Hi!

I have a question to do related with music license

I will put a example :
In games like GTA V,Rockstar put money and ask permission to use licensed music ( like Donald Byrd "You and the Music" ).

What i want to know,is : 
How they get permission to do that? 
And how much money they can use to buy a song permission?

Different to other media,games maybe cant have some music rights forever ( some songs ) .
Another example : GTA IV got backwards compatibility in Xbox One.
Becuase the game become a decade old,received a update which blocked songs where they lost the license.

My other question is:
Why other media ( like Movies ) can have permission to use songs for forever and games maybe not?

Some numbers ( according to Wikipedia ) :

Vice City had 113+ songs.
IV had 200+ songs.

Thanks for read

You can get a license to use a composition by asking the music publishing company. Google "music publishing companies" to learn more about those companies. 

If you want a license to use a recorded performance, you can ask companies like BMI (bmi.com) or ASCAP (ascap.com).

Start by reading up on music publishers and performance rights before you approach any companies. 

If you know some bands, they will likely love your offer to expose their music! You may not require a publishing deal to use music, if you ask the guys who create it, and if they like your game.

4 hours ago, leith said:

If you know some bands, they will likely love your offer to expose their music! You may not require a publishing deal to use music, if you ask the guys who create it, and if they like your game.

 

 

Yes,i know,but i mean more or less popular bands ( like Suede/Oasis/DMA ).

Another question i have is,if X game have some original music created for them ( example : the song "Pootang Shebang" in GTA 1 ),asking permission and paying money to the game publisher/developer can let use that music in another game unrelated to that company? or its very complex legally?

3 hours ago, Pascua2019 said:

Another question i have is,if X game have some original music created for them ( example : the song "Pootang Shebang" in GTA 1 ),asking permission and paying money to the game publisher/developer can let use that music in another game unrelated to that company? or its very complex legally?

Each and every use of an outside party's IP must be used under license. A license for use of a song in one game does not grant its use in another. 

19 minutes ago, Tom Sloper said:

A license for use of a song in one game does not grant its use in another

Even if "another game" is a re-release of the same game. That would explain why re-released games have changes in soundtracks.

16 hours ago, Pascua2019 said:

Why other media ( like Movies ) can have permission to use songs for forever and games maybe not?

When WKRP (a TV show about a radio station) was released for home devices (VHS/DVD), the licensed songs used in the original TV show had to be removed.

1 hour ago, fleabay said:

When WKRP (a TV show about a radio station) was released for home devices (VHS/DVD), the licensed songs used in the original TV show had to be removed.

Yeah but its rarely to happen.

Its like re release The Godfather and change the music.Breaks the original essence.but maybe dont happens to that type of movies becuase they have a soundtrack made of original compositions.

But how much can cost have a song permission for forever?

1 hour ago, Pascua2019 said:

how much can cost have a song permission for forever?

You have to ask the licensor. 

12 hours ago, leith said:

If you know some bands, they will likely love your offer to expose their music! You may not require a publishing deal to use music, if you ask the guys who create it, and if they like your game.

 

 

Always, ALWAYS get a contract that is legally binding before using someone's property.  Verbal permission, written on a napkin, etc will very likely not hold up in a court of law.  I'm not a lawyer, always seek legal advice from an actual lawyer.