Rhett Davis - Winter Park, FL, USA
Rhett emailed us to share some exciting news. “My song, ‘You Scared the Love (right out of me),’ was placed in Season 1, Episode 1 of the new TV show, Hunters, starring Al Pacino. This marks my fourth placement with the same company, all from an album I recorded in Nashville back in the ’70s.
Here are some other placements I had with this company, which by the way, I connected with through a TAXI submission - Seal Team: ‘Spinning Wheel,’ Girlfriend Experience: I'll Help Someone Fall in Love,’ The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair: ‘Family Matters 43,’ and ‘I Don't Love Her Anymore.’
I like that TAXI provides opportunities for vintage masters to be pitched today, rather than letting them gather dust in a drawer. Additionally, thanks to my contact with one of the Road Rally presenters a few years ago, I’ve successfully transitioned from being a radio-friendly songwriter of the ’70s to a more current Americana/Alternate Folk writer for today's TV and sync market.
In conclusion, ‘OLD DAWGS CAN LEARN NEW TRICKS!! (at TAXI).’”
Congratulations, Rhett, and yes, old dawgs can certainly learn new tricks at TAXI. And you’re all the proof we need!
Minoru Amino - Kadoma, Japan
Here’s another great update on some new placements Minoru has recently had. “Recently, I found out that I had some new placements. My most recent placement was facilitated by a fantastic production library in London. I initially connected with them through TAXI three years ago.
In January of this year, during various morning slots on FOX10 Phoenix's KSAZ NEWS, my Chinese tracks ‘Shanghai,’ and ‘Xin Nian’ were broadcast multiple times in a row. The next placement was on the show ‘DieBachelorette,’ on RTL Television in Germany in August. The songs ‘Xin Nian,’ and ‘Chinese Village’ were placed in succession, each for about 30 seconds.
The most recent one occurred at the beginning of September. Once again, ‘Xin Nian,’ was featured on the Dutch public television station Nederland 1, in a program called Avrotoris.
All of these placements are from an album called Chinese Celebration that I, along with Alchemy Studio in Osaka, produced for the London publisher. We signed the contract for this album last September.
Through TAXI, I've had the incredible opportunity to connect with many amazing companies worldwide, something I never expected. The people I've met at TAXI, not just Michael and the staff, but also the fellow members, are truly wonderful individuals all characterized by humility and ambition shining brightly in their eyes. Witnessing numerous members achieve success through the TAXI Road Rally has been truly inspiring, and I hope to become someone like that someday.
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Michael and his staff for their outstanding efforts. I've received invaluable advice and lessons from TAXI screeners that I couldn't obtain elsewhere. Thank you, and best regards.”
You’re very welcome, Minoru! We’re so happy to help you achieve your dreams in the music industry. We have little doubt that you’ll be seeing more and more of them in the near future!
Andre Stepanian - Vancouver, Canada
Andre wrote to let us know about a milestone in his career. “HeeHaaahhh! Finally!! Although I had placements in film and TV shows back in 2000 when I had music agents, this is the first track I signed (and got placed), ‘Viajes con caballos,’ on my own (with no collaboration) with a well-known music library in January of 2020. Thank you! After numerous forwards and having 50 tracks signed so far, including some through collaboration and one by recommendation from another member, it finally happened.
Currently, I'm signed with 12 libraries, and I can't emphasize enough the value of collaborating with others. Out of these 12 libraries, I gained access to five of them through collaborations. Just remember to be patient and it will happen. As you can see, my journey followed the five-year plan for getting a placement that TAXI always talks about.
Thank you, TAXI. I never stopped believing in your company. When I had doubts and needed a bit of encouragement, I always heard Michael's voice from TAXI TV saying, ‘You can't give up; it's a long journey,’ and that's so true!!”
Congratulations, Andre! This might be the first, but we’re pretty sure it won’t be your last!! Thanks for letting us know, and please keep us in the loop as more of them roll in!
Jeffery T. Dunnigan - Boise, ID, USA
Jeffrey reports, “True Swans had three songs placed on Hulu's How I Caught My Killer. It all started with a TAXI listing, and these placements were signed non-exclusively. We LOVE TAXI!
We have just passed the three-year mark with TAXI, and as of October, we can report dozens of placements and over 100 detections on Tunesat! Some of the networks we've appeared on so far include Hulu, DiY, TV1. We're also with a publisher in Europe that has gotten us used on MDR and RTL in Germany, numero 23 in France, RAI tre in Italy. These placements have come about as a direct result of forwards and relationships we've built through the TAXI forums. We cannot say enough about the value you've offered us, both in learning tools and the ability to connect with others in the industry. We are so proud to be part of the TAXI family and look forward to connecting with everyone in November at the Rally. Thank you for all that you do."
