Do Cherish You 98 Degrees

Getting the Rights to License "Do Cherish You" by 98 Degrees

Licensing music is one of those things that looks simple until you actually try to do it. "Do Cherish You" by 98 Degrees was released in 1997 on their self-titled album under Elektra Records. That label has changed hands since then, so the publishing side can be tricky to track down. If you need this for a project, here is how you actually go about getting permission. The first thing most people mess up is assuming one call will solve everything. You need two separate licenses. A master use license covers the actual recording. A sync license covers the underlying composition. Both are required if you want to use the track legally.

Do Cherish You 98 Degrees Licensing Process Explained

I learned this the hard way. A few years back I was working on a short film and found the perfect moment for "Do Cherish You." I called the production music library, got a quote, paid it, and slapped the song into the edit. Two weeks later I got a cease and desist. The library only cleared the master. The publishing side was untouched. I ended up paying double and adding a credit the movie never needed. It was embarrassing and expensive. So here is the proper workflow. Start by identifying the publisher. 98 Degrees' recordings from that era are controlled by Warner Music Group through their Elektra catalog. The songwriting credits go to Jeffrey Fishman, John George, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson. ASCAP or BMI will have the current publishing split listed under the track title. For the master license, contact Warner Music Group's licensing department directly. They handle catalog clearance for their legacy releases. Expect a response window of two to four weeks. For smaller productions the fee typically runs between two thousand and five thousand dollars depending on usage scope. For anything bigger, the number goes up fast.

For the sync license, reach out to the publisher or their administrative publisher. Many of these older catalogs are administered through companies like Sony/ATV Publishing or Kobalt. A quick search on the ASCAP database using the song title will point you to the right contact. Sync fees for a song of this profile usually land between one thousand and three thousand dollars for independent projects. If the total cost is too steep, there is an alternative. Look for cover versions or instrumental re-recordings. A fresh recording sidesteps the master license entirely. You still owe sync for the composition, but that alone is often cheaper and faster to clear. I had a client use a studio recreation of a similar late nineties R&B track for a fraction of the original licensing cost. The emotional beat hit the same way. The paperwork was a third of the work. One edge case worth mentioning. If you are doing something non-commercial, like a student film or a nonprofit presentation, some publishers will waive or reduce fees. Write a proper email explaining your project. Don't ask for free use outright. Frame it as a request for a reduced rate due to budget constraints. I've seen negotiations come back with a fifty percent reduction on the first attempt. You lose nothing by asking.

Another thing nobody tells you. Streaming platforms sometimes pre-clear catalogs throughContent ID or similar systems. If you are uploading to YouTube or Vimeo, check whether the song is already flagged before you spend money clearing it manually. It is possible the rights holder has already set up a licensing pathway through their platform dashboard. This saved me about forty minutes and a phone call last year. Keep records of every conversation. Email confirmations matter more than phone calls. Verbal agreements vanish. If someone tells you over the phone that you are good to go, ask them to put it in writing. I once dealt with a licensing agent who claimed the sync was approved. Three months into distribution, a different department at the label sent a takedown notice. The initial agent had left the company. Without an email trail I had no leverage. The whole process for clearing "Do Cherish You" by 98 Degrees typically takes four to six weeks from first contact to signed agreement. Budget at least two months if you want room for back-and-forth negotiation. Rushed clearances are possible but the fees jump significantly.

If you just want to listen to the track, it is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and YouTube Music. Streaming does not require any license on your end. The responsibility sits with the platform. That is the easiest path if your needs don't involve embedding or syncing the music into original content. Bottom line: find the publisher through ASCAP or BMI, request both master and sync separately, get everything in writing, and negotiate early if the numbers feel stiff. It is a bureaucratic process but a straightforward one once you know the steps.