What about for a TV pilot?  What about for a TV pilot released on YouTube.com to build public interest? You still have to pay for the rights

What about for a TV pilot?  What about for a TV pilot released on YouTube.com to build public interest? Music is always the most expensive part of film and TV production, second only to big-name talent if you're using big-name talent (and it sounds like, at this point, you're not).  I don't know that there's such a thing as a youtube only sync license yet (there might be but I'm not aware of it) and since it's a worldwide outlet you're going to be paying the full boat for whatever music you're licensing.  There are festival only licenses and (IIRC) there are even educational film licenses that reflect the more limited exposure such a project is likely to get, but the trouble with both is that if you go into a wider release - theatrical, home video, any kind of TV - you're back paying for the whole thing. But this is, as has been mentioned, putting the cart WAY before the horse.  The music over the end credits couldn't possibly be less important; no one's staying for the end credits anyway.  If you're self-producing, with your own or someone else's money, then you're either using library music or you're hiring a cheap composer with a nice MIDI set-up in his or her garage.  Use something that sounds similar, or ask the composer to write something that sounds similar, and if you should find yourself actually making a sale to a distributor who can put the show into a commercial release, you can tell them that you want whatever particular song it is over the end credits.  Doesn't mean they're going to do that, but you can at least tell them that's what you had in mind. Here's a quick, real-world example of why this is a waste of time and effort (and money).  I worked on a film a few years back that was called 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.  The writer/director wanted to include the Paul Simon song, somehow or other, and it finally ended up over the end credits for the version that went to festivals.  Not cheap by a long shot, but he managed to preserve his artistic vision since at that point a lot of the money was coming out of his own pocket, and besides - how could you have a film _title_d 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover and then NOT include the song?  Against all odds (and largely because of some name actors in the cast) the film was released to home video through New Line - under the _title_ How To Leave Your Lover.  They didn't bother to use 50 Ways over the end credits - why pay the money if it no longer makes sense? It's not only not the writer's call, it's not the writer/director/co- producer's call, even when he's spending his own money.  Let it go.

Can a  writer at least aim for a genre/time period of music, as long as you're not specific? I want to suggest adolescent change through a change in musical tastes. I'm sure that the ideal songs are prohibitive, but as you say, it's very easy to imitate. Like i am sam making a soundtrack of Beatles' covers, since they knew they couldn't get the catalog itself.

Can a  writer at least aim for a genre/time period of music, as long as you're not specific? I want to suggest adolescent change through a change in musical tastes. I'm sure that the ideal songs are prohibitive, but as you say, it's very easy to imitate. Like i am sam making a soundtrack of Beatles' covers, since they knew they couldn't get the catalog itself. Sure. You can suggest a genre. 50s ballad Motown British Invasion