Congrats, Jeffrey! Great news and thank you so much for letting us know about these. Keep up the great work, True Swans!
Bob Mete - Earlysville, VA, USA
More placements for Bob Mete, yay! “I love those quarterly statements from BMI and my favorite Publisher. Found out I had a second placement on Good Trouble (ABC), and two more placements on Game Theory, on HBO. The song was co-written with Sue Straw (Sue is also playing the Native American Flutes).
Both of these were placed by TAXI-friendly Publishers. My relationship with these publishers came from interaction at the TAXI Road Rally. Thank you, TAXI! You help make all of this possible!”
Keep them coming, Bob! As always, we’re very proud of all that you’ve accomplished, and we’re honored to have played a part in that success!
Tedd Swormstedt - Cincinnati, OH, USA
Tedd emailed to say, “I wanted to let you know that my song ‘Ain’t No App for That,’ was forwarded by TAXI and got placed on Rowdy Country by a high-end music library! With hope I submitted the song in June for a request looking for rowdy country songs. TAXI forwarded it, and two weeks later I was contacted by the company with interest in signing the song for release on an album called Rowdy Country Pop Rock. The album was released in mid-August of this year.
To date this year, my songs have received 48 forwards. I had interest in two other songs, but my co-writers wanted to hold out for deals while they were working concurrently.
I like the simplicity and affordability that TAXI provides to pitch my songs to a variety of opportunities that I would not otherwise know about. I also like the feedback from TAXI’s A&R team.”
Congratulations, Tedd, and thank you for keeping us posted. Please let us know when you get more placements!
Scott Ross - Canal Fulton, OH, USA
Here’s a cool story from Scott! “In April (of 2023), I submitted two solo piano tracks to TAXI listing S230420TX, which was for a compilation going out to a bunch of TAXI clients. I received an email in June from a music library in L.A. that wanted to sign both tracks. After a couple of email exchanges and a phone conversation, I had a deal. Two further rounds of submissions over the summer resulted in a total of 10 tracks signed in several different genres. I am very excited to have the chance to grow this new relationship. My last deal through TAXI was in 2002, so it has been a 21-year gap. My membership fluctuated through the years as I pursued writing in Nashville, focused on live performances, and did a ton of voiceover work.
All of these roads led to a mixed bag of results, but a placement on the FOX NFL Pregame Show in 2021 motivated me to start writing for broadcast once again. I reinvested in my studio and made some significant upgrades in 2022, deciding it was time to refocus on TAXI. I noticed immediately how much the quality had improved in the landscape of production music – the talent out there is unbelievable. So I knew if I was going to jump back in, I better be ready to up my game. The last year and a half have been the most productive period of writing and creating in my life. It’s paid off in forwards, and this deal, which I hope leads to more opportunities.
I’ve also collaborated with a couple of TAXI members, and that has been a great learning experience as well. I have come to really enjoy writing for specific listings in a variety of genres, although I still try to be careful in sticking with categories where I know my music can be competitive. In my younger years, I was probably not as disciplined as I should have been in using the reference tracks as a guide. I take a more analytical approach now, and when I’m able to meet the challenge in creating a track that stretches my creativity in new directions, it’s inspiring for me.”
Cool story, Scott! Congratulations, and isn’t it funny how wisdom comes with age? We’d bet that you’ll get much more out of TAXI now that you’re pitching more analytically!
Douglas Knight - Orlando, FL, USA
Here’s some great news from Douglas, “I had been writing and recording lots of music in various styles and patiently waiting for the right opportunities to come along. Thankfully, they did through TAXI’s listings. My music was forwarded to two different companies, and the libraries got back to me very quickly, offering the chance to distribute my work. Fortunately, they were also open to hearing some of the other music I had available. Now, I've found homes for many of the pieces I've completed over the past year or so. This experience encourages me to keep working and producing quality music, knowing that TAXI will help me make the right industry connections.
In the past, I completed several other projects due to TAXI listings, and I’m excited to see how and when my music will be used. What I love about TAXI is that it's helped me stretch and grow as a musician and producer. It has exposed me to many great artists, and I've learned how to create music in several new genres. Additionally, I enjoy being a part of a supportive community of like-minded musicians. I've received tons of helpful feedback through the TAXI forum, and I made great connections at last year's Road Rally.”
