Placements in a film, a TV show, a radio ad, and a TV commercial
Niall McGuinness - Gardnerville, NV USA
Niall has some great news to report. “After not having a placement for a while, I started to wonder if AI had replaced me as a composer of fairly easy-to-replicate background Jazz. But alas—three recent licenses came through thanks to two music libraries I was introduced to through TAXI:
My public domain rendition of ‘Away in a Manger’ found a home in the British film Pet Shop Days, which is set to be released soon. Also, my original composition ‘Aperitif’ was placed in a new TV series titled The Waterfront, currently in post-production. And a track I wrote 15 years ago, ‘Waxing Gibbous,’ was licensed for a national radio ad campaign for a tech company. One of the libraries also placed my Jazz instrumental ‘Suite Sue’ in a national TV ad a while back—earning a payout of $17,500, split between the music library and myself.
I met both of these companies at the TAXI Road Rally!
We all know this business is a long, long game, but up-front license payouts help ease the pain of waiting—especially when they're in the four-digit range (or higher). It’s also important to know that your PRO typically doesn't track plays in TV commercials, so you’ll need to report those placements yourself within two months of airing.
If it weren’t for TAXI, I never would have had the introductions to these libraries—or the placements—that have become such a meaningful income stream for me.”
Congratulations, Niall, and we’re happy that you’ve not been replaced by a robot! And thanks for mentioning that you met the companies that got you those placements at our annual conference, the TAXI Road Rally. We look forward to seeing you at the next one in November!
18,000 placements in TV shows all over the world
Walter Grund - Nehren, GERMANY
Here’s a cool update from Walter, a longtime TAXI member.
"I just learned that a collaboration I did with my daughter, Charlotte, got used in a Turkish TV series! We wrote and recorded the song ‘You Cut My Soul’ remotely in 2021, and it turned out great. A music library had originally asked for a mid-tempo, funky R&B track in the style of Amy Winehouse. The song ended up being used for about a minute and a half in the episode—super exciting!
Also, our holiday song ‘Gingerbread Baby,’ from a Christmas album we recorded together, was recently used on The Great British Sewing Bee (BBC One), and my instrumental ‘Cold Winter’ appeared in Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed on Discovery+, along with many others.
Working remotely with Charlotte (who’s now 26 and a medical doctor) was a different experience than when we used to share a single laptop and keyboard—but even better in many ways. Collaborating on music with my daughter has been a joy.
I joined TAXI in December 2008, and I’ve attended two Road Rallies, and I know of more than 18,000 TV placements my music has earned to date. I credit TAXI with helping me level up my writing, recording, and ability to land placements on TV shows around the world. TAXI has been a huge part of my journey.”
Wow, we knew you were doing well, but 18,000 placements! And having fun collaborating with your daughter Charlotte, on top of all that. Does it get any better? Congrats, Walter, we’re so happy for you!
Signed four deals early in his membership
Darren Glover - Stockport, Cheshire - UK
It sounds like Darren's off to the races! "I was contacted by a very good music library last week, but I had already committed the track to another company. No problem—I wrote three new tracks and signed those today!
I'm 18 months into my TAXI membership, and this is my fourth deal. Since it’s only been just over a year, I haven’t seen any placements show up on my BMI statements yet from these deals, but I’m in close contact with the libraries and actively working on new music with them.
Last year, I signed a deal that pays me upfront to write music as an artist, and those tracks have been successfully sold through their company—which was a great bonus!
Pitching to TAXI's briefs has become a regular habit for me, and I’m hoping to make even more contacts and sign additional deals throughout the year and beyond.
I’ve been in this business for at least five years, and joining TAXI has truly been a game changer—both mentally and productively. It’s pushed me to really examine my strengths as a composer and led me down several exciting paths I hadn’t even considered before. Thank you, TAXI!"
Congratulations, Darren, that’s great news! Please let us know when you start to see placements in your BMI statement.
Got a song placed on a Korean Reality Show
Tim Walker - Tampa, FL USA
“I just learned of my first sync placement—and I’m thrilled! My song ‘Train Thang’ was featured on the Korean reality television show Harmony on the Yonhap News Network. It plays for about 40 seconds during a scene—my first ever!
To celebrate? I went straight to a Korean restaurant, of course!
While this placement didn’t come directly from a TAXI listing, TAXI was absolutely an instrumental part of the journey. The opportunity came through a library that signed an album of my Blues Rock tracks. I first met the library owner at an industry conference, and we reconnected at the 2023 TAXI Road Rally. Since then, we’ve stayed in touch and continued building a great working relationship—something TAXI really helped foster.
Congratulations, Tim! They say that you never forget your first!!
Signed multiple deals resulting from TAXI forwards
Todd Bordonaro - Bronx, NY USA
Todd shared some great news with us: “I recently completed my first album in collaboration with saxophonist David Schmidt and signed a multi-track deal with an A-list music licensing company—thanks to a forward from TAXI!
In 2024 alone, I’ve signed two library deals that came directly from TAXI forwards. After attending the 2024 Road Rally, I followed up with some publishers I had conversations with during the event. I had just finished an album with a childhood friend and began shopping it around. One of the people I met at the Rally ended up offering us a multi-track deal for that album!
