Who licenses master recordings in the music industry?

• A. The artist
• B. The publisher
• C. The performing rights organization
• D. The record label

Answer: (D)

Licensing master recordings is handled by the entity that owns the actual sound recording—the record label. The master is the fixed recording of a performance, and under typical recording contracts the label owns or controls that master. When someone wants to use that recording—whether for streaming, broadcast, film, or a commercial—the license comes from the master rights holder, which is the label or its licensing arm. This is distinct from publishing rights, which cover the underlying musical composition and are licensed by music publishers or collecting societies (PROs) for public performances. The artist may own the master in some independent situations, but in the common industry setup the label licenses the master.