Congratulations, Douglas, that’s great news! We hope you’re coming to this year’s Road Rally. It’s going to be pretty amazing!
Stan Karcz - Willow Springs, IL, USA
Stan let us know about a new deal he’s signed. “I've signed seven songs with a Los Angeles-based music library and they're requesting to hear more songs. This is my first success resulting from my TAXI membership. In addition, I’ve had over 20 forwards from your A&R team.
In this particular case, I was contacted directly by a person from the library. He wanted to sign two songs and asked to hear more songs. As a result, he signed six songs to an exclusive agreement. He has now asked me to send him even more songs from my catalog.
What I like most about TAXI is that it serves as a portal into other publishers, labels, and artists, providing me with new opportunities to have my songs heard and placed in artists’ hands, TV, movies, and more. I also appreciate the TAXI TV episodes that Michael provides to the members and the valuable feedback from your A&R team members.”
It sounds like you’ve cracked the code, Stan! Congratulations, and please keep us in the loop when you sign more songs, and get some awesome placements.
Ove Schei - Stokmarknes, Norway
Here’s a great story from Ove: "I just learned today that I have a placement in a TV commercial for the National Bank of Greece. It’s the same company that got me a placement in another TV commercial last spring, after I met them through a TAXI listing. This new placement in Greece resulted from a track I sent them last year, which they wanted to have for later use. And voilà – here we go! I can’t help thinking how absurd it is, living in a very small town north of the Arctic Circle in Norway, making music, and actually getting it out into the big world.
If it hadn't been for TAXI, this would absolutely never have happened. The connections I’ve made through TAXI, and the tools you’ve provided have helped me grow as a composer. So thanks, TAXI!! I would never have had my music placed in the mentioned spots or in three episodes of a series on ABC and Hulu last year if it weren’t for TAXI.
Now, the company wants more similar tracks, so I better get on it! But before I go, I’d like to share some news. 2023 has been a year of change on my part. Working as a touring musician for almost 40 years has started to take its toll. So I decided last year that I had to slow down, not only because I wanted less traveling and gigs, but also a more structured life. The hope was that this would benefit my composing as well.
So the first half of the year was spent in school, learning to drive huge trucks, semi-trailers, etc. I’ve been working hard driving trucks the last few months, earning good money, and now, finally, I find myself in a position to find balance in my life.
Obviously, so far this year, I haven’t had the time to submit as many tracks because I was in school, but now that I have the time – I will. And I’ve said this before, but it can’t be said enough – having tracks forwarded is fine and all, but pay attention to those that don’t get forwarded. Pay attention to the feedback from the screeners. On top of that, Michael is providing us with so much insight on TAXI TV every single week. TAXI is a toolbox, but you need to learn how to use the tools, and you need to learn how to use them well. For me, this is an ongoing process that never ends.
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, or how old you are. What matters is learning how to use the tools. TAXI provides you with all you need, but the work has to be done by yourself. And just don’t give up! It took me four and a half years to get my first placement. They seem to come more often now.
So, thanks so much to Michael and the rest of the fine people at TAXI.”
Congratulations, Ove! We’re happy that you got that awesome placement in the TV commercial, and also happy that you’ve gone through a huge life change, and it sounds like it’s working out really well. Be careful driving on those icy roads North of the Arctic Circle, and let us know when you get more placements!
Erik Anderson - Hillsborough, NJ, USA
We just got this great news from Erik! “So, the deal has been finalized! I was a bit nervous because of the time it took and all of the revisions and other requests, but I just received payment for a two-second branding piece I wrote!! It was for eMag, the Romanian version of Amazon, not a bad gig! It should be playing all the time on radio and TV!! Here’s the full story…
I received a brief for a branding job from one of the library owners I connected with from a TAXI forward. Initially, a simple three- to four-second jingle is what they wanted. I gave the library owner three tracks with variations to submit, and a few weeks later I heard back from him saying that they chose one of my tracks! I still had to add a phone swipe or notification type sound to the track, which I gladly created, and sent back. They loved it, but also wanted a two-second version. I quickly made the cut down, and just heard back from the library owner asking to verify my address for payment!
I am super excited about this! Not only has this placement opened new doors for me, but I created a brand’s sonic logo which will be played all the time on TV and Radio. That should generate a decent amount of backend as well, and the sync fee was really good, especially for two seconds of music!
