Back to Home

How Fat Coda Studios Unlocked $60,000 in Licensing Revenue from 250+ Brand Uses

Key Metrics

250

unauthorized commercial uses identified

250

unauthorized commercial uses identified

$60,000

revenue recovered

$60,000

revenue recovered

2000%

increase in licensing revenue

2000%

increase in licensing revenue

Executive Summary

When Joe Rayhbuck at Fat Coda Studios discovered that his original music was being used by over 250 brands—including major advertisers—without proper licensing, he turned to Third Chair. What followed was a transformative journey: in just a few months, Third Chair helped recover over $60,000 in licensing fees, increasing licensing revenue by 20x. This case study shows how any creator can turn IP enforcement from a headache into a profit center.

Introduction

Joe Rayhbuck, the musician and producer behind Fat Coda Studios, is a seasoned accompanist and percussionist with deep roots in traditional African rhythms and a professional career spanning 30+ states, multiple national tours, and chart-topping Americana and Folk albums. Joe’s music has been featured in viral videos, branded content, and modern dance performances—often without proper licensing.

Through Fat Coda Studios, he collaborates with artists across disciplines, from national touring acts to leading dance companies in the Bay Area. Yet despite the broad reach of his work, monetizing unauthorized brand uses of his music remained a challenge.

Challenge

In late 2024, Fat Coda noticed a trend: his track “Laterals” was showing up in influencer campaigns and branded content across TikTok and Instagram—with no licensing agreements in place. While some brands followed the rules, many used his music without ever reaching out.

The problems:

No visibility into how the music was being used
No resources to track down unlicensed brand campaigns
No in-house legal or licensing team to pursue claims
Missed revenue from brands that should have paid

Solution

Fat Coda partnered with Third Chair, an AI-powered service that identifies, negotiates, and enforces music rights on behalf of creators.

Working with Third Chair, Fat Coda was able to:

Monitor social platforms and detect 250+ brand uses of his music
Prioritize high-value claims and focus outreach on the most lucrative opportunities
Collect via legal notices and streamlined negotiations with advertisers

Results

In 6 months of working together, Third Chair helped Fat Coda Studios:

Recover $60,000 in licensing revenue
Boost his licensing revenue by 2000%
Build a scalable system for ongoing enforcement and revenue collection

And with hundreds of additional potential uses still under review, that number is expected to grow over the next year.

Testimonial

“As a small, independent musician, I was completely caught off guard when my music went viral on social media. Third Chair has helped to increase my revenue by 20x within 6 months! I will forever be grateful for this life-changing opportunity!"

— Fat Coda Studios

Ready to see what licensing revenue you're missing out on?

Book a Demo

Backed by

Book a Demo

Backed by

Book a Demo

Backed by

Book a Demo