I'm With the Band

What: A service that places songs from unknown bands in movies and commercials
Who: Luke Eddins of Luke Hits LLC
Where: Los Angeles
When: Started in March 2002

Luke Eddins always knew he wanted to make his living in the music industry. A longtime music lover, he enjoyed playing instruments and following the music of up-and-coming bands.

But instead of trying to make it as an artist or even start his own label, he took a wildly different route: Eddins, 27, launched Luke Hits, a service that matches the tunes of unknown bands with the musical needs of film and TV producers. Today, his business finds music to accompany a Miller Brewing Co. commercial, for instance, or background songs for films like The Ring and Kangaroo Jack.

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His niche is finding music with a popular sound that producers can use-without having to pay the licensing fees of more established artists. For example, Eddins might hook up a producer with a group that sounds like U2 or Linkin Park at a fraction of the cost. "I ask [producers] what their needs are," says Eddins. He gets responses like, "I have an Avril Lavigne track in this scene. Can you find me something with the same energy, with a female vocalist?" The service not only benefits the film producers, who are able to stay within budget, but it also gives the unknown bands some great exposure and yields a nice placement fee for Eddins.

According to Eddins, his success depends partly on his willingness to be flexible and bend to the needs of the market. "I played it by ear," he says. "I was placing certain songs, and I would realize what was working and what wasn't. You have to have that fluidity to focus your efforts." With sales hovering around $40,000 in his first full year of business, Eddins is continuing to build contacts within the film and TV industries— even has some producers coming to him with requests now.

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