There is simply no way for this to have been possible without TAXI! The people and companies TAXI connects you with are amazing. Thank you, Michael and the entire TAXI family for all of the hard work and dedication you all distribute on a daily basis!”
That’s such great news, Erik, and we couldn’t be happier for you! It’s always great when one of our members gets to add a new skill, and a great credit to their resume! Please let us know if any of the other sonic-branding requests result in placements as well. Celebrate this one. We wish we were there to celebrate with you!
Vincent Nicotina - Gloversville, NY, USA
Vincent’s TAXI Forum post: “Recently, I've received a series of Cue sheets in ASCAP and got some nice payouts in the international quarterly statement too. It seems that my music was played all over the place in 2022, and I had no idea about it! Some of the places I had music in 2022 were: Stromboli (Dutch movie on Netflix), Celebrity and Somebody (Korean TV shows on Netflix), Emmettville and Coronation Street (long-running British TV shows), as well as other TV shows in the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Romania, Honduras, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, and The Con on ABC (a true crime show).”
From Vincent’s follow-up email: “In 2023 so far, I had tunes in the finale of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies on Paramount+, and had some stuff on German TV, but it's probably too soon to know what happened overseas. The Paramount+ placement paid me a $1,000 sync fee! The true crime show came from a deal I made through a TAXI forward, and my co-writer was someone I met in the registration line at the Rally. My Paramount+ deal came from a library I learned about from a guy I met at the bar at the Rally!
This just goes to show that there really is a long gap (1-2 years) between when your music gets placed and when you learn about it. It takes even longer to get paid. So if you’re frustrated that you got some tunes in a library and they never got placed, just wait a couple of years before you do anything rash! And keep making music and putting it out there. I only have a little over 100 tunes in libraries, but the action is finally starting to pick up! Now I need to press for 200.
All of these successes came from connections I made at the TAXI Road Rally over the last two years. I met a library owner (through the TAXI mentor program) at the Road Rally in 2021, and ended up signing a contract and writing a lot of music for him. Through connections I made with other composers in that first library, I got pulled into two other libraries and released music for them as well. This year (two years from where it all began), I finally found out where all that music has been used and finally started getting paid!
I really like the TAXI community, and the opportunities for networking in a convivial and supportive environment. I came to TAXI for the possibility of getting forwards, but I stayed for the people. It’s a great place to learn the business and meet some people that can help you along the way! Thanks to all the wonderful people like [names omitted for privacy] for the placements listed above, and of course, Michael and TAXI for helping me get an opportunity to find an audience for this music! And I'll see you all at the Rally in November!”
Wow, congratulations, Vincent! Great placements, and yes, we agree, the TAXI community is unlike any other we’ve ever heard of! See you at the Rally!
Will Derryberry - Roseville, CA, USA
Here’s a short but sweet note from Will: “Just a heads up, I got 3 more placements on a Netflix show in Germany — a reality show called Too Hot for Germany. Ooo lala! This came about as a direct result from a connection made through TAXI. It's working!”
Great to hear, Will. And it sounds like you’re working hard as well! Thanks for letting us know!
Ryan Seay – Portland, OR, USA
Ryan wrote to tell us: “I joined TAXI a couple years ago, and submitted for a number of exciting opportunities with fun prompts. A number of my submissions were forwarded to the clients, and a handful of tracks got signed to three or four different libraries. I was testing the waters to see what kind of placements might happen before I continued to invest in writing for the listings, as I was new and wanted to see if all the hard work would indeed pay off. Well, fast forward two years and I just discovered one of my tracks was placed in a new Netflix docuseries! I've reached back out to the label [I signed with through TAXI], and they're commissioning me to create a new album to include in their catalog. I'm super stoked to dive into this world again with a new level of excitement and passion, and can say with confidence that TAXI is bringing LEGIT clients that can really get your music placed in some great content! Thanks TAXI! Looking forward to getting more involved with the TAXI community, and really building some momentum in the sync licensing world.”
Congratulations, Ryan! That’s great news, and we’re not only glad about the Netflix placement, we’re also happy to see that your music has been signed into multiple music libraries. It’s always best to spread your bets around!
Tom Hoy - Brantford, Canada
Tom shared some exciting news with us: "I found out this morning that a track I submitted was accepted by a well-known West Coast music library. I co-wrote this song, titled 'Can't Stay Away,' with my collaborator, Charlie Cooper, who also sang the vocals. This made me very happy, especially since I have about 15 songs in that particular library. My connection with this opportunity was made possible solely through my TAXI membership.
