Who do I actually pay to clear 'bad guy'?

Two parties: the master owner (Darkroom/Interscope Records) and the publishing side (UNIVERSAL MUSIC WORKS, LAST FRONTIER, DRUP). You don't pay the artist directly.

Can I clear 'bad guy' on a small budget?

Fees depend heavily on the use. For tight budgets, consider a narrower territory, shorter term, or limited media — or run your exact scenario in the tool to see what's realistic.

Clearance planning

How much does it cost to license
'bad guy' by Billie Eilish?

A realistic starting point is roughly $29,600 – $48,200 for a regional TV + online advertising campaign in Slovakia, 1-year term — but the real work is knowing who you actually clear it with. Here's how a supervisor would approach it.

Master + publishing split•Complexity: high•Typical timeline: 3–6 weeks

Where an experienced supervisor would start

$29,600 – $48,200

For a regional TV + online advertising campaign in Slovakia, 1-year term.

Combined opening ask (master + publishing together). Fees are negotiated separately with each rights holder; this is not a per-side quote doubled.

Advertising · brand_campaign · TV + Online/Social · 1 year · Regional client · national-scale media budget

Based on 300+ real clearances — an independent estimate, not a quote.

Different market or use? Run your exact scenario →

Who controls it

The two sides you have to clear

Rights holders below are the controlling parties for this work. Composition identity is anchored to the international works registry (ISWC) where available; publisher names reflect US registration on the mechanical licensing database (MLC) and other public registries — confirm the local sub-publisher for your territory before signing.

Master recording

Interscope RecordsMAJOR · Universal Music Group

Spotify shows Interscope Records — sync requests route through Universal Music Group.

Recording ID (ISRC)

USUM71900764

International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) — pins the exact master you are clearing.

Composition (publishing)

Work ID (ISWC)

T9280410915

International Standard Musical Work Code (ISWC) — the composition’s identifier in the global works registry (CISAC standard).

UNIVERSAL MUSIC WORKS (100%)Universal Music Publishing Group
US registration (MLC) — confirm the local sub-publisher for your territory before signing.
LAST FRONTIER
US registration (MLC) — confirm the local sub-publisher for your territory before signing.
DRUP
US registration (MLC) — confirm the local sub-publisher for your territory before signing.

Writers

FINNEAS BAIRD OCONNELL · BILLIE EILISH O'CONNELL

Sources: international works registry (ISWC) · US mechanical licensing database (MLC) · Spotify label metadata. Match confidence: 85%.

Who you'd actually approach

For a Slovakia clearance

Slovakia

Master: approach Interscope Records via Universal Music Group's sync/licensing department for Slovakia — majors route through the parent company, not the imprint name on Spotify.

Publishing: Start with the controlling publisher listed above (identified via ISWC and registry cross-checks) (UNIVERSAL MUSIC WORKS). For Slovakia, the US-registered administrator shown may not be who you contact locally — confirm the territorial sub-publisher before signing.

The responsible party changes by territory. For a different market, the local sub-publisher or sub-label may differ — run your territory in the tool.

The plan

How a supervisor would clear it, step by step

1Confirm the exact recording (ISRC USUM71900764). A remaster, live, or re-record has different owners and different pricing.
2Master side — contact Interscope Records (Universal Music Group)'s sync department for Slovakia.
3Composition side — go to the publishing administrator (UNIVERSAL MUSIC WORKS) who licenses on behalf of the writers.
4Confirm licensability for your use (advertising). Some uses or brands get declined.
5Request quotes in parallel. Expect an MFN clause — the two sides will match each other.
6Negotiate scope — term, territory, media, exclusivity. Each moves the fee.
7Paper it. Signed licences from both before use. Budget 3–6 weeks at this complexity.

A note on the data. Composition rights are anchored to the international works registry (ISWC). Publisher names and US administrator details come from the US mechanical licensing database (MLC) and other public registries — useful for identifying controlling publishers, but not a complete territory-by-territory sync map. For a clearance in Slovakia, confirm the local sub-publisher or administrator before signing. We surface the controlling publisher, not every territorial sub-publisher (no database reliably maps that). Treat the fee range above as a starting point for negotiation, not a quote.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to license 'bad guy'?: There's no fixed price. For a regional TV + online advertising campaign in Slovakia, 1-year term, a realistic combined opening ask (master + publishing together) is roughly $29,600 – $48,200 — driven by the song's profile, the use, territory, and term. Each rights holder negotiates separately; this is not "per side" doubled. Other uses cost far less or more.
Who do I actually pay to clear 'bad guy'?: Two parties: the master owner (Darkroom/Interscope Records) and the publishing side (UNIVERSAL MUSIC WORKS, LAST FRONTIER, DRUP). You don't pay the artist directly.
Can I clear 'bad guy' on a small budget?: Fees depend heavily on the use. For tight budgets, consider a narrower territory, shorter term, or limited media — or run your exact scenario in the tool to see what's realistic.

Independent estimate, not a quote. Music Oracle is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artist, the label, or the publishers named above. Rights-holder data is drawn from the international works registry (ISWC), US mechanical licensing records (MLC), release credits, and other public registries — and may be incomplete. Actual fees are set by the rights holders and negotiated case by case. Figures are illustrative starting points based on market experience.