Music in Your Videos: Where Do You Get It Safely?
Music in Your Videos: Where Do You Get It Safely?
Using a popular song in your video is the worst available option: the video may be blocked, its revenue may go to the rights holder, or it may be removed entirely. The alternative is licensed music libraries, some free and some by subscription. The core rule: "I found it online" is not a licence, and "I'll credit the artist" isn't enough on its own.
Why this matters
Plenty of beginners put a song they love behind their videos, then get a surprise: the video is blocked in some countries, its revenue goes elsewhere, or it's taken down entirely.
Worse, this can happen months after publishing, so you lose a video that was working well.
The rule that settles most cases
Every piece of music belongs to someone. The default is that you do not have the right to use it unless you've been explicitly granted that right.
These things are not permission:
- That you found the track online
- That you'll credit the artist in the description
- That you don't earn money from the video
- That you only used a short section
- That someone else used it and nothing happened to them
Some of these may reduce the consequences in particular situations, but not one of them makes the use legitimate in itself.
So where does music come from?
1. The platform's own music library
Most major platforms provide a free music library for creators, designed for use within that platform without complications.
Best for beginners, because it's the simplest and safest. Its drawback is that the tracks are heavily used, so videos start sounding alike.
2. Subscription music libraries
Services you pay monthly or annually that grant you a licence to use their catalogue. Suited to anyone publishing regularly who wants a distinctive sound.
Note: the licence is usually tied to your subscription remaining active, or to the date you downloaded. Read the terms before building a hundred videos on it.
3. Openly licensed music
Tracks published by their creators under licences that permit use, often on condition that you credit the source in a specific way.
The decisive condition: read the licence yourself and don't assume. Some prohibit commercial use; some require an exact attribution format.
Keep a copy of the licence page and the date you downloaded. If a claim arrives a year later, that copy is your evidence.
4. Buying a direct licence
You pay once for a defined right of use. Suited to larger projects or a video you'll rely on for a long time.
When you don't need music at all
A question everyone skips. Music isn't compulsory:
- In explanations and direct talking: background music competes with your voice and tires the ear.
- In scenes with good ambient sound: a market, the sea, or rain beats any track.
- In emotional moments: silence is stronger than sad music.
Use music when it adds something: filling a heavy silence, linking a sequence of shots, or setting a scene's mood.
Practical rules when you do use it
Bring the level far down under speech. Quick test: if you notice the music while someone is talking, it's too loud.
Don't change track every minute. One track for the whole video is calmer than three fighting each other.
Fade in and out. Music that starts or stops abruptly makes the viewer feel something has broken.
Choose instrumental behind speech. Sung words compete with your words for the viewer's attention.
What if you receive a claim?
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Platforms usually let you review the claim and your options: replace the track, remove the section, or dispute it if you hold a licence.
If you do hold a licence, having a saved copy is what settles the dispute. That's why keeping the licence and its date is necessary rather than optional.
An important note
Copyright law and platform terms differ between countries and change over time. This article explains general principles for handling music and is not legal advice.
Check the terms of the platform you publish on and the law where you live, and consult a specialist if this concerns a substantial commercial project.
In short
Use the platform library if you're starting, subscribe to a licensed library if you publish regularly, and keep the licence for every track you use.
Most importantly: ask first whether this video needs music at all — many don't. How to order your editing work is covered in Editing Basics: Start by Deleting, Not Adding.