DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) makes a choice of music for video creators and streamers harder every day. If you choose music without you checking the license you risk DMCA strike or in the worst cases channel cancelation.
Mercifully the CC (Creative Commons license) system is not so difficult to understand, and if you are groping in what is free and what is not. Here is the simple chart you can download to your device and follow it every time you pick out music.
The chart displays six most used licensing, but lacking CC0 (Public Domain) which lets you to freeing content globally without restrictions.
The best and most safe options for creators are CC0, CC BY, and CC BY-SA license. As a content maker, it is better to avoid the last three licenses. I know they seem usable on some occasions. However, most likely they will bring you more problems than benefits.
So, where to find the trio of most accommodating music licensing?
The Best Sites for Royalty-Free Music:
This should come as no surprise because mostly the large platforms tend to be a refuge for beginning or generous artists. Moreover, YouTube excels in openness and simplicity, which attracts even more musicians and listeners.
After you visit YouTube, search for “Royalty-free music” or “No Copyright music.” You will get tons and tons of free songs to use. Unfortunately, many of these tracks are used by other creators and use very similar beats + feel, so if you are searching for something special, you have to dive down into YouTube.
Piece of advice on top. Always check the legitimacy of the provided music. Checkup the author, description, comment section. YouTube is full of fraudsters who upload someone else’s work for the sake of popularity and money.
Through a platform built more as music stock, Bensound providing over 300 royalty-free tracks. These pieces can be used in YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, etc., videos. However, you have to credit Bensound in the description
The most affluent categories on Bensound are corporate and cinematic music. Both including more than 100 tracks with a convenient atmosphere. Keep in mind that Beosound music can not be claim as your own, register in any store, be remixed or part of your music, and you can not use it in your audio podcasts and audiobooks. The rules make Bensound suitable more for visual content with music.
Nonetheless, if you want to use these tracks in podcasts or without crediting Bensound, you can buy a license.
SoundCloud is doing a very similar job as YouTube. This platform attracts many young and generous artists who will mediate you with free movie tunes, free youtube background music, and other free songs to use.
SoundCloud is endowed by many genuine artists you can find anywhere else, and the majority of this stuff is offered for free. I know tons of channels that deliver music only onto SoundCloud.
It is like DeviantArt for the musicians. If you want free youtube background music, simply write “no copyright music” or “royalty-free music” into the console. Nonetheless, for the unique audio, you have to dig deep down.
Free audio for video? No problem, every sound found on this website is for free and using either CC0, CC-BY, or CC-BY-NC. Freesound is the first website on our list that is primarily focusing on special effects and common sounds like forest birds or drums.
Sounds can be searched by the bar in the top right corner, or if you are just browsing and experimenting, definitely try “Browse packs,” “Browse remix-groups,” and “Give me a random sound!” options.
dig.ccMixter is a platform full of skilled composers, vocalists, and DJs. Like any other website on our list, Mixter will supply you with royalty-free movie tunes, background music, and songs.
Nonetheless, the most convenient feature is the mixing table below, where you can combine genres, instruments, and styles to find the sound you are looking for.
On Mixter, you will usually find music licensed CC-BY and CC-BY-NC. If you want to use tracks without giving credit to the authors, you can buy a license.
Now something special. Incompetech is royalty-free music all made by german composer Kevin MacLeod. You can find here tons of free movie tunes and well-composed background music.
Kevin’s work is especially suitable for kid’s content. His beats are playful, and they will shine every video. Music is entirely free, even for commercial use and remixing.
My personal favorite website for ambient music. These masterpieces are from the hands of professional composer and sound designer Tim.
Tim’s work is in four categories: ambience, music, ambience + music, and ambience + minimal music. These pieces are great as background music and storytelling music. You will also be pleased by the sound pad where you can schedule tracks.
On top of that, all music files are of high quality, and they are free of charge, even for commercial projects. Tim has a very reasonable statement, so if you are going to use his work as a musical backdrop in your videos and streams, he is completely ok with that.
… a Few Conclusion Tips
I said it, and I will say it again. Always check twice the licensee and legitimacy of the provided content. Trust me, and you will avoid problems in the future.
These seven picks are my favorite. However, new and generous artists who are giving their work free are all over the internet, so take the time to find your favorite.