My affiliation with TAXI spans approximately 11 years, during which I've gained valuable insights into the numerous music libraries actively seeking new music for their collections. In addition to this recent success, a song I co-wrote with fellow TAXI member, Casey Horowitz, was accepted by the same prestigious library just a couple of months ago. Moreover, I received a generous payment deposited into my bank account a few days ago for a song I co-wrote alongside John Lewitt and Susan Simonson, which landed a placement in the TV show, The Young and The Restless. This placement is another significant milestone in my career.
A few years ago, Switched at Birth provided my first notable TV show placement. Further contributing to my accomplishments, a collaboration with another fellow TAXI member, Jan Barrs, resulted in our song being featured in the credits of two indie movies and two video games. Remarkably, a documentary on climate change in Turkey also featured our song, 'Down in The Darkness.'
What stands out to me about TAXI is its capacity to offer people like myself real opportunities for advancement. Allow me to share a brief anecdote about how I sought feedback for my music before joining TAXI. On a monthly basis, there was a music group that included notable figures like Eddy Swartz and other renowned songwriters. They hosted a meeting called 'Date with A Tape,' where participants could bring their music (on cassette tapes) and hope for the chance to have a few seconds of it played, followed by feedback. Afterward, I would embark on a long drive back to Toronto, eagerly anticipating the next meeting.
Considering my prior experiences, it's easy to see why I regard TAXI so highly. I'm immensely grateful that I discovered TAXI, and while I won't claim that my journey has been entirely without challenges, I firmly believe that with determination, anyone can achieve success in this field.”
Wow, that’s great news, Tom! And we loved the story about the way you had to pitch your music in the past. You’ve come a long way since then, and we’re happy to have been a part of your journey. Continued success to you and thanks for letting us know!
John B. Mears: The Mears Brothers - Hermitage, TN, USA
Here’s an email from the record label/publisher about the Mears Brothers’ latest placements: “'Just letting you and our friends at TAXI know that their song, ‘Thanks to Me' is featured in episode 206 of the STARZ hit series Heels, airing on 9/1, and available for streaming on 9/5/2023.”
Congratulations to The Mears Brothers for another placement of their incredibly good, vintage music. We’re always delighted to see how many great placements their songs nail down, and grateful to their publisher for letting us know!
Helen S. Young - Austin, TX, USA
Helen sent in this nice note about how TAXI’s music convention, the Road Rally, helped her land a deal: “At the last TAXI Road Rally, I made some connections and one, a music library owner, recently invited me to pitch for an orchestral listing. My piece was signed. The library owner then asked for submissions in some other genres he was looking for. I submitted a piano and cello piece, and it also was signed. I’m so happy and thankful for the great connection I made through the TAXI Road Rally and look forward to attending again this year!”
Thanks for letting us know how the Rally worked out for you, Helen, and we look forward to seeing you there very soon!
Robert L. Caviness, Jr. - Elkland, MI, USA
Robert emailed to tell us about these deals he recently signed:
“Contemporary Hip-Hop Instrumentals: I received a full album deal consisting of 11 tracks, all contemporary Hip-Hop/Trap Instrumentals, from a batch of three forwards.
EDM instrumentals: I secured an exclusive deal that initially covered five instrumentals resulting from two TAXI forwards from an EDM listing. However, they later picked up an additional three songs from my catalog.
Here's what happened:
The first deal materialized after three out of 10 tracks were forwarded for a Contemporary Hip-Hop listing. A fantastic company from Europe reached out to me within just two days of the forward, expressing their interest in a full album. In the end, I signed a total of 11 tracks with them.
The next deal came from an Australian publisher as a result of an EDM listing that garnered two forwards. They, too, were interested in a full album. What made this deal even more exciting is that they shared their current ‘in search of’ list. This allowed me to sign tracks from my catalog that were sync-ready, but hadn't been forwarded because they didn't precisely match the original listing.
In my first year as a TAXI member, I initially dabbled with a few tracks in the first few months. However, I got serious about it in January. Since then, I've had over 20 tracks forwarded and signed a total of 16 tracks to various deals.
What I love most about TAXI is that if you're eager to learn, they provide you with the information, resources, and opportunities you need to succeed. I'm not particularly keen on being a content creator, I'd rather focus on being a music creator. TAXI allows me to do just that by getting my music in front of the right people, without the need to navigate all the complexities of social media.”
Congratulations, Robert! And we couldn’t agree more about concentrating on creating great music, and not spending your time learning a gazillion things about social media!!
