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Royalty-free music can give creators an affordable and flexible way to add professional soundtracks to their projects. You can license high-quality music for your video, podcast, livestream, or even for commercial work, without needing to take on the financial burden and additional accounting work of paying out royalties over time. But it’s important to understand that just because music is royalty-free doesn’t mean it’s just “free music.” Here’s what you need to know about royalty free music and how it works.
What “royalty-free” music really means
Royalty-free music is licensed through a music library. Generally, you will either be purchasing an individual license or a subscription to the library, which will give you access to many tracks at less cost. Once you have the license, you don’t pay ongoing royalties. Instead, you just pay once (or monthly or annually, if you are paying a subscription), and then you can use the track in the specific ways defined by its license.
What rights does a royalty-free music license provide?
A legitimate license can assign a few sets of rights:
- Synchronization rights, allowing you to pair the music with visuals.
- Mechanical rights, authorizing you to reproduce the music in digital and/or physical formats.
- Public performance rights, allowing for the use of the music in broadcasts or at live events. These rights are not always included, so you will want to check the wording of the license closely.
Also specified will be whether you are required to give credit to the music’s original creator, and how best to do so.
Giving credit for royalty-free music
In the digital age, it can be harder than ever for artists to be seen (or feel seen). And while the live music market is expected to grow from $28 billion last year to almost $80 billion over the next five years [ResearchAndMarkets.com, 2024], indie musicians are still seeing very low incomes. A report from Two Story Media last year found that indie musicians see, on average, an annual income of just over $11,000, and that even that number is skewed by a few high earners.
At the same time, use of royalty-free music in public venues like restaurants and bars is dropping due to the cost of licensing [Bloomberg, 2025]. Restaurants and bars that want to play music for their patrons have to license many more tracks at a higher cost than individual creators who just want to develop a soundtrack for a new project.
As J-pop artist Minami Minami puts it, “The digital age is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because we now have more tools, platforms, and opportunities than ever before. But it can also feel like a curse, because with so many talented artists out there, it’s become harder to truly stand out.”
You can do your part by ensuring the artists whose music empowers your project get acknowledgment for their work. Royalty-free music is copyrighted and owned by the original artist, but the royalty-free licensing model makes it easier to use this music commercially. It’s safer, too.
How flexible is royalty-free music?
Once you have licensed royalty-free music, you can use it across many platforms, from YouTube and TikTok to Instagram. You can use it in podcasts, ads, short films, games, apps, and even in your livestream, provided that your license includes public performance rights. That is what can make it such a powerful addition to your own creative projects. And you have saved yourself time, essentially entering into a relationship with an established subscription library like Epidemic Sound or others, rather than needing to negotiate individual rights on individual tracks. The artist is supported through the upfront payment, and you can proceed without risk of takedowns or financial loss. You have the opportunity to heighten your creativity while bringing the original artists’ music to new ears and their names to new eyes.
FAQs
Q. Is royalty-free music the same as free music?
A. No. You usually pay a one-time fee or a subscription.
Q. What rights do you get when you “buy” a royalty-free track?
A. Most licenses include synchronization and reproduction rights; some also include public performance rights.
Q. Can you use the music commercially?
A. Yes, most royalty-free licenses cover business use, ads, and client projects.
Q. Can you use royalty-free tracks forever?
A. Typically, yes, as long as your license was valid when your content was published.
Q. What happens if you cancel your subscription to the royalty-free music library you’re using?
A. New projects using the music will not be cleared and could be vulnerable to copyright strikes for unlicensed use of that music. However, older published projects usually remain protected. Check the wording of the license carefully.
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