Move over radio, move over video, we’re now living in the age of the podcast. What was once a fringe content style has quickly become a dominant force for information and entertainment. Small niche channels launched in the past few years have become global phenomena, launching brands, careers, and industries seemingly overnight.
One of the most appealing aspects of podcasting for many aspiring podcasters or hybrid content creators is how easy it is to get started. All you really need is a microphone, a computer, and an internet connection.
Yet, despite its ease and its popularity, one aspect of podcasting can still be quite foreign and tricky for both seasoned and beginner podcasters alike. The question often arises, “Can you play licensed music on a podcast?” Learning how to use copyrighted music for podcasts is neither intuitive nor easy.
To help you with your podcasting journeys, let’s go over everything you need to know about why music can be a great addition to your podcasts, how to find the best royalty free music for podcasts, and ultimately, how to use copyrighted music in podcasts, legally.
How to use music in a podcast
Now, before we dive into the different types of music that you might want to use in your podcasts (as well as explore how to license music for podcast), let’s start by answering the fundamental question of how and why to use music in your podcasts.
The number one reason to use music in your podcasts is because…well… it’s because podcasts can be boring! The crux of a podcast is really just one or a few people talking into microphones.
Yes, talk can be interesting, but in today’s age of instant entertainment, adding any additional stimulation, such as the perfect podcast intro music, or an upbeat podcast background music, can be pretty helpful for retention and listenability.
Adding music to your podcasts is quite easy, too, in theory. If you’re already familiar with editing audio for your podcasts, adding music is relatively easy as well. It’s similar to how music is added to video and can be done in almost any audio or video editing app or platform.
Understanding the types of music copyrights
What’s more challenging for many podcasters is finding suitable music, and learning how to legally use music in a podcast. To help with these topics, we’ll have to quickly explain some of the different types of music copyrights and how they work.
To begin, we recommend reading this article on the types of music rights and royalties. This piece explains the differences between master, common, and music publishing rights in song ownership.
The crux of the concept is that all songs have natural copyrights associated with them, which, if not properly licensed and compensated, can result in any content violating these copyrights being muted, taken down, or having accounts or channels banned.
To learn more about these potential repercussions, here’s another helpful guide that covers all the details about how music copyrights work.
Using copyrighted music in podcasts
It’s not all doom and gloom here, though; in fact, the solution to avoiding any concerns about copyright violations or takedowns is quite simple. Utilize proven podcast music licensing resources, such as Soundstripe, to access high-quality, royalty free music that has been pre-cleared for all your marketing purposes. This ensures it's safe to share across all your social channels and platforms.
We cover all of these steps in our guide on how to podcast, which further explores the steps you need to follow for how to use copyrighted music in podcasts safely and practically.
The main takeaway here, though, is that Soundstripe offers fully licensed and cleared music for subscribers to use in their videos and content. The artists have been compensated, and as a Soundstripe subscriber, you can use any song or sound effect in our libraries in your videos without paying additional royalties or fees—hence the “royalty free” term.
Royalty free music can be an excellent option for your podcast simply because it’s easy to find and use. Soundstripe’s music is composed and recorded by Grammy-winning artists who know how to make great music for all types of films and video content.
The best royalty free music for podcasts
And, on that note, let’s move on to providing you with some of the best royalty free music to consider using in your podcasts. These tracks are a small sampling of the high-quality music that you’ll find on the Soundstripe app.
Check out some top royalty free songs for podcasts below.
1. Some Kind Of Wonderful by Nu Alkemi$t
- Description: A low-energy, electronic song that is best described as chill and hopeful. Synth and ambient tones are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 134
- Key: Db/C# Minor
- Listen and license here
2. Sour Peachez by Tony Sopiano
- Description: A very low-energy, hip hop song that is best described as chill and happy. Bass and bass guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 75
- Key: F Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A low-energy, electronic song that is best described as chill and happy. Synth and bass are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 120
- Key: F Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A medium-energy, score song that is best described as inspiring and hopeful. Piano and drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 120
- Key: C Major
- Listen and license here
5. Sparky Parker by Famous Cats
- Description: A high-energy, rock song that is best described as happy and fun. Bass and bass guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 110
- Key: E Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A very low-energy, soundtrack / cinematic song that is best described as hopeful and calm. Woodwinds and piano are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 75
- Key: G Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A low-energy, jazz song that is best described as chill and reflective. Bass and bass guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 71
- Key: A Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A medium-energy, jazz song that is best described as happy and fun. Bass and upright bass are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 118
- Key: Bb/A# Major
- Listen and license here
9. The Weight Of Quiet by Moments
- Description: A low-energy, classical song that is best described as calm and reflective. Strings and a violin are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 100
- Key: G Major
- Listen and license here
10. Silver Canyon by Alsever Lake
- Description: A medium-energy, acoustic song that is best described as inspiring and hopeful. Whistling and guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 115
- Key: Bb/A# Major
- Listen and license here
Those are just some of our top choices for great royalty free music for your podcasts. Feel free to browse our full royalty free music library for even more songs to consider.
More tips for working with copyrighted music in podcasts
Ultimately, there are straightforward solutions for those seeking to incorporate copyrighted music into their podcasts. There are also some not-so-simple options available, but these can become confusing very quickly and often leave you in gray areas, making you liable to copyright infringement violations.
If you still have questions or concerns, here are some additional articles covering everything else you’d like to know about music licensing and copyrights.
- Navigating Music Licensing Costs with Clients: A Guide for Creatives
- Business Music Licensing Terms Explained: Why Licensing Matters, Different Kinds of Copyright & Best Practices
- The Business of Music Licensing, and Why "Royalty Free Music" Doesn't Need to be a Bad Word
- Are You at Risk for a Copyright Infringement Lawsuit? What Every Creator Should Know
- What is Royalty Free Music? And Can I use Royalty Free Music for Commercial use?