Braiden Wood - Titusville, FL
Braiden shared this great story, “Hello! To anyone reading, my name is Braiden Wood. I was a founding member and toured with the pop-rock band, Before You Exit. We had the privilege of playing shows with All Time Low, Yellowcard, and Mayday Parade.
Back in 2017, my manager recommended that I also look into the sync music industry and signed me up for TAXI. As I started watching TAXI TV and submitting songs to listings, I quickly learned it was a different goal in sync and started testing the waters by submitting to different genres. November rolled around and I attended my first TAXI Road Rally conference in Los Angeles. It was an awesome trip! I gained valuable insight and made lots of great connections with other producers and songwriters there.
Shortly after the conference, I submitted two TAXI listings under the ‘Advertising’ heading. They both mentioned that the placements could be in the ballpark of $10,000! One was a calm serene ad and one was a sports-oriented TV commercial. Little did I know that the listings came from the same sync company. Both submissions passed through TAXI’s screening, and shortly after that I got a call from a music licensing company to discuss the songs and what working together could look like. Since then that company has signed many of my songs and placed them in TV commercials like Jack Daniel’s, Alta, and Teachers Credit Union! And to top it off, the Jack Daniel’s ad has made over $40,000 so TAXI’s listing didn’t lie! I’m truly grateful for that music licensing company and TAXI for all your hard work and for teaching me how to be successful in the sync music industry.
I had a few other publishers sign songs, two of which I still do some work for. I've had placements on shows like Married to Medicine and Black Ink Chicago, through one of the companies for trap placements. I've found that working with the first company that the advertising lane is my favorite genre to be in, and they are such a talented team so it's really a joy to get to work with them.
I think the best part about TAXI is the free education I’ve gotten. TAXI TV is such a great learning spot, and the Road Rallies are so worth the time and effort to travel to, as you gain so much in such a short time there. From the classes to the panels, to the mentors and relationships you leave with, it really felt like Michael (TAXI’s CEO), and all of the TAXI team genuinely wanted to see everyone thrive! I am very grateful for TAXI, and love getting to work with the great music licensing companies I’ve met.”
Congratulations, Braiden, and thanks for sharing that detailed, inspiring story!
Will Derryberry- Roseville, CA
Will let us know, “I've been meaning to tell you about the placements that I have had over the last year. 117 placements, including some repeats on German TV, commercials, and sports shows... Wow, I think that's a lot!? 14 placements in the primetime ABC show "The Con," handful of placements on the show "All Girls Garage,” some HGTV placements, and some little TV commercials, internationally. The only downside to all this is the time it takes for the money to come in from the PRO. I don’t like the waiting part, but I like TAXI! Thanks, you guys for all the connections you've helped make on my behalf!
Over the last four years that I’ve been with TAXI, I’ve made deals with eight publishing companies, as well as some deals with publishing companies outside of TAXI… However, all of my placements have come through those companies that are affiliated with TAXI! Over the last four years I’ve had over 100 placements through these publishers, not to mention reruns, and replays that keep factoring into royalty payouts. This last year is where I’ve received the majority of my song placements, which speaks to the ‘snowball effect’ that I hear so much coming from Michael and the TAXI team. Everything from some HGTV placements, to a smorgasbord of German, French, and Danish TV shows, commercials, and sports shows, all the way to some music placed with Adobe, as well as a Motor Trend car repair show, and finally to one of the bigger placements with ABC’s primetime show The Con, with a whopping 14 uses throughout that series. Currently, I’m currently working on three different albums for different publishers, and continuing to submit songs to TAXI with the intention of growing my song business… So, I’m staying busy!
What really gets me about TAXI is the renewed hope I’m experiencing as I follow the wisdom coming from Michael, the TAXI team, and other writers and publishers within the TAXI family. Over the years, I really thought I made a mistake with my life putting too much emphasis on pursuing music as a means to make a living. I’m realizing, now, as I continue to push forward with writing and recording for media that this is really and truly something I just might be able to transition into for a career, and continue into retirement - which is so meaningful as a writer/musician. Fingers crossed!"
Congrats, Will! It’s always great to hear from you, and we hope to see you at the Rally in November!
Janet Brooks - Coopersburg, PA
Janet sent us this exciting email! “I just wanted to let you know that I've signed a contract with a music library, the result of a forward from TAXI back in April 2023. My collaborator and I are very excited about this opportunity, especially since it was the first project we did together. Many thanks to the great folks at TAXI for posting this brief and for giving me their insights about the library. Oh, and by the way… the library is interested in hearing more tracks from me in the future! Woo-hoo!!