Another huge benefit of TAXI and the Road Rally has been the relationships I’ve built with other composers. Since 2022, I’ve collaborated with five other TAXI members, and all of our tracks have been signed to multiple libraries. Thanks, TAXI!”
You’re welcome, and congratulations, Todd. Please keep us in the loop as these deals become placements!!
Signed two foreign language versions of his songs
Bob Mete - Earlysville, VA USA
Bob’s latest in a very long line of successes. “I’m happy to report that I recently signed and uploaded two non-English songs to a production music library!
Whenever possible, I like to create as many variations of a song as I can. So, when I saw a recent TAXI Listing asking for songs in other languages, I was excited—I just happened to have two that fit perfectly. One is a Bossa Nova track sung in Portuguese titled ‘Praia de Inverno.’ The other is a German version of a song called ‘Take Me,’ co-written with Kristin Chambers and sung by Kristin herself. We titled the German version ‘Nimm Mich.’
Oh, and by the way—Kristin is a long-standing TAXI member who I was introduced to by another successful TAXI member, Casey Hurowitz. That connection led to this great collaboration, and now, this new opportunity! This deal opens the door to a fresh relationship with the production music library and future opportunities down the road. In fact, I just uploaded six cover songs to the same company yesterday!
You’ve gotta love it when you already have exactly what the brief is asking for sitting in your catalog. Thanks, as always, TAXI!”
Congrats, Bob and Kristin! You’re so smart to do foreign language versions of your tunes!! Please keep us posted about the other six songs, and any placements that come from any of these new deals.
TAXI has made getting her songs published easier than in the past
Camille Williams - Surprise, AZ USA
“I avidly wrote and produced music throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, and even had a few songs published. But back then, submitting music meant constant phone calls and mailing everything out physically—it was exhausting and discouraging. Eventually, I stepped away from the music industry entirely.
Fast forward to one year ago: I discovered TAXI, decided to join, and started writing again. Everything was suddenly so much easier and right at my fingertips! I dove back in, learned how to use Logic Pro, and this past fall I started using an online recording service to help with vocal production.
In September, I responded to a TAXI Listing for 1990s-style vintage music. My song ‘I Listen to Your Eyes’ was forwarded—and the music library contacted me almost immediately to sign a deal for it. I’ve since built a great relationship with the library owner, who’s been incredibly supportive and helpful.
A few weeks ago, I emailed him three newly produced songs I had just finished. To my surprise, I woke up the next morning to a message saying he wanted to sign two of them: ‘Let Go’ and ‘The One I’m Living For.’
TAXI’s CEO, Michael Laskow always emphasizes on TAXI TV how important it is to maintain good relationships with the music libraries that reach out to you. That advice turned out to be golden! Thank you to TAXI and the entire staff—someone is always there to help, and the benefits of TAXI TV are truly invaluable!”
Congratulations, Camille! We’re so happy that you’re back in the biz, and that TAXI has made it all so much easier for you.
He credits TAXI TV, the TAXI Forums, and the Road Rally with his first deal
Mark Feil - Oakland Park, FL USA
We love to hear stories like this!
“To Michael Laskow and the Fabulous TAXI Team,
I’m thrilled to share that exactly five months after the 2024 TAXI Road Rally, I’ve signed my first music library deal! The opportunity came directly from sharing my music with a library owner I met at the Rally—and I’m excited to say that six Cyberpunk cues have been signed so far!
But this note isn’t just about me—it’s a testament to the incredible value of the TAXI Road Rally. The Rally is so much more than a conference. It’s a place to build genuine relationships, create real opportunities for your music, learn from industry veterans, and have an amazing time doing it.
This was my third in-person Road Rally after attending both virtual ones, and it won’t be my last—you can count on seeing me again this November.
This is also a big shoutout to TAXI TV and the TAXI Forums, which have been invaluable resources for my growth. I’ve received great advice—especially about edit point transitions—from generous members like Matt Vander Boegh and Cosmic Dolphin. Thank you both!
Huge thanks to TAXI, Michael, and the entire team for everything you do. I couldn’t have done this without you.
Very best regards,
Mark”
Congrats, Mark! We hope this is the first of many for you. It sounds like you’re taking advantage of all that TAXI offers its members. As you’ve discovered, if you do those things, the deals and placements will come!
30+ Cues signed via a TAXI forward
Martin Ferr - Lompoc, CA USA
Here’s a nice email from Martin! “I’m excited to share that my cue Battaglia was forwarded by TAXI in August 2023, which led to a library owner reaching out to sign it. That single forward turned into an ongoing relationship, and since then I’ve had 32 cues approved by the library across genres like documentary, crime drama, horror, psychological thriller, and action.
One of the highlights came after I shared a cyberpunk track — the publisher liked it and asked me to write a full 16-track Cyberpunk Sports album, which I completed shortly after. To date, with all the alternate versions, cutdowns, and stingers, the total number of tracks available for sync now sits at 244.
