Are you setting up a podcast and unsure about where to find the right music to amplify your content? Or maybe, you’re already a podcaster but are struggling with copyright issues related to the background music you’re using? Either way, the soundtrack to your podcast plays a crucial role, helping to set the mood, keep your listeners engaged and add a personal touch. The primary concern, however, is to ensure that the music you use is royalty-free or correctly licensed, preventing any legality issues down the line. In our article, we guide you through the complex world of music licensing and reveal the best sources to find the perfect, absolutely royalty-free, track for your podcast.
Whether paying for a track or searching for free music, come along, let’s hit the right notes together!
Why Add Music To Your Podcast
Adding music to your podcast can greatly enhance the listener’s experience. Music has the power to set the mood, support the storytelling, evoke emotions and underscore key moments, thereby creating a deeper connection with your audience. In addition to helping build a unique vibe for your podcast, the presence of music also adds a professional touch. It covers any silent moments, thus maintaining the audience’s engagement and attention. Moreover, in the vast sea of podcasts available today, music can make yours stand out. A unique and suitable music selection can make your podcast more memorable and easy to identify.
Even though it might seem simple, adding music to your podcast can elevate its quality from good to great, making it more appealing and meaningful for your listeners. Read more here to know why.
Royalty-Free Music For Podcast
Pixabay Music
Pixabay is a free resource that provides copyright-free music, images, and video for podcasters. They offer a range of music and sound effects that can be used without crediting the artist or paying a fee. The platform’s user-friendly and easy-to-navigate interface allows users to search for music by genre, mood, and duration.
Pixabay also offers a curated radio feature for podcasters to discover new songs and an option to choose music created by human artists. Since its establishment in 2010, Pixabay has been known for its library of royalty-free images but has expanded to include music and sound effects.
Free Music Archive
Free Music Archive is a digital platform that provides a vast collection of music from artists worldwide, free of charge. Essentially, it is a hub for creators to share their music under the Creative Commons license, which a podcaster can use. Podcasters can browse various genres, select from curated playlists, and learn more about the artists.
- A wide range of music, from hip-hop to electronic, that a podcaster can use.
- Playlists filled with premade music mixes, easing the task of finding suitable tracks.
- Information about the artist including their biography and discography.
- The type of Creative Commons license each song carries.
Many tracks don’t require creators to credit the original artist. The platform is easy to navigate, with a handy search function allowing users to filter songs by genre, application, and popularity. Plus, they regularly update charts ranking the most popular tracks, saving users from having to sift through lesser-quality music.
Freebeats.io
Freebeats.io is a free music website where podcasters can access royalty-free music to use in their episodes. The service primarily offers music within hip-hop, rap, and EDM genres and is designed for usage by content creators.
As a user, you can download audio files in 320kbps MP3 format and filter beats by type such as Rap, R&B, or Hip-hop. If you choose to become a member, you will also have access to music in WAV file format.
The website operates under a unique business model where music is offered for free as long as the users follow Freebeats.io on social media and give credit when they use the music.
Incompetech
Incompetech is a well-established, royalty-free music site, provided by artist Kevin MacLeod. It offers a wide selection of songs in numerous genres that can be used for free by podcasters, as long as credit is given to the artist. The site allows searching for music by various aspects, including genre, tempo, and length. It has a unique feature of allowing users to download the entire music library in one go. Although the website’s design may seem old, it is full of high-quality music pieces, many of which are suitable for films and audio dramas.
For use, podcasters need to include the song’s citation in their show notes or video description. If they don’t want to provide attribution, there’s an option to buy a license. Therefore, Incompetech is an excellent resource for podcasters seeking free, high-quality music for their content.
Silverman Sound Studios
Silverman Sound Studios is a source for high-quality, royalty-free music. Podcasters can use the music for free as long as they give credit. The website features a variety of filtering options for easy search, which includes by genre, mood, and purpose. While its interface looks a bit dated, the site still provides valuable resources for podcasters. However, its search function may not be very user-friendly.
Purple Planet
Purple Planet Music is a music platform by Chris Martyn and Geoff Harvey. Podcasters can get ambient, atmospheric music from the site for free. However, podcasters must credit the creators if they use their music. If they want a commercial license or high-quality audio, they can pay a fee.
Paid Resources For Podcast Music
Audiojungle
AudioJungle is a platform where podcasters can buy music and audio tracks. It offers a wide range of music, starting at a cost of just $1 per track. The platform is easy to navigate, allowing users to search by genre or by ‘music pack’. The latter groups similar songs together, making it easier to find what you are looking for.
However, while AudioJungle is a relatively cost-effective solution, users must purchase a separate license each time they use a track on a different episode. This could become costly for podcasters who want to include the same music in multiple episodes. Despite this, with a large library of over 35,000 creators and thousands of songs, AudioJungle provides a wealth of options for those in need of sound tracks.
Epidemic Sound
Epidemic Sound is a service providing lots of music and sound effects. Podcasters can use it to get unlimited downloads from their huge collection of 30,000 tracks and 90,000 sound effects for just $15 per month. This subscription allows you to use any track on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and in podcasts without worrying about any usage rights. They also have a feature where you can download only parts of a track.
Epidemic Sound is easy to use and offers different options for downloads as well as a practical search functionality. If you don’t want to sign up for a subscription, you can also purchase a single-track license. The service offers a free trial for 30 days, and you won’t be charged if you unsubscribe before the trial ends.
PremiumBeat
PremiumBeat is a music library service run by Shutterstock. It offers a collection of around 17,000 songs, divided into 26 main genres and over 100 subgenres. Podcasters can use PremiumBeat’s detailed search function to find music by genre, mood, or collection. The service does not use a subscription model, rather it offers songs for individual purchase.
The standard price for a song is $49, while a premium license costs $199. A monthly subscription, on the other hand, is available at $64.95, which includes 5 standard licenses. Additionally, the service offers a looping feature, letting users extend song lengths as needed. This is particularly useful for podcasters needing longer music segments.
Audioblocks
Audioblocks is a music service that podcasters can subscribe to for $20 a month. It allows unlimited access to a large collection of over 100,000 tracks, loops, and sound effects. Subscribers can download as many tracks as they want and use them forever. They can also search for music by mood, instrument, genre, and more. Each track has an MP3 and WAV version for download. Audioblocks is a good choice for podcasters who regularly need different music and sounds.
Navigating the Path to Copyright-Compliant Music for Your Podcast
Choosing and using music for your podcast is a critical step that requires careful understanding of copyright laws. You must respect others’ creative work and avoid the misstep of using copyrighted music without explicit permission. Luckily, there are plenty of reliable music services that provide high-quality, royalty-free tracks that will fit your podcast’s tone and budget perfectly.
So now, it’s time for you to explore these services and find that perfect tune that will make your podcast truly stand out.
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