I spotted a TAXI brief in March 2023, asking for Jazz covers of public domain Christmas songs. I sent the brief to my collaborator (who I had just started working with), and we decided to give it a try. She had lead sheets for some reharmonizations of a few Christmas songs, so I came up with a jazzy piano part for one of them and she did the vocals. I submitted the track and got a forward. Within a couple of weeks, the library owner sent me an email saying he wanted to sign the track, and that he would be interested in other similar tracks from us! This was the first time that had ever happened to me through TAXI.
Other successes – I've gotten other forwards from TAXI, but no other placements or deals, so far.
I've been a member for over three years, and I've learned so much about the industry from all the excellent content that TAXI provides. I went to my first live Road Rally last year, and it was a fantastic experience – worth the membership fee on its own! Because of TAXI I'm much better at reading briefs, listening to the references, and writing music that the client is looking for. I think TAXI cares about its members and really tries to help everyone succeed.”
Congratulations, Janet, and thanks for noticing that we really do care very much about our members’ success. Thanks for keeping us in the loop, and we can’t wait to hear about the placements that are very likely in your future!
Alexander Dilan - Sarasota, FL
Alex emailed this great update on his recent successes. “Thanks to TAXI I got a song, named ‘Fanfare and Majesty,’ signed to a music library that needed music for King Charles’s Coronation, then they signed two more named ‘Carpe Diem’ and ‘Heroes in All of Us.’ It started with one track being accepted for a Royal Coronation listing. I spoke with the head of the music library, and a total of three tracks were accepted. He also heard a piano/pad composition of mine, and that yielded four more tracks that were accepted for another album they released. Then they also signed three more tracks for another album, and then they signed my entire album of six songs entitled, Moody Christmas.
Fortunately, that company I met through TAXI has literally kept me writing more and more music! I’ve done a Christmas album with vocals, a kids’ Christmas album, and some video game music for yet another album, with pending contracts.
So, within a period of four months, I’ve had 16 compositions accepted, including whole albums!
Three more albums are pending finalized contracts.
So, through TAXI, I also have four European placements and two American placements by four different libraries, even before the 16 songs signed with the first company I signed with! But the fact that I’m being asked to write whole albums of my own, makes me feel that I have started on my way to success! TAXI prepared me to write in any genre, use virtual orchestras, and establish relationships, etc. My sincerest gratitude!”
Alex, we could not be happier for you, and really appreciate that you took the time to let us know about all of your success. It was great getting to know you during the Quarantini Happy Hours during the COVID lockdown. You paid attention, used what you learned, and look at you now!
Pierre Veniot - Hong Kong
Here’s a nice update from Pierre! “Firstly, the forward to a new Library came from a submission I made to a Classical listing from TAXI. That became an album of four cues. Secondly, since I live in Hong Kong, I did some traditional Chinese cues that led to five of them being signed.
Lastly (no stopping now!), I’m waiting to sign six traditional Japanese cues. My interest in ethnomusicology seems to be paying off!
I really appreciate TAXI for the extended and exact knowledge of sync licensing. I’ve learned a lot. Might I add that I almost did not renew my TAXI membership this year. Almost made a mistake!”
Congratulations, Pierre! And we’re very happy that you didn’t make the mistake of not renewing your membership. The goal is to have your music in many catalogs, so when business gets slow for some, others pick up the slack!
Seth Stone - White Plains, NY
Here’s a great story from Seth! “My first deal with a music publisher came about at the 2022 TAXI Road Rally. I signed up for one-on-one mentoring with the mentor I wanted – he was really interested in one of the pieces on my reel in particular, and I wrote and signed an 11-track album of similar-style music with his library.
My next deal came about with A TAXI listing that asked for sentimental, acoustic instrumentals. I got a forward on this listing that resulted in another music library reaching out to me a few weeks later to sign the piece. Most recently, I managed to get forwarded for TAXI’s Emotional Piano cue compilation that went out to many TAXI publishers, and I got a bite from another library for the piece of mine that made it through! So, three contracts so far in the past year.