TAXI truly opened the door to this opportunity, and I’m incredibly grateful — not just for the connection, but for all the tools, education, and feedback they provide to help composers improve and succeed. I wouldn’t be on this path without them.”
Congratulations, Martin! That’s great news!! Please let us know as those cues start getting placements.
Has had numerous placements in the US, Europe, and Asia
Niko Jasniewicz - Meridian, ID USA
Niko wrote to tell us, “Over the past year, my music has been placed on several channels and networks, including: CNN, NRK1, NRK2, SWR FS, Saarländischer Rundfunk, ZDF, RTL, Nederland 2, ORF, and various other networks across Asia and Europe, as well as various online usages. Many of these deals and placements have come through production music libraries I connected with via TAXI forwards.
I attended my first Road Rally in 2022. My main goal was to learn, network, and to figure out what TAXI is all about! At this very Rally, I met some great people, one of which was Matt Vander Boegh. He’s not only a successful and prolific film and TV composer, he’s such a nice guy! He even invited me to attend his workshops. Aside from meeting some great people, I learned a lot, got inspired, and when I got home, I hit the ground running. I went to the Road Rally again in 2023 and 2024, and will not miss one! Great information is learned here.
Without being too long winded, since attending my first Rally in 2022, I have signed deals with 12 different production music libraries and received numerous placements in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, as listed above. I am continuing to write and produce music for many of these libraries, and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon! All of the deals I have signed have been a direct result of either a TAXI forward or attending the Rally, or indirectly from previous work with music libraries and TAXI forwards.
Thank you, Michael, for creating an environment to learn, progress at my craft, and meet some awesome people along the way. Needless to say, I will be continuing my perfect attendance and definitely attending the 2025 Road Rally. Onward and upward!”
Congratulations, Niko, sounds like you’re on the path to being a full-time composer. And thanks for letting our readers know just how valuable it is to attend TAXI’s conference, The Road Rally.
3,000 placements —most recently; Vice/Showtime, Viceland/A&E, Denmark TV2, MTV, CBS Sports, a feature film, and a national TV commercial
Robbie Hancock - Vancouver, BC CANADA
Robbie wrote to tell us how busy he’s been lately! “I now have music with over 50 music libraries since starting on this journey, and many of those connections came through TAXI—relationships that began on the TAXI Forums and through attending 10 Road Rallies over the years. I’m now up to over 3,000 placements and counting, which I never thought possible when I began this sync licensing journey back in 2013.
Here are just a few of those placements: Return of the Taliban – Vice/Showtime, Dark Side of the 90s/2000s – Viceland/A&E, Being 29 – Denmark TV series on TV 2 Echo, Catfish – MTV, One World: Together at Home (film), CBS Sports, and a national TV commercial.
Thanks to ASCAP’s late vice-president, Ralph Murphy, for sending me to TAXI. Sync licensing now makes up about three-quarters of my income, which has allowed me to let go of cover gigs and most of my music teaching, except for a few students I still see once a week.
Getting on that first plane to attend my first Road Rally was hard—but it turned out to be the best thing I ever did for my music. I’m extremely grateful for TAXI. Michael and all the staff are the real deal and work with some of the most trusted and well-vetted companies in the business. Through Sync or Swim Music, I’m also able to give back by sharing what I’ve learned through networking and education online—and I regularly send more people to TAXI as a result.”
Congrats Robbie! It’s nice to see the fruits of all your labor paying off so nicely, and thank you for letting us know. See you at the Rally in November!
Got his instrumental signed from his first TAXI forward
Bobby Martin - Kissimmee, FL USA
“I recently had my Delta Blues resonator instrumental ‘The Devil’s Train’ forwarded to a music library—it was my very first forward, and I was beyond excited! Just three months later, I was offered a deal for the track by that same library. Somersaults ensued!
I've started to see real success thanks to being a TAXI member, watching TAXI TV on Mondays, participating in the TAXI Forum, and—most importantly—attending the Road Rally. The Road Rally experience is truly priceless, and I plan to go every year.
I firmly believe in TAXI and the amazing TAXI community. It has made a tremendous difference in my music and I am so very excited to keep growing and succeeding with TAXI.”
Their 40-year-old song got placed on The Drew Carey Show
Ned Selfe and Robin Pearl - Kalaheo, HI USA
Here’s a really cool story from Ned Selfe and Robin Pearl of Robin & the Rocks. “If you’re asking yourself, ‘How does a 40-year-old song get a featured placement on a 25-year-old network TV show?’ The answer is TAXI!
Thanks to a forward from TAXI, a track called ‘American Excess’ from our sophomore album—recorded way back in the ’80s—was placed in an episode of The Drew Carey Show, now streaming on PLEX.tv.
The coolest part? One of the characters says, ‘…this is for all you voters!’ just before pressing play on a boombox and blasting ‘American Excess’ to kick off an impromptu dance party—especially poignant in this election year.
Because of TAXI, music we’ve always been proud of is getting a second chance to reach new audiences. A big mahalo to the excellent company we signed the song with—and to TAXI for opening that door!”
Hey Ned and Robin! Congrats on that placement, and yes, it doesn’t get much cooler than that!
