Where to find and how to legally use music in your podcast
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Music is a simple addition to a podcast that can powerfully affect how a listener feels about a podcast.
Using music can bring a higher-quality feel to a show and help boost listenership.
There are many options in choosing free music for podcasts, so a price tag is not attached to adding quality sound.
Why Include Music in a Podcast?
Music can set the tone for a podcast. It can be hard to realize the impact music has until it’s no longer there.
Whehther it’s upbeat melodies or slower somber tunes, selecting music for a podcast helps create a vibe for listeners to associate with the show and provide familiarity to them.
Including music in a podcast can add a professional feel as well.
Music also fills any “dead space” with a tune to give listeners a certain feeling when engaging with the show.
How to Use Music in Your Podcast
There are often multiple occurrences of music in the duration of a podcast episode and each serves a purpose.
Intro and Outro Music
The intro music is the “first impression” to the listener, the chance to get attention. It serves as a welcome to the audience.
Chosen intro music can become associated with a podcast and may remind listeners of the show anytime they hear the song or something similar.
Outro music has similar benefits. It can bring the show to a smooth conclusion. Rather than abruptly ending the show, music can help fade the listener out.
Additionally, it makes listeners leave the podcast feeling a certain way, based on the mood of the chosen music.
Sound Beds
When listening to a podcast, it’s 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.
Sound beds can create a natural flow while switching from one thing to the next, serving as a guide for the listener.
Now it is important to note that adding tunes into a podcast is meant to strengthen the content, not distract from it. Be sure to select music that won’t overwhelm or mislead the audience.
Music Copyright 101
Better safe than sorry when it comes to incorporating music into a podcast. The biggest issue is properly handling copyrighted songs.
Although it is possible to use such music, err on the side of caution.
Since music is owned by other people, it is an infringement on copyright laws to use bits of their songs without permission.
Even using small, ten- or twenty-second clips of a copyrighted song require approval.
Podcasters can run afoul of the law for misusing a copyrighted song. The podcast could be removed, a fine could be incurred, or in some cases the podcaster may even be sued.
Now, the podcaster can likely still use a copyrighted song after obtaining permission, typically in the form of a license or permit and for a fee.
The podcaster will need to contact the writer and the producer of the song, seeking consent by detailing how the podcaster intends to use it.
Each song will vary on what (if any) price they will charge you for including their music in your podcast.
If unsure about the specific rules on music to use on a podcast, podcasters should reach out to a legal professional for guidance. Resonate’s team can connect podcasters with such legal counsel!
What Music Can Be Uses on a Podcast?
There are two main types of music that are safe to use for a podcast (but we’ll include a third category as well):
Royalty-Free
Creative Commons
Royalty-free music is the best option for safely incorporating music into your podcast.
Royalty-Free Music
Royalty-free music gives licensees the right to use the music, whether it was free or paid, for works without paying any royalties for use.
Interestingly, not all royalty-free music is copyright-free. According to Soundstripe, royalty-free music most often means that the company or source used to buy the music from is paying creators royalties behind the scenes so that people can use those works without paying any royalties themselves.
Creative Commons
Creative Commons means that the creators of the musical work sets the terms for how their music can be used, generally requiring users to attribute the creator.
Since the creator determines the terms it’s important to read the fine print and make sure someone is allowed to use the work commercially and publicly, what kind of crediting is necessary, and any other terms.
Public Domain
Public domain works are no longer protected under their original copyrights because they have passed a certain age (normally, 70 years).
However, sound recordings of public domain songs are considered derivative works and are protected under copyright by whoever recorded them.
This means people can freely use the song material (lyrics and composition) to record and produce their own version of the song, perhaps for use in a podcast. However, all sound recordings of public domain works are protected at the state level until 2067 because of the U.S Copyright Act of 1976.
More information about this topic is available from the Public Domains Information Project.
Best Free Platforms for Podcast Music
These are sources that automatically provide you with the license for a song. Each platform has its own different license terms and agreements, so make sure to take a few minutes to read the fine print.
In exchange for not paying anything, you may have to give credits to the writer or producer if the work is licensed under Creative Commons. But at least it’s free!
Pixabay: Pixabay music gives access to free downloads of royalty-free music, available for both commercial and non-commercial use.
YouTube Audio Library: YouTube Audio Library has a large selection of instrumental music readily available to download for free.
Incompetech: Incompetech allows you to browse and download a variety of music at no charge. (creative commons)
Free Music Archive: Free Music Archive enables complimentary access to a large library of artists and songs with trackable information on popularity among other users. (creative commons)
Soundcloud: Soundcloud is a massive platform that gives creators the ability to upload creative commons works that can be directly downloaded from their platform. Use their search tool and click the filter called “to use commercially” in order to only see results that are ready to download and use for free (with attribution under creative commons).
Dig by ccMixter: Dig by ccMixter is a crowd-sourcing platform for creative-commons music. They offer two main licenses, one for commercial use and one for private use.
Best Paid Platforms for Royalty Free Podcast Music
These paid platforms all offer royalty-free music that you can use freely for your podcast both commercially and non-commercially.
But the terms and conditions vary for each platform, so make sure to read the fine print before signing up for any services.
Resonate Music Services: Selecting the right music for your podcast can be as daunting as it is exciting — but it doesn’t have to be! Our team wants to take the stress out of this process by helping podcasters choose the perfect music to accompany their shows. We have creative professionals ready to either select music from our libraries or create custom tunes that will complement and add to the overall quality of podcasts. Learn more here.
Soundstripe: Soundstripe provides affordable monthly subscriptions and single-song licenses that offer access to thousands of song choices.
AudioJungle: AudioJungle gives you access to a quality song selection at either a monthly or one track rate.
Epidemic Sound: Epidemic Sound is one of the top platforms for royalty free podcast music. They offer royalty free music for podcasters for $15 a month.
Storyblocks: Storyblocks music offers unlimited downloads of royalty free music for $20 a month.
Jamendo: Jamendo offers both single-license purchases and subscription services for sourcing royalty free music. Choose from a library of over 240,000 royalty free songs.
Premium Beat: Premium Beat offers royalty-free licenses on a subscription model, starting with 5-tracks for $12.99 a month.
Podcast Music from Resonate Recordings
If you have any questions regarding free music for podcasts, or other resources available to you, feel free to schedule a call with our team!
Editorial Note: This post gives an overview of the complex topic of music copyright laws. This is not professional legal advice and does not claim to be. Always carefully read the terms and license details for any music platforms you sign up for to understand your rights and limitations. We recommend seeking professional legal counsel for further advice on this subject.
