Using Free Music For Podcasts Guide
If you want to share your podcast in major platforms like Apple Music, YouTube Music or Spotify, you must comply with the copyright rules and limitations of these platforms regarding the music licensing for podcasts.Most of streaming and sharing platforms require the content creators to use public domain music for podcasts. In other words, you need to use royalty free music or public domain music in your podcast if you want to share your content on major platforms like YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify and so on.You can opt for creative commons music for podcasts so that you can freely share your content without worrying about violating the copyright rules of your preferred platform. Moreover, you can also find free music to use in podcasts on Snapmuse. In our comprehensive library, you can browse thousands of copyright free music for podcasts by genre, artist and even mood.If you are looking for free podcast music downloads, you must check our free music to use for podcasts archive.
Single Free Podcast Music Tracks: Incompetech
Incompetech is an extensive library of free-to-use music created by composer Kevin MacLeod. A lot of his work is scored for film and documentary. These can really work well on fictional pieces if youre an audio drama or documentary creator.
Theres a whole load of tracks on there that would certainly fit as the theme tune to a spoken word podcast though. You can use their music for free so long as you credit the site on your episodes and show notes. If you dont want to list credits, you can buy a standard license for any particular track.
Benefits Of Adding Music As Background For Podcasts
With what we have told you so far, you may already have a clear idea about the benefits of adding background music for podcasts.
However, to help you choose whether to do it or not, we bring you the following points based on the excellence of the action:
We all know that there are professional equipment that help us to eliminate, almost completely, the background noise in our live transmissions. However, if we do not have them, a little background music can be ideal to disguise everything that is not in the foreground.
Imagine that you have decided to make a podcast where you tell a couple of horror stories. The best way to get into the mood is to have a background that keeps us in suspense and gives us the feeling that something scary is about to happen.This is something that can be added to any kind of feeling. You can use sad songs if you are telling a fact about this emotion, or something more cheerful if you are giving good energy. There really are no limits.
It is scientifically proven that melodies can awaken our senses, create bonds, and even relax us. All this adapts to the needs of podcasting. It has been evidenced how those who implement it make a difference from the rest.
Anyone who has ever told you that podcast music isnt always a good idea is because they havent made the most of it.
Or maybe at least used it in a way that its not a distraction, but a complement to what you have to say.
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Can I Use Copyrighted Music On My Podcast
In short, no. Youll find a lot of info out there about how you can use copyrighted music for up to 7 seconds, or debates around what constitutes fair use of music. Fair use is a defence you can try to use if you get in trouble for using copyrighted music. But why even take the risk of needing a defence when there are plenty of legal options available?
Using any copyrighted music in your show means you run the risk of being kicked out of iTunes and Spotify too. This would cause massive damage to any podcast.
Heres a deeper dive into using copyrighted music in a podcast.
In summary, though: ask yourself will my listeners unsubscribe because they dont get to hear 10 seconds of Bohemian Rhapsody at the start?
If the answer is yes then its time to go back to the content planning stages.
How To Use Royalty
The evolution of the internet always brings with it new trends and opportunities. Lately, theres been a surge inthe number of podcasts available online. All it takes is some great discussion, basic recording gear and you are ready to compete for a share of the ever growing target market. But before releasing a podcast, just like any other commodity, you need to ensure that the final product is attractive. Producing the podcast in a way that draws in an audience is the surest way of building a loyal audience.
One of the best ways of standing out is by incorporating music and sound effects in your podcast. If you find yourself inadvertently humming the theme song to a TV show you enjoy watching, thats a sign that it has stuck a chord with you, thus creating a link to the content. So, how can music help you enhance your podcast?
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Myths About Copyright And Podcasting
There is no 10-second rule on copyrighted music. You cannot simply use small portions of copyrighted music under fair use laws.
Not-for-profit or hobby-based podcasts are not exempt from copyright laws. There is no non-profit exception to copyright laws.
Giving attribution to the creator does not give you the right to redistribute their work. Attribution is common courtesy, which you should do AFTER you have the legal right to use copyrighted material.
Best Places To Get Free Podcast Music
Intros, outros, and in-episode breaks. Music is an easy, no-brainer way to make your podcast more engaging, but it can also be pricey for the podcaster on a budget.