The thing I like most about TAXI is that through the feedback on my many, many returns, as well as attending panels at the Road Rally, tuning into TAXI TV, etc., I’ve been able to keep myself in a constant state of learning about the sync world. My forward/return ratio has improved dramatically (four of my five most recent submissions were forwarded – an insane improvement over the last 12 months, and if you look at my ratio from 24 months ago, it’s not even close), and I’m finally able to hone in more accurately on exactly what it is about the reference tracks that the publishers are looking for. Although I’ve always paid attention to the reference tracks, I’ve had a habit of overwriting, especially around words and emotions in the actual listing descriptions (what those things imply to me), instead of trusting my ears to tell me what the client is really looking for from the actual music examples in the listing.
It’s worth mentioning that the first library that I signed with ordered an entire album from me, but wasn’t totally satisfied with my first draft and the overall stylistic direction because it veered too far from the track of mine that they wanted more of. This is to say, I had actually allowed the title of my own piece to distract me from the central thing about my music that the publisher was looking for. I started to over-write around the idea of ‘adventure’ (one word in the title), and what it meant to me, vs. staying in the ballpark of the sound of the track that had interested the publisher in the first place. After taking a few rounds of feedback and rewrites, we were on the same page, and my album is now live. All of this to say, I’m still learning, and learning to kick some bad habits, but I’m definitely starting to see some results, and I appreciate all of you at TAXI.”
Thanks for sharing your successes, Seth, and especially for sharing what you’ve learned about using the references correctly, and sticking with the “target!”
Jack ONeill - Westfield, NJ
Jack told us, “I joined TAXI on April 5, 2023 and replied to my first listing on April 16. The listing was for original, vintage 1970s Led Zeppelin-style hard rock songs. The reviewer at TAXI liked what he/she heard, and the song (‘Eyes of the Devil’) was forwarded on April 18. Three weeks later I got an email from the Director of A&R at a record label saying the song was fantastic and that started the ball rolling. I wound up sending an additional six tracks from the ‘Eyes of the Devil’ sessions and the label offered me a contract. Frankly, I was stunned by how quickly this all unfolded and thrilled that these tracks would finally see the light of day after sitting on the shelf all these years.
I made a second submission to TAXI for original, late 1960s to 1970s vintage rock songs, and it too was forwarded by TAXI to the CEO of an Indie Record Label on May 10. I haven't heard anything more on this track but, again, thrilled by the forward!
I was familiar with TAXI, but unaware of the market for vintage recordings, and so very glad I signed up. During the negotiations with the label, they suggested I reach out to TAXI to get a reference as to the label’s business practices and artist involvement, so I did just that. I got an immediate and very positive endorsement from TAXI, which went a long way in helping me make the right decision and secure the contract. This type of interaction between all the parties involved is a major benefit to the independent artist as we are just that, artists, not necessarily business people. None of this would have transpired without TAXI!”
Well, congratulations, Jack! You’ve signed with one of the (maybe THE) hardest working companies we know. They’re straight up, hardworking, and you’re very lucky to be signed to them.
Georgia Fairclough - Baulkham Hills, Australia
Georgia emailed to tell us, “After submitting a number of piano-based tracks for the TAXI ‘piano-based instrumental compilation,’ I was very happy to hear that 2 of my tracks were forwarded. A few months later I received an email from a music licensing company saying they loved ‘Memory’ and ‘Reason,’ and attached their contract. I then sent them these two tracks along with a few others of similar sound/quality. They responded with the pre-filled contract, which included an additional track of mine that they liked, ‘Circle.’
Since joining TAXI in 2022, I've had 13 tracks forwarded, and I love that TAXI is teaching me how to write for very specific briefs. I'm also learning how to correctly shape developmental arcs, and I find I am a lot more productive with definitive deadlines.”
Congratulations on making it onto the TAXI compilation, Georgia! That’s quite an accomplishment!!
Michael D. Barresi - Amherstburg, Canada
Michael dropped us a note to say, “Just wanted to inform the team at TAXI that I have made deals through the following listings:
- 1980s Style ROCK INSTRUMENTALS and/or INSTRUMENTAL CUES - Signed four tracks with a music licensing company.
- Lots of GOGO INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a hard-plugging Music Library with a GREAT track record of placements! - Signed eight tracks with that company!
- MEDITERRANEAN DRAMEDY/COMEDY INSTRUMENTALS are needed by an extremely busy Music Library with a tremendously long list of killer placements in Hit TV Shows! - Signed one track with them.
- 1950s Style INSTRUMENTALS in ALL GENRES are needed by a high quality Production Music Library that’s been signing quite a bit of TAXI Members' music lately! - Signed six tracks with that company as well!”
Congratulations, Michael! Thanks for letting us know, and each one of those companies are really good at what they do, so it’s just a matter of time until you start to see some placements!