Credits TAXI with his 1,000 placements
Greg Carrozza - Albuquerque, NM USA
Here’s an awesome note from Greg! “I’ve surpassed 1,000 placements in TV shows and TV commercials—and it’s all thanks to TAXI! Every one of those placements is directly tied to forwards and connections I made with music libraries and collaborators at the TAXI Road Rally. Through those relationships, I now have over 900 tracks signed across 50 publishers and libraries.
My music is currently playing on more than 100 channels in the U.S. and in over 40 countries worldwide. You can hear it on TV shows like Catfish, Dancing with the Stars, Growing Up Hip Hop, Love Island, Queer Eye, and all the Real Housewives shows; during NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games; and in TV commercials for major brands like Samsung and Hyundai.
It definitely didn’t happen overnight, but I learned everything I needed to know about writing music for TV from TAXI listings, the feedback I received, and by watching TAXI TV every week. I’ve also made lifelong friends at the Road Rally—people I can’t wait to see every year. They’re my tribe.
I truly owe my entire sync music career to TAXI. I don’t think there’s anywhere else I could’ve gotten the knowledge and connections I needed to succeed.”
Wow, Greg! All of us at TAXI are really proud of you, and we’ve enjoyed watching you become more successful every month. Here’s to a promising future, and thank you for letting us know about all of these placements!
One TAXI forward, 100 tracks signed, 20 placements
Dean Krommydas - Oxford, CT USA
“I was thrilled to receive my latest royalty statement just a few days ago, and I’m happy to share the experience. In June of last year, I licensed nearly 100 tracks (including edits), and I just received royalties for 20 of those tracks—technically within the same year, as it was an October–December 2024 statement!
This all began with a single instrumental forward from TAXI not too long ago, and I’m incredibly grateful to TAXI for fostering discipline, motivation, inspiration, and hope. The quality of the staff at TAXI—and the music library companies they connect you with—is truly exceptional. I continue to look forward to all the exciting opportunities ahead!”
That’s exceptional news, Dean! To get that many tracks signed and placed in such a short amount of time is nearly miraculous. We hope your entire career goes just like that!
His song landed a direct placement in a Feature Film!
Mike Stobbie - London, UK
This email from Mike isn’t really that unusual, at all! “I had a TAXI subscription some years ago but never bothered renewing. Recently, I thought, let’s give it another shot—with a more focused perspective. And what do you know? I got my first deal!
It’s with an excellent music licensing company based in Los Angeles, signed on July 8, 2024. Not bad, considering I live in London, UK!”
Congratulations, Mike! Pretty cool, and this time don’t let your membership lapse. We’re pretty sure we can help you get many more deals no matter where you live ;-)
His TAXI relationships and collaborations have paid off
Charles P. Hurowitz - Fort Washington, PA USA
He’s an update from Casey! “I recently signed three songs to a great TAXI-friendly music library in Los Angeles. Two of the three were collaborations with other TAXI members—one written with Greg Carrozza and Robin Sandoval, and another with Marcus Cohen. These collaborations were the direct result of networking with fellow members on the TAXI Forum and at the Road Rally.
If it weren’t for TAXI, I would have never gotten to know this excellent library or my wonderful co-writers. In fact, those songs wouldn’t even exist. I can’t say enough about the TAXI community and the power of collaborating with other members!
My advice to other members is always the same: embrace the full TAXI experience—listings, critiques, the community, relationship building, and more. TAXI has so much to offer if you take advantage of everything, including the Forum and the Road Rally. Strengthening relationships at the Road Rally has been key to my success. Probably 80–90% of my most successful songs are collaborations with other TAXI members.”
Congrats, Casey, and please let us know when you get some placements from those collabs. And thanks for letting your fellow members know how the TAXI Forum and the Road Rally have been important building blocks to your success!
17 of his Americana tracks signed via just one TAXI Forward
Mark Miller - Brentwood, TN USA
Here’s a nice email from Mark. “I recently signed a 10-song publishing deal with an excellent LA-based music library for their 2024 fourth-quarter release—all of them are Americana tracks. That brings my total to 17 songs signed in 2024 alone, and it all started with one TAXI forward earlier this year. Hope that helps!”
Congratulations, Mark! And yes, we hope your success inspires others who are creating Americana songs. Thanks for letting us know!
His song landed a direct placement in a Feature Film!
Philip V. D'Ercole - Cranston, RI USA
Philip wrote to let us know, “I’m thrilled that my song 'Down in Flames' is included in the movie and soundtrack for the new feature film Meathook. This opportunity will introduce my music to a wider audience worldwide, and I couldn't be more excited.
TAXI was instrumental (no pun intended) in securing this placement, and I hope even bigger opportunities are ahead. One of the greatest advantages of TAXI is the ability to pitch my songs to specific genres, giving me the best possible chance for placement. I'm incredibly grateful for this experience!”
Congratulations, Philip! It’s always great to land a direct placement where you get to keep the entire sync fee and retain 100% of your publishing and master rights!
