How do I "define" Library Music?

[bongo_rock]

A couple of days ago I visited my family of origin, and my father had one of his old buddies over. We started talking about everyday life
and the conversation smoothly went on into music. He said he recently sold all of his old vinyls, and I brought up a Bruton Music vinyl that was laying on the living room desk.
I asked my father's friend if he ever had heard any library music before and he replied curiously "No, I haven't. What is that?". At this point I came into a weird
and rather awkward silence as I was trying to explain and define to him what library music actually is. I had no idea what to say!   

Now, I ended up saying something along the lines of "...it's a form of music that was/is released under a specific form of licenses that was mainly
intended to be used in radio, TV and movies etc. It's pretty rare and seemingly unknown of to most people". My father's friend knodded.

To finally get to the point, because I know I will definitely get into these kinds of occasions again where I tell people about this wonderful world
of music that I am into - How do I define Library Music? Or what defines it specifically? Is there any general explanation that can describe library music and give it justice? 

Thank you very much, guys.

[tuneboy]

I have often had that question and I use to answer something like this: "It's music made for films that haven't been made yet, thereby made affordable, without fillmakers having to commission a full soundtrack score and orchestra. It doesn't cover all the bases though.

[le_tomval]

"Records made by good-but-unknown musicians for selling them to TV, Radio, films producers... for their productions"

[stackjackson]

For what it's worth, here's a current industry definition for those who might be interested in getting into the business:

h--ps://www.soundonsound.com/music-business/all-about-library-music-part-1

[Mr]

Simply put, library music is pre-recorded music found in a production music library.

Generally speaking, I tend to refer to "library music" more as a format than a specific genre, a bit similar to "soundtrack" in this regard.
The 'genre' covers such a broad range of styles, instrumentations and forms that it's a bit hard to boil it down anything specific, I feel.
- I mean, what does Sammy Burdson's "Rush 1" really have in common with pieces like Pavel Blatny's "Dix minutes 30" or Keith Mansfield's "Top Score"?

[bongo_rock]

Thanks guys! I like all of your contributions.

I guess I was somewhat right, then. 

Interesting link, stackjackson! I will check that out.

[stackjackson]

  I just started reading The Mood Modern by Oliver Lomax. He gives a nice and succinct definition of "library music" on pages xvi-xvii:

"But what is a recorded music library? Well, exactly that -- a library of recorded music… another form of soundtrack music, in fact. If, for example, an individual or company has made a documentary or television programme and doesn't have the funds to commission a bespoke score, they can go along to a music library, which has albums organized into categories (dramatic, romantic, industrial, etc.), and license whatever is required quickly and economically. Numerous TV series, adverts, documentaries and films have been scored, either wholly or partly, using library music, and it turns up in all sorts of other places… And because library music is so widely heard yet largely uncredited -- and certainly not sold to the public -- it is "hidden" music, the music you didn't know you knew."

That last line is perfectly stated… library music is "'hidden' music, the music you didn't know you knew."

[le_tomval]

"You listen to it everyday, but you don't know"

[microluv]

There is even a documentary about it now!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RgOMibjOJcw

Library music is production music, at least the stuff we are all into here, that was background music recorded for film, television and radio.

When you couldn’t afford to have a major composer like John Williams(Star Wars) you would get these libraries of sound that you could pick and choose from to fit your needs.

A cheap solution to get music in your production.

They would seriously sometimes throw, literally throw the record in the damn garbage after they would use one song!!

Some people say that there are a tons of LABELS! We will never find because of that.

Ahhh. I love you library music.

[C0NN1E]

Good way I've seen it described:

Library music is ambient music before ambient music was cool