your rights are clean and clearly documented: all co-writer splits registered at PRS, master recording ownership documented, no unresolved contractual restrictions on sync licensing.
- Create instrumental versions of your key tracks: sync supervisors frequently need versions without vocals. Instrumentals, stems, and alternate mixes expand your sync possibilities.
- Register with sync libraries that serve the faith-based market: Musicbed and Artlist carry Christian and gospel content. Some Christian-specific sync libraries (Soundstripe, Filmstro) actively curate faith-based content.
- Build relationships with Christian media producers: attend faith-based media conferences and connect with the production community that commissions music.
- Engage a sync agent with faith-based relationships: a specialist agent with connections in the Christian media market can pitch your music to briefs you would never access independently.
What happens after a sync placement
A sync placement generates two income streams: the sync fee (one-time, negotiated per placement) and PRS broadcast royalties from subsequent airings of the production. A Christian music placement in a BBC documentary that repeats over several years can generate PRS broadcast royalties that exceed the original sync fee. Ensure your PRS registration is current and that the sync licensee has correctly reported the usage to PRS.
Code Group Music advises Christian and gospel artists on sync positioning, rights preparation, and publishing administration. Start with a catalog assessment at codegroupmusic.co.uk/#catalog-assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a publisher to get a sync deal?
No, but a publisher or sync agent with industry relationships significantly improves your access to briefs. Without a publisher, you can approach sync libraries, respond to public briefs, and build direct relationships with Christian media producers. The process is slower without a publisher but is not closed off.
What is a blanket licence for church media?
Some CCLI-licensed churches extend their CCLI coverage to video and media production under specific CCLI licence tiers. However, for commercially released video content (YouTube channels, social media), a standard CCLI church licence typically does not cover the sync use — a separate sync licence from the copyright owner is required.
Are Christmas carol sync opportunities available to independent artists?
Traditional Christmas carols (pre-1920 compositions) are in the public domain in the UK and most of the world. A new arrangement or recording of a traditional carol is protected by the arranger's copyright — so a distinctive arrangement you created can be synced, but the underlying composition cannot be exclusively licensed. Contemporary Christian Christmas songs (original compositions) are fully licensable by the copyright owner.
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