Music Supervisor · Curator · Speaker

The sound of
the story.

Three decades placing music where it matters most, across film, television, documentary and culture. Grammy-recognized soundtracks, Sundance-winning work, and a catalog ear trusted by the industry's most ambitious storytellers.

Selected work
The ChiAmerican PsychoNotoriousBrown SugarWho Killed Malcolm XThe New Edition StorySling BladeLiving With YourselfSuper TroopersRoll Bounce
01

Selected Work

Documentary · Tribeca 2024

It Was All a Dream

Television

The Chi

Documentary

Who Killed Malcolm X

Television

Living With Yourself

Docuseries

Hip-Hop: Songs That Shook America

Television Film

The New Edition Story

Series

Mind of a Chef

Film

American Psycho

Film

Notorious

Film

Brown Sugar

Film

Sling Blade

Film

Super Troopers

Film

Roll Bounce

Television

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Documentary

Alive Inside

A selection from 100+ credits across film, television and games. Full filmography on IMDb.

02

Recognition

Grammy-Winning Single

Brown Sugar, Soundtrack

Co-produced the soundtrack featuring "Love of My Life" by Erykah Badu & Common, winner of the Grammy for Best R&B Single.

Sundance 2014

Alive Inside

Co-produced the documentary on music and memory, recipient of the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

Catalog Stewardship

Blue Mountain Music

Managed Chris Blackwell's publishing catalog of 15,000+ songs, including the works of Bob Marley.

Mixed Reality

The Art of Dying Young

Creator of a location-based mixed-reality project, supported by grants from Creative Capital and Verizon's 5G Lab.

03

About

Barry Cole, music supervisor

Barry Cole is a music supervisor and curator who has spent more than thirty years connecting music to story across film, television, documentary and emerging media.

His work moves fluidly between independent film and prestige television, cultural documentary, soundtrack production and music publishing, from placing needle-drops that define a scene to advising artists, estates and rights holders on the stewardship and activation of culturally significant music.

Beyond the screen, he explores where music meets technology, building location-based and mixed-reality experiences that reimagine how audiences encounter sound.

Practice
Spot Music
Based
New York · Los Angeles
Experience
30+ years · 100+ credits
Education
Dartmouth College, B.A.
Disciplines
Supervision · Curation · Licensing · Sync · Soundtrack A&R · Publishing
Trusted by
NetflixAmazon StudiosMACROAMCJigsaw Productions
On stage

Speaking & Panels

A frequent voice on music supervision, licensing strategy and the future of sound in media, sharing three decades of insight with festivals, universities and industry gatherings.

Available for keynotes, panels and guest lectures.

Sync SummitPanel
Mondo.NYCSpeaker
NY Music MonthFeatured
Hunter College · AMLC SeriesGuest Lecture
On the decks

Barry Cole Selects

Music curation for rooms that matter. The same ear that has shaped three decades of film and television, brought to cultural moments, corporate gatherings, hospitality and private events.

Sets built from deep crates and a supervisor’s instinct for the room. Vinyl-only sets available upon request.

Grammy-nominated music supervisor & producerCredential
30+ years · 100+ credits in film & TVExperience
Atlantis Paradise Island · 75+ audio zonesEngaged by iHeartMedia to help update music and audio programming across the resort, including 24/7 environments.Music Strategy
Steward, Blue Mountain Music catalogCatalog
Vinyl-only sets on requestFormat
In the press

Press & Interviews

Resources

Tools & Services

Free resources, professional tools and services for producers, rights holders and artists, from self-guided starting points to hands-on professional work.

Producer Tools

Plan music earlier, budget it more accurately, and keep the process moving.
Free Resources
FreeFree

The Producer’s Guide to Music Licensing

How composition and master rights work together, what belongs in a licensing request, and how media and territory shape a quote.

FreeFree

Archive & Fair Use Checklist

Organize archival music, provenance, permissions and public-domain and fair-use questions before professional or legal review.

Paid Tools
$39

Music Budget Planner Pro™

Build a working music budget across songs, score, composer costs, unions, clearances and delivery, with estimates and actuals side by side.

$39

Spotting Session Workbook™

Turn a spotting conversation into a production record: cue locations, narrative function, song vs. score, licensing needs and approvals.

$59

Producer Toolkit™

The Music Budget Planner Pro™ and Spotting Session Workbook™ together, at a bundle price. The tools may also be purchased separately.

Tunecache

Understand whether an asset is ready to clear. Verify one asset, review a catalog, or complete full verification.
Free Self-Assessments
FreeFree

Rights Readiness Checklist

A self-check to organize what you know about the rights to a single asset before it moves forward.

FreeFree

Metadata Checklist

Review the metadata that keeps a recording identifiable, payable and licensable.

FreeFree

One-Stop Readiness Worksheet

Test whether a single asset is positioned to clear from one place.

These free checklists and worksheet organize information but do not verify ownership, accuracy, clearance authority or one-stop status.

Professional Services
ServiceFrom $350

Rights Verification™

Professional verification of ownership, authority and documentation for a single asset.

ServiceBy inquiry

Catalog Readiness Review™

A structured review of a group of assets or a full catalog.

ServiceBy consultation

Tunecache Verification™

Complete review of ownership, authority, documentation and licensing readiness.

Muse

Find the opportunity inside a music asset, from a self-guided scan to long-term stewardship.
Free Diagnostic
FreeFree

Muse Opportunity Scan™

A five-minute self-guided diagnostic across audience potential, cultural relevance, rights, digital presence, readiness and risk. Returns a directional opportunity level and a recommended next step.

The Muse Opportunity Scan™ is directional. It is not a valuation, audit, forecast or professional recommendation, and it does not calculate or reveal Muse’s proprietary metrics.

Professional Services
ServiceBy inquiry

Muse Snapshot™

A focused professional review of a single artist, catalog, project or music asset.

ServiceBy inquiry

Muse Audit™

A deeper assessment of the asset’s current position, comparative potential and unrealized opportunities.

ServiceBy consultation

Muse Legacy™

Ongoing strategic stewardship for culturally significant artists, catalogs and estates.

Educational resources are provided for informational and operational purposes and are not legal advice. Fair-use and public-domain decisions may require qualified legal counsel. Music licensing costs, union obligations and reuse fees vary by project, media, territory and use. Tunecache self-assessments do not constitute rights verification or clearance. Muse Opportunity Scan™ results are directional and are not a valuation, audit, forecast or professional recommendation.

Let's talk

Start a conversation.

Start a Project

Tell me a little about your project, catalog or event. I’ll review the information and respond with the most useful next step.

Production Details
Catalog & Asset Details
Event Details
Booking Details
Thank you. Your inquiry has been received. I’ll review the project information and respond with the most useful next step. If the matter is time-sensitive, please include the deadline in your submission.

Prefer email? Reach Barry directly at spotmusic@mac.com.