In this post, youll learn:
- Why its so important to only use music you have the rights to use commercially,
- Your best free options for royalty-free podcast music
- Creative ideas from other podcasters on where to get music for your show
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Why You Need To License Music
Music licensing is complicated. Entire books have been written about the intricacies of copyright law and the many moving parts involved in licensing a song.
Still, music licensing is something you need to understand, because copyright violations can cost you.
Peloton is a good example. The company makes workout bikes, but they also provide workout classes that customers can follow when they work out. And those classes have music playlists.
Peloton loaded those playlists up with famous songs, which people loved. But the company forgot to license the rights to all of those songs, which made some organizations pretty upset. Eventually, a group of music publishers sued Peloton for $150 million due to copyright infringement.
Now, if you use a song without licensing it, will you get sued for $150 million? No. But you could be forced to take down any episodes in which the offending music was used. In more severe cases, you could be fined. Or if you have a video podcast on YouTube, your content can be demonetized.
Those are myths, and they can get you sued.
So, its always better to just license the music. Heres how that works.
Set The Mood Of A Scene Or Segment Of The Show
As filmmakers and radio producers know, music is a powerful tool for expressing your story. As podcast producer, Brendan Baker, suggests, if you take a piece of music that already has a set of subconscious imagery in it, and match that to a story with particular descriptionsthen something really cool happens and the image solidifies.
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Do You Have An Outline
Take some time to plan out the format of the show. Some podcasts are comprised of interviews, others cover current events, and some are a mixture of all of the above. Do your research and make sure you choose a format that your audience will be comfortable with and that you can execute….and don’t be afraid to adapt and pivot if it doesn’t hit.
Take Advice And Stay Inspired
There are a ton of guides and classes out there that will dive into these podcasting topics with more detail. Previously mentioned Gary Vaynerchuk, has written and spoken extensively on the need for podcasting and best practices . His level of knowledge and passion for podcasting as a successful channel for businesses can be seen below.
For the people who are planning on making a career out of podcasting , we recommend getting first hand experience with people who are doing it. If you don’t personally know anyone you can sit in on, you should check out Adam Carolla’s Podcasting Masterclass. Great reviews and pricing combined with tips from the experts who are responsible for creating one of the most profitable podcasts in history should motivate just about anyone.
Good luck as you start your planning process on podcast! We will have more guides and advice from top podcasters to share with you all so stay tuned. In the meantime, weâd love to hear your additional advice and lessons learned along with any questions you may have with the entire process.
Since 2002, these brands and thousands others have trusted our music and tested our licenses
Questions?
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The Different Types Of Creative Commons Licenses
There are six creative commons licenses. The ones you want to look for in order to use the music in your podcast are:
CC BY
- With this license you must give credit to the original creator This content allows commercial use meaning if your podcast makes money, youre still safe to use the content. You can also remix, distribute, build upon, and adapt the material.
CC BY-SA
- Again you can remix, distribute, build upon, and adapt the material. However, in this case, you must share the content under the same licenseThis content also allows for commercial use, and requires attribution to the original content creator.
CC BY-ND
- The content allows for commercial use, and requires attribution. However, you may not adapt, remix, build upon, or alter the sound in any way. It must be used explicitly as it was created.
Your best bet if you want free podcast music without restrictions is to find some that says CCO .
CCO content is considered the holy grail because you can do pretty much whatever you want with this content with no conditions.
Music with a CCO designation is safe for commercial use and can be distributed, remixed, adapted, cut, altered, etc.
And, because this content is considered in the public domain, you also dont have to attribute it to anyone, anywhere.
Now that weve discussed why you should only use music you have the rights to, here are a few of the top places to find songs and royalty-free music that you can use commercially.
How To Use Music In Your Podcast
There are often multiple occurrences of music in the duration of a podcast episode and it all serves a purpose.
Intro/Outro MusicThe introduction is your first impression to the listener. This is your chance to grab their attention and music helps elicit an emotional response to your verbal content. Use music in the very beginning as a means of welcoming your audience! Intro music often becomes iconic to your podcast and can be used to remind your audience of the show anytime they hear the song, or something similar.
Outro music provides comparable benefit. It is used at the end of your show as a smooth conclusion. Rather than abruptly ending the show, music can help fade the listener out. Additionally, it ensures they leave your podcast feeling a certain way, based on the mood of your chosen music.
