Soundtrack is an online search tool that provides access to more than 20,000 original audio tracks. Created by independent artists from a number of genres, all songs are pre-cleared and ready to license. Most are available in both lyric and instrumental forms.

Residing at gettyimages.com/music, Pump Audio or Soundrack are not accessible from or promoted on the Getty Images home page. Creative and footage sections of the site have music links on sub-navigation menus, which lead to a Pump Audio-branded music section. Music is also cross-promoted on the Getty-owned PunchStock site.

Music-licensing prices start at $25 for online stream-only use. This covers the perpetual licensing of a 192 kilobyte MP3, which can be used with a Web-based video or animation on a Web site. However, this license carries a condition: "If you do make money from pre-roll or post-roll advertising, Pump Audio is entitled to 5% of resultant ad revenues."

Pricing of music for higher-end uses runs parallel to rights-managed stock. For example, a track to accompany a regional TV ad, including Web and mobile clearances, costs $1,500 for a six-month period.

During the summer, CEO Jonathan Klein spoke of Getty Images becoming an integrated media company that streamlines access to and purchasing of multiple content types. Soundtrack is beginning to fulfill that promise. Mika Salmi, president of global digital media at MTV Networks, says that integrating original Pump Audio content with Getty Images' photography and footage products enables MTV to benefit from an integrated digital media solution. Burger King, HBO and Saatchi & Saatchi are other examples of clients that license Pump Audio music.

According to Klein, the Soundtrack service is just the first step in a strategy to develop new music platforms and tools that meet growing customer demand. Getty plans to continue expanding its music platform to create new revenue for music owners and to represent a wider range of partners, including major labels and publishers.