Who do I actually pay to clear 'Mr. Brightside'?

Two parties: the master owner (Island Records) and the publishing side (UNIVERSAL MUSIC WORKS, SOMEBODY TOLD ME GMR). You don't pay the artist directly.

Can I clear 'Mr. Brightside' 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
'Mr. Brightside' by The Killers?

A realistic starting point is roughly $4,200 – $7,100 for a festival film screening in Poland, cinema only, 2-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: moderate•Typical timeline: 2–4 weeks

Where an experienced supervisor would start

$4,200 – $7,100

For a festival film screening in Poland, cinema only, 2-year term.

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

Film Festival · in_program · Cinema only · 2 years · $500k movie 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

Island RecordsMAJOR · Universal Music Group

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

Recording ID (ISRC)

USIR20400274

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

Composition (publishing)

Work ID (ISWC)

T0721040692

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.
SOMEBODY TOLD ME GMR
US registration (MLC) — confirm the local sub-publisher for your territory before signing.

Writers

BRANDON FLOWERS · RONNIE JR VANNUCCI · DAVE KEUNING · MARK AUGUST STOERMER

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

Who you'd actually approach

For a Poland clearance

Poland

Master: approach Island Records via Universal Music Group's sync/licensing department for Poland — 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 Poland, 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 USIR20400274). A remaster, live, or re-record has different owners and different pricing.
2Master side — contact Island Records (Universal Music Group)'s sync department for Poland.
3Composition side — go to the publishing administrator (UNIVERSAL MUSIC WORKS) who licenses on behalf of the writers.
4Confirm licensability for your use (film festival). 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 2–4 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 Poland, 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 'Mr. Brightside'?: There's no fixed price. For a festival film screening in Poland, cinema only, 2-year term, a realistic combined opening ask (master + publishing together) is roughly $4,200 – $7,100 — 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 'Mr. Brightside'?: Two parties: the master owner (Island Records) and the publishing side (UNIVERSAL MUSIC WORKS, SOMEBODY TOLD ME GMR). You don't pay the artist directly.
Can I clear 'Mr. Brightside' 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.