New signings and placements
Patrick Byrne - Souderton, PA USA
Patrick recently told us, “Over the past few months, we’ve signed several new contracts as a result of TAXI submissions. My wife and I (we are co-writers) signed a happy Ukulele tune with a new music library. We also signed two Middle Eastern Trap tracks and a Dramedy cue with two libraries we had previously built relationships with through previous TAXI forwards.
Our latest royalty statement confirmed that some of our placements came from tracks we signed with these libraries. Once again, our TAXI subscription continues to pay off. The beat goes on!”
That’s great news Patrick (and your wife)! Please let us know which TV shows or films the placements were in when you find out.
Nearly 60 Tracks signed
Michael Bruce Miller - Champaign, IL USA
When I joined TAXI in 2020, I had two tracks signed to a music library within just a few months. After that, I received a decent number of forwards but didn’t hear much—until February 2024. That same library that signed my tracks four years ago reached out again! They were looking to sign a large number of tracks, so I sent them everything I had available—and then some!
For over a month, I cranked out a track or two a day, and now I have nearly 60 tracks signed with this library. My most recent royalty statement showed revenue from seven of them, so things are definitely moving in the right direction.
The feedback from the TAXI A&R team has been invaluable. It has helped me improve my workflow, sharpen my ability to analyze reference tracks, and elevate the overall quality of my production. Because of this, I’ve also been able to place tracks with another music licensing company that’s owned by a former TAXI member.
Joining TAXI has truly elevated both my music and my opportunities!”
Congratulations, Michael! Please keep us in the loop as these new signings result in even more placements!
600 tracks signed, and many placements as well
Edd Charmant - Eden Gate Delgany, Wicklow, IRELAND
Edd sent in this lovely note. “With several recent forwards in the Ambient and Meditation genres, I’ve been a TAXI member since its earliest days—back when listings were sent via snail mail and submissions were mailed in as cassette or CD ‘burritos.’
Over the decades, I’ve honed my production skills through TAXI’s feedback, focusing especially on analyzing returned submissions. As a result, my music has been featured in multiple reality TV shows and documentaries on Discovery and NatGeo—all stemming from deals made through TAXI forwards.
A major library that signed me over two decades ago through a TAXI forward now has more than 600 of my exclusive tracks across multiple genres, including Urban Dramedy and Investigative Tension.
I continue to write music daily and regularly submit to TAXI listings. To date, after nearly three decades with TAXI, the feedback on my submissions remains the most valuable part of my membership."
That’s super impressive, Edd! Congratulations, thanks for being a loyal member for so long, and we could not be happier about your success!
Song placed on Netflix hit, Love is Blind
Elizabeth Usher - Marrickville South, NSW AUSTRALIA
Here’s a great story from Elizabeth. “G’day, from Gadigal land in Sydney, Australia! Just three days before Valentine’s Day, Emily Anderson, F-M Cossey, and I were thrilled to learn that our collaboration, 'What If It’s Not Enough,' had been placed in Season 8, Episode 4 of Love Is Blind—airing on Valentine’s Day itself, on Netflix!
We originally wrote the song for a TAXI brief calling for contemporary Singer/Songwriter songs. Although we didn’t have the final production ready in time to submit, F-M later signed it directly to a company she had originally connected with through TAXI.
We were beyond excited about the placement, and despite the short notice, Emily even managed to release the song in time. 'What If It’s Not Enough' is an emotional, heart-wrenching ballad about the fear that a waning relationship may not be salvageable.
By contrast, on Valentine’s Day, I released a new UKEnTHUSED strum-along music video for a dreamy love song, 'Summer Wonderland'—also written with and featuring Emily Anderson.
I absolutely love collaborating across different countries and time zones with both Emily (US-based) and F-M (NZ-based). After so many Zoom sessions together, I was definitely jealous that they finally got to meet in person at last year’s TAXI Road Rally! I was fortunate to take part in the virtual Road Rallies in 2020 and 2021, and I hope to make it across the Pacific to attend one in LA in person someday!”
Great story, great collaborators, great placement, and yes, you need to make it to the Road Rally this year!
Had placements on Ripley on Netflix and Indie Films!
Jensina Sheppart - for Henry Russel - Buxton, OR USA
Here’s a sweet note from Jensina! “Another year with TAXI and another big ‘Thank You’ from us to you!
I inherited my father’s music catalog when he passed away. My dad, Henry Russel, was the Musical Director at NBC for about six years back in the ‘salad days’ of radio. Then he transitioned to TV with The Halls of Ivy show with Ronald Coleman. He was Musical Director for that show, as well as for other celebrities like Dorothy Lamour (my godmother) and Howard Keel. He scored movies and in the 1960s opened up a musical commercial house for TV and radio ads.
Needless to say, the music business has changed big time. It is ever-changing and... in walks the enormous help from TAXI! Your guidance, seminars, educational materials, and staff have been monumental.
But talk is cheap. There have been some great results. It's not easy getting syncs these days. There is a lot of competition and, let's face it, vintage music is not in demand like Hip Hop. Nevertheless, we have gotten sync placements. To name a few; we got a sync for Ripley on Netflix, some Canadian Indie Films, which included a very well-known Music Supervisor picking our music and through the music libraries that we work with ... all because of TAXI. The team at TAXI is the real deal and so professional. Thank you, TAXI!! On to 2025, which incidentally has gotten off to a good start already for us!”
