Originally Posted by
MarcusB
You can get permission. Contact the publishing company itself, explain what you mean to do, how you intend to do it, your target audience, etc. It wouldn't hurt to email the manager of the artist as well. These are often small companies, who are desperate to push the music out. Anyways, the more businesslike you are, the better. More often than not, they'll be grateful you even bothered to ask, and so will grant your request.
Professional djs/musicians have more weight in the market, and by lending their name to a production they give it credibility. As a result, they are able to get licenses much easier than you or I. Indeed, they often receive other people's work with a note saying, "PLEASE LOVE MAH MUZAK AND PLAY IT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN PUHLEEEEZE!" Or something like that.