One project does not mean one export, one file or one platform.
It means one production—or one campaign—together with the direct versions made from it.
That sounds simple, but it can become less obvious as soon as a video has several formats, languages and delivery channels. Knowing where one project ends makes it easier to license the music correctly from the start.
Begin with the main production
Think of the project as the central piece of work the music was chosen for.
It might be a YouTube video, a corporate film, a client presentation, a podcast episode or a paid advertising campaign. That main production gives the licence its purpose and boundary.
The licence follows that piece of work. It does not attach the track permanently to your channel, company or client for every future production.
One project can have several deliverables
A single production often needs more than one final version. You might create a full-length video, a shorter cut, different aspect ratios or subtitled and translated versions for different placements.
These are different versions of the same production—not different projects. What matters is that they retain the same central content, purpose and campaign identity.
The important question is not “How many versions have I created?” It is “Are they all versions of the same production or campaign?”
The same project can appear on several platforms
Publishing a licensed project in more than one place does not automatically turn it into several projects.
For example, the same video may be published on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok when those platforms are covered by the licence. Creating a vertical version or adding subtitles for one of those channels does not make it a new production.
The platform may change. The project remains the same.
A new production needs a new licence
The boundary changes when the track is moved into a different piece of content.
A second video with a new message, edit and purpose is a new project, even if it is published by the same creator or for the same client. A new advertising campaign is also separate, even when it promotes the same brand or product.
The original licence does not become a reusable music pass. It covers the project or campaign identified when the track was licensed.
Each episode stands on its own
Episodes are separate projects because each one is a distinct production.
Using the same track in episode two of a podcast or series therefore requires another licence. Sharing the same series title, visual identity or format does not make every episode part of a single project.
If the music needs to appear throughout a series or in recurring content, a custom licence may be a better fit.
Perpetual does not mean reusable
A perpetual licence allows the licensed project to remain published or distributed indefinitely.
It does not create an expiry date for the video, and you do not need to remove the project after a set period. But perpetual use does not allow the track to be carried into a new production later.
The first project can stay live. The next project needs its own permission.
Use a simple boundary check
When you are unsure, compare the new version with the production you originally licensed.
Is it delivering the same message or campaign?
Is it a direct adaptation rather than a new piece of content?
Does it use the same core edit and creative purpose?
Would you describe it to a client as another version of the same project?
If those answers point to the same production, you are probably looking at a direct adaptation. If the purpose, episode, campaign or core content has changed, treat it as a new project.
One licence keeps one project moving—in every version that genuinely belongs to it.