Thanks for the kind words, Jensina. You grew up with musical royalty, and we’re jealous! We’re also glad to have played a part in bringing Henry’s music to the foreground again, years after his passing. We hope he’s watching, and thanks again for such a kind note!
28 songs signed via TAXI Road Rally Listening Panel
Stuart Thaler - Peoria, AZ USA
The Rally strikes again! “I've gotten 28 tunes signed since October 2024 with one library. The library owner was on one of the panels at the 2023 TAXI Road Rally where one of my songs was played and reviewed live in the main ballroom. I contacted the library in October of 2024 and submitted six instrumental cues for my 1st submission. Since then, we have built a great working relationship and I am regularly submitting music to them with a very high rate of acceptance.”
Congratulations Stuart, and thanks for reminding your fellow members how valuable the Road Rally can be for each and every attendee!
Two new deals with a TAXI client
Richard Couture - Granby, QC CANADA
Here’s some news from Richard. “Since the beginning of 2025, I got two new deals with a TAXI client who is a very successful boutique Music Library that has tons of credits in big films, countless TV shows, and TV commercials. Here are the deals:
1) I was asked to compose six new instrumental cues for a new acoustic pop album. It's upbeat, optimistic, and acoustic guitar featured. It's well-suited for a variety of content, including D.I.Y. videos and positive promotional content. The music should provide a light, optimistic sound to enhance cheerful and energetic visuals. It's intended for promos, corporate, and TV.
2) I got a deal with a label (still the same Music Library) I hadn't worked with before. The library's CEO was interested in my new track ‘Facing Darkness,’ which was forwarded by TAXI to a different TAXI client. However, since I didn't have any feedback from this TAXI client, I decided to offer my track to this new label, which was very interested to sign this track for his new subtle tension album! ‘Facing Darkness’ is a background friendly tension cue featuring piano, classical guitar, percussion, and subtle strings. So, I'm very happy to have my first title in this great catalog and having another opportunity to work with this TAXI client.”
Congratulations, Richard! Thanks for letting us know, and please let us know when some placements start to happen as a result of these deals.
Two million lullaby streams on Spotify and Apple via TAXI
Amy Lacey - River Heights, UT USA
Here’s a wonderful story from Amy—especially if you’ve got little ones who aren’t sleeping!
“I wanted to share my success story that all started with a single lullaby submission to TAXI in 2022. I write children's music and was excited to see a TAXI listing asking for lullaby covers of ’70s songs. I submitted a felt piano/vibraphone version of 'Close to You' by The Carpenters, and it was forwarded by TAXI to a great company. Just a few days later, I got an email saying they wanted to sign it for an upcoming digital album! That became my very first TAXI placement.
A few weeks after that, the owner of the music library gave me a call. We had a great conversation—he really liked my work and asked if I could create a few more lullabies. I assured him I could, and quickly went to work on more 'Yacht Rock' lullabies for streaming. From there, our professional relationship—and eventually a great friendship—grew stronger. I’ve since been invited to submit full albums of lullabies, starting with ABBA Lullabies, and now including originals, Taylor Swift lullabies, and two upcoming albums of Beach Boys lullabies. Another TAXI member, John Carter, mixes and edits these lullabies with me, and I truly value his collaboration and support. I still get so excited each time an album is released!
At last count, the lullabies released under BabyGoodnight or Amy Lacey were approaching 2 million streams across Spotify and Apple Music. I’m absolutely over-the-moon to be creating children's music for a company that values what I do and is a joy to work with.
Thank you, TAXI, for offering real, legitimate opportunities across so many genres. As a mother of five with a degree in music—and someone working mostly from a home studio in Utah—TAXI has helped me create the work/life balance I’ve always dreamed of. Thank you, TAXI!”
We could not be happier for you, Amy. Congratulations, and please keep us updated.
He’s averaging 75 placements per month!
Jeff LaPlant - South Hadley, MA USA
Here’s an awesome update from Jeff LaPlante: “I’m excited to share an update on my production music journey. After three years of extremely hard work, things are really starting to snowball.
I now have about 800 published cues in nearly 30 different libraries, and I’m receiving placements every single day—often multiple times a day! On average, I’m landing around 75 placements per month, and my quarterly royalties have grown to several thousand dollars. While this isn’t yet a full-time income, I’m enthusiastic about what the future holds. I can only imagine how these numbers will look in 15 years!
I want to express my sincere gratitude to TAXI for getting me started on this path. Your support has been invaluable. Nowadays, I’m so busy writing to briefs from all the libraries I’m currently signed to that I rarely have time to submit new listings—though I consider that a great problem to have.
For your reference, here are some of the networks that have placed my music: Bravo, A+E, TLC, MTV, CBS, HGTV, VOX, Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, OWN, History, BBC, Spike, Discovery, Food Network, The CW, National Geographic, Paramount, ION, and more. Thank you again for your continued support.”