Sound BedsAs youre listening to a podcast, its common to hear bits of background music. These sound beds throughout the show are most often used to help transition between interview questions or advertisements or multiple topics. It creates a more natural flow while switching from one thing to the next and serves as a guide for your listener.
Now it is important to note that adding tunes into the life of your podcast is meant to strengthen your content, not distract from it. Be sure to select music that wont overpower or mislead your audience.
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Where To Find Royalty Free Music For Podcasts
If youve read any of what Ive just written, or even worse, tried to license music firsthand, you know the current processes just dont work for creators.
Whether its the time commitment of negotiations or the actual cost of paying for the music license, there are too many barriers between podcasters and quality royalty-free music.
These obstacles can be even more complex for podcasters, because you may need to obtain a more expensive license to use a song in multiple episodes of your show.
Heres the good news: The entire reason Soundstripe exists is to give you easy and affordable access to quality music for your projects.
Farhana Adatia Takeaways By Farhana
909 music made purchasing a track for my podcast effortless. With a variety of unique tunes and wonderful customer service, they have something for everyone. Their music allowed me to elevate my podcast into something that stands out to my listeners. I would highly recommend their services to anyone.”
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Anchor Podcast Music Library
Anchor as being Spotifys Podcasting tool, it offers plenty of useful resources for podcasters.
Anchor besides being an easy app to use for podcasting, it also includes a set of soundtracks that can be used for your podcats episodes.
The platform includes an extensive library, that when you want to crete a mix with other audios or using the music as background, with a simple click it would be easy to set up.
Carlos uses Anchor app on his smartphone to easily create the podcast episodes, without the need of too much music edition.
Adding music as background also adds noise reduction to the actual recording, which makes the voice sound clearer.
Anchor app is highly recommended due to its ease of use and creation of podcast.
But you also must be aware that in terms of owning the content, you share your rights with Spotify.
Where To Find Podcast Intro Music
21 min read
Are you looking for podcast intro music? Wondering what are the best places to find royalty-free music to start your show with?
Licensing songs for podcast intro music is a complex topic that relies on a range of factors. But podcasts that include musical elements are often more engaging. Starting off an episode with intro music and using songs to move a story forward contributes to a professional sounding podcast.
Jordan Kisner writes, a podcast producer has only music and sound design to offset the storytelling voice without obscuring it or drowning it out. Using music in a podcast intro is a crucial way to initially grab an audiences attention and provide more depth to a story. However, the intricacies of correctly licensing podcast music is a hotly debated topic between podcasters.
In this article, were providing risk averse podcast music options to minimize your chances of future disputes. There are exceptions to information provided, but these tips are the rules of thumb you should keep in mind when finding music for your podcast episodes. Although this information is based on the opinions from professional music industry lawyers, copyright law varies from country to country so this article shouldnt be taken as legal advice.
Lets start with answering the biggest question podcasters have when it comes to podcast music.
Want help finding music for your show?
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Top 5 Best Background Music For Podcasts
Using high quality background music in your podcasts help you create a vivid, engaging atmosphere. Moreover, using a background music that complements your content allows you to convey your message to your listeners as well.
Since podcasts predominantly address the ears instead of eyes, it is rather challenging to create an ambience in a podcast. That is why incorporating suitable background music is essential for creating a unique ambience and providing your audience with unforgettable content.
If you want to keep your listeners entertained and engaged, check our extensive free podcast background music library where you can find hundreds of high quality music for podcasts. You can browse by genre, artist or even mood. Take a closer look at our comprehensive library of free background music for podcasts and find the perfect background music for your content.
On Snapmuse, you can find music for podcasts fair use, radio music podcast intro and much more to create professional podcasts!
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One More Podcast Music Option Ask A Friend
If you have a musical friend, approach them to see if it would be alright to use one of their songs as your podcast intro music. In exchange, you could always make sure to credit them at the beginning of each episode and direct your listeners to their website. This can be a beneficial relationship for both parties.
You can of course offer to pay them for their music, or buy them dinner, or repay them with a skills exchange. That could be anything from helping them carry and set up equipment at a gig, to mowing their lawn.
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Choose From 30 Copyright Free Podcast Music Tracks
It might be a hassle to download music from one source, then edit it and put it on your already recorded podcasts.
Thats why its best to find all-in-one software where you can both record your podcasts and have free podcast music recommended to you.
What about the heavy equipment you think you need for recording your podcast? Leave it behind. Just get on your laptop, and lets follow these steps.