Wow, Jeff! Congratulations, and all of us at TAXI are really proud of you and grateful that you let us know how incredibly successful you’re becoming. Keep up the great work, and keep us updated as you get more and more placements!
Got a Prime-Time Broadcast Network Placement
Mark R. Adorni - Folsom, CA USA
Here’s a great report that shows why patience is definitely a virtue in the music licensing world: “My song 'Tomboy' has been placed on an episode of the hit TV show America's Funniest Home Videos on ABC. I submitted the song to a TAXI listing in 2018, and it was forwarded. In August of last year (2024), I was contacted by a person who works directly with the producer of America's Funniest Home Videos. The air date is scheduled for March 31, 2025, and the song will play over one of the video montages. The show’s producer loved the song from the first time he heard it. It just took him six years to get back to me, LOL. I had many forwards with TAXI, but this was my first placement. Thanks!”
Thanks for letting us know, Mark, and congratulations. That’s a Prime-Time show on a major broadcast network, so you’ll likely get a nice sync fee upfront, and the performance royalties through your PRO should be really good!
Jim’s placements are happening all over the world
Jim Stamper - Ft. Wayne, IN USA
Here’s the latest from Jim, “I have a Hip-Hop Dramedy instrumental cue that was featured in a new episode of The Flipping El Moussas on HGTV—I even got to watch it streaming on MAX. Interestingly, this cue has previously been used in at least nine other TV shows, including an episode of Neighbors (an Australian soap) that I only learned about recently when it aired in the Netherlands.
I also have a holiday instrumental cue that was used on a Danish reality show called Ups Vi Er Voksne (Oops, We're Adults). Additionally, I had a different holiday cue featured in that same series in 2023.
It’s incredibly exciting to see how far your music can travel around the world. All of these placements resulted from library deals I secured through TAXI.”
Congratulations, Jim! It’s great to hear that your music is going “global.”
100+ tracks signed, and global placements galore
Robert L. Caviness, Jr. - Elkland, MO USA
We love this report, and we think you will, too! “My name is Rob Caviness, and TAXI has been instrumental in building my career on a weekly basis these past few months! I always wait to send this email because new deals are happening so often that I don't want to leave anything out—but I figured it's time to share.
Since returning from TAXI’s Road Rally conference in November, I've seen several placements from a publisher in Australia. For example, a travel show called Headed Out—which isn't airing for a few weeks—used so much of my music that I was specifically asked to write an album for Season 2. I did just that, signed the album, and it's now in post-production, so more placements are expected in the coming months.
I've also seen placements on a German show called Adolf Hitler: Decoding a Dictator from that same publisher, and another from a different publisher in Italy on a show called Grande Fratello from a publisher here in the States.
Additionally, I secured a placement with a highly successful podcast called Chicks on The Right, which has over two million followers across platforms. My song plays on loop for two full hours in the live stream chat room until the show starts. While this placement wasn't directly tied to TAXI, it actually was—because every sync success I've had is due to everything I've learned from TAXI. Whether it's through the Road Rally, the connections I've made, or—most importantly—following my screeners' advice to the letter on every submission, TAXI has been crucial.
In just the last few months, I've signed about 30 tracks this year with existing publishers wanting more material on new briefs. I've also secured one new publishing deal and one new sync agent deal, totaling seven deals from TAXI in my second year. Last year, I signed roughly 100 tracks (both instrumentals and songs), which made me realize that I could actually do this—and that the system truly works.
I literally could not have done any of it without you guys, so thank you again for all that you do for us. Since signing up two years ago, TAXI has delivered every single time—it has absolutely changed my life. You're the best!”
Congratulations, Rob, and thanks for letting us know about these signings and placements. We always revel in the fact that TAXI changes lives, and you’re living proof!
300 tracks signed, and placements on more than 120 shows
Pete Checkley - Dudley, West Midlands UK
Here’s Pete’s latest update on his successes: “I joined in 2019, and through TAXI’s listings, I’ve signed with three publishers for whom I still write six years later. I’ve released over 300 tracks as a result of these relationships and have now been placed on well over 120 shows—many with recurring placements.
My most exciting placements include a theme tune for two series on one of Estonia’s biggest shows, music in a trailer for an entire season of a PBS/BBC Documentary, music featured across the last three seasons of Catfish, and frequent placements on CNN (which my mum watches every day). I’m still looking for that elusive Gordon Ramsay show!
TAXI has given me a gateway into production music and has certainly landed me numerous placements. That’s why I’ve been a member three times, each time landing deals and new publishers! It also helps you understand exactly what publishers need, and the feedback is incredibly useful. Well worth the $5 each time!”
Wow, Pete! The hits just keep on coming, and we couldn’t be prouder of you. Congratulations! And fingers crossed for that elusive Gordon Ramsay placement!
800 placements on 200 TV shows and 4 films
Brett J. Ratner - Lake Bluff, IL USA
Brett reports, “Thanks to TAXI, I have over 800 sync placements, spanning more than 200 TV shows and four films. I've been fortunate enough to have my music used in shows like The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Chicago PD, The Office, Tosh.0, Shameless, NFL on Fox, and Criminal Minds, as well as in the movies Holidate and Lady Bird.
What made this possible was the constructive feedback TAXI provides—whether your submissions are forwarded or not. When I first started submitting songs through TAXI, I must admit that the feedback I received with my early rejections was hard to take. But I took it to heart, improved the quality of my submissions, and optimized my tracks for use in TV and film. Eventually, I began receiving forwards, then deals, and finally sync placements. Nowadays, when people ask me how to get into licensing their original music, I always tell them that TAXI is a great place to start. I’m careful not to make empty promises of guaranteed success, but I can confidently say that if you have talent, a thick skin, and are willing to put in the work, TAXI can help get your music placed.”
Congrats, Brett! Great news and thank you so much for letting us know about your growth as a composer. Keep up the good work, Brett! BTW, our boss, Michael, went to school in Lake Forest, right next to where you live!
7,300 placements from just one company, and many more
Minoru Amino - Kadoma, JAPAN
Last week, I was contacted by a music licensing company in Australia through a TAXI forward, asking for a Traditional Japanese Instrumental listing that I submitted last month. Although we're still in the contract stage, I wanted to update the forum about my recent placements.
The company asked for several songs in this genre, and after I explained my situation, they gave me time to create them. They also expressed interest in hearing my work in other genres, so I plan to develop additional materials for them.
Since July of last year, I’ve accumulated several placements. For instance, on the 24th, 25th, 26th, and 28th of last month, my Chinese track was placed in full on three TV shows in the UK: ODD SQUD on CBBC, Blue Peter: Lunar New Year and Burns Night Celebrations, and News Round on BBC2. It was used as the song for a dance performance by children from Manchester Dance Academy. Being placed on a popular BBC show was one of my goals since joining TAXI, and I couldn’t be happier.
Other placements include:
1. My Chinese track AVROTROS on Nederland
2. My Mexican track B&B Vol liefde on RTL
3. My Latin rock song Proefkonijnen on Nederland
4. My Chinese track Punk12 on RTL Television in Germany.
5. A Japanese Traditional instrumental was featured on popular programs on NHK and other commercial broadcasting stations in Japan.
All of these placements were facilitated by a music library in London, a connection I made through a TAXI forward five years ago.
I continue to write J-Pop as requested by this library. I received the details for the first half of 2024 from them in November last year. Their quarterly report shows 7,300 placements worldwide, and I’m eagerly anticipating future payments from PRO.
Additionally, I had several placements on Échappées belles on France 5, courtesy of another music library—a connection made through a TAXI forward five years ago. Moreover, although it's a rebroadcast, my orchestral tension piece was used in American Greed: Boeing's Deadly Design (#202) on CNBC. This placement was handled by yet another music library based in LA, a connection I made through a TAXI forward six years ago.
That's all I can report for now. All of this success is thanks to Michael and TAXI Music for being with me every step of the way. If I hadn't joined TAXI Music in 2012, none of this would have happened.”
Wow, Minoru!!! And we mean, WOW! You are definitely setting records for placements, and we could not be happier for you. How do you find the time to do all this work? Do you ever sleep? Thanks for this super-impressive update, and continued success to you. Thanks, as always for letting us know.
Composing for a big-league movie trailer company
David Banks - Lancashire, Morecambe, UK
David reports, “I've been with TAXI for over ten years, and while I don't get many forwards, when my music does get forwarded, I know the company has been vetted by TAXI and is genuine. My recent success through TAXI involved being asked to compose an album for a top Trailer company that loved my unusual cinematic hybrid style, with the company’s CEO saying I was ‘ahead of the game’—which gave me a huge confidence boost! I'm told my album is generating lots of interest [amongst the editors and producers at the company], so they've asked me to create a second album. My career has taken a big leap forward!
What I like most about TAXI is that they don't give the companies placing the listings a percentage of the submission fee; hence, the listings are genuine—unlike another site I was a member of.
Also, note that some years ago, another company took my track 'Synthetic State,' and it got placed in Keeping Up with The Kardashians. Thank you, TAXI... I wouldn't have gotten this far without you!”
That’s incredible, David! Congratulations!! Trailer companies are extremely hard to impress, and clearly, you’ve done that. We have very high hopes for you and your music, so please keep us up-to-date as things progress. Maybe we’ll hear your music in an upcoming summer blockbuster trailer!
Two music library contracts and 13 songs signed
Geoffrey Sweeney-Taylor - Long Island City, NY USA
Geoffrey emailed to let us know, “I was contacted by an Australian music library based on an EDM track I submitted through TAXI back in December. The track, titled 'Lose Yourself,' caught their attention, and after sharing more of my music with them, they decided to sign a total of eight tracks across four different genres.
We are approaching our one-year anniversary with TAXI, and we can’t say enough about how valuable it has been. Besides leading to two library contacts and a total of 13 tracks being signed, TAXI has been a fantastic education in the world of sync. Looking back at what we knew (and didn’t know) a year ago, it’s amazing to see how much we have grown. Thank you, TAXI!”
Congrats, Geoffrey, and thank you for letting us know. Please keep us in the loop as you get more tracks signed, and ultimately, the placements that will come from those deals!