Licensed Music for Online Video Content: Where to Find It and What Licence You Need
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Licensed Music for Online Video Content: Where to Find It and What Licence You Need
The best place to find licensed music for online video is a production music library that controls its rights, so a single licence clears the music for YouTube, social and digital use. Our catalogue holds 300,000+ tracks and versions across 158 genres and sub-genres, with simple licences that cover the platforms brands publish on and indemnification, so there are no disputes when you go live.
Where Can I Find Licensed Music for Online Video Content?
Find it in a production music library that owns or controls the rights to its music. The licence comes with the music, so you aren’t chasing permissions from labels, publishers and artists.
We compose, commission and record our music specifically for licensing, and we control the rights directly. A brand or agency licenses straight from us, so a single licence clears the track, rather than a chain of third parties that can slow a project or cause problems after publishing.
Our catalogue covers everything online video needs, from short upbeat tracks for social to cinematic scores for brand films, across 158 genres and sub-genres and 80 moods.
What’s the Best Place to Find Licensed Music for Online Videos?
The best place is one that combines clear rights, a deep catalogue and licences written for the platforms you publish on. Here’s how the main sources compare for commercial online video:
|
Source |
Suitable for brand and business video? |
What to watch for |
|
Commercial or chart music |
Not without licences from the rights holders |
Labels and publishers set the terms and may refuse |
|
Music built into social platforms |
Often restricted |
Frequently limited to personal or non-commercial accounts; terms vary |
|
Stock or royalty-free libraries |
Depends on the licence |
Platform, territory and term limits vary by provider and tier |
|
Production music library (Audio Network) |
Yes, within the licence you choose |
Original, rights-controlled, pre-cleared and fully indemnified |
What Does “Licensed Music” Mean for Online Video?
Licensed music is music you have written permission to use, for a defined use, from whoever owns the rights.
Our music is commercially safe: every track is original, we control the rights, the music is pre-cleared for the uses each licence covers, and every licence is fully indemnified. That means a brand or agency can publish with confidence, without the copyright claims or takedowns that unlicensed music can trigger. Our catalogue is also 100% human-created, with no AI-generated compositions or recordings.
What Music Licence Do I Need for Online Video Content?
You need a licence that covers your type of content, every platform you’ll publish on, and the territories you’ll reach.
A licence for one use doesn’t automatically cover another. An organic social post, a paid ad and a broadcast spot can each need different permissions, which is why it’s worth checking the licence before you publish. Our licences are written around how brands actually publish:
|
Online video use |
What Audio Network’s licences cover |
|
Digital advertising |
Any online platform |
|
Social media |
Organic content, boosted posts and ads, across all platforms, including Instagram, TikTok and Facebook |
|
YouTube |
Entertainment, promotional or advertising use |
|
Internal and corporate communications |
Covered |
|
TV advertising and VOD |
Terrestrial broadcast, VOD and streaming |
|
Podcasts |
All platforms |
Worldwide coverage is available depending on the licence you choose, and every licence is fully indemnified.
Do Different Platforms Need Different Licences?
They can. Each platform has its own rules, but a licence that clears all platforms for your content type means you don’t need a separate agreement for each one.
Platforms treat music differently. Some restrict the music in their built-in libraries to personal or non-commercial accounts, and systems on platforms such as YouTube scan uploads and let rights holders mute, monetise or block a video that uses their music. A brand that relies on whatever sound is trending can find audio is unavailable or isn’t cleared for branded or paid use.
With us, a single licence clears music across all the platforms brands publish on, so the same track can run on YouTube, in social ads and on your own site.
What Happens if You Publish Music You Aren’t Licensed to Use?
It can be claimed, muted, blocked or removed, and for a business it can lead to legal action.
For a brand, that usually means a campaign pulled while media spend is committed, time lost re-editing and re-publishing finished content, and in the worst case, legal action from the rights holder. A disclaimer or crediting the artist doesn’t replace a licence.
Licensing music up front, from a library whose licences are indemnified, removes that risk before the video goes live.
How Do You Find Music for Short-Form and Social Video?
Search by tempo and mood, choose tracks that hook quickly, and use short edits and stems to build a tight cut.
Short-form video works differently from a long brand film: the music has to hook in the first seconds, match the pace of the edit and often loop cleanly. Our music is created and designed for social and online content, with alternate versions, edits and cutdowns for digital-first formats. Every track carries a BPM, and more than half the catalogue is available as stems.
Our AI-powered search tools let you search by keyword, describe a scene, match a reference track or search by lyrics, and we curate playlists and collections for short-form content, creator campaigns and brand marketing. AI only supports search and discovery in our catalogue. It plays no part in making the music.
How Big Is Audio Network’s Catalogue?
Our catalogue holds 300,000+ tracks and versions across 158 genres and sub-genres and 80 moods, so there is depth for almost any online video.
It’s deepest in the upbeat, energetic moods that suit marketing and social content, including more than 29,000 “bright / optimistic” and more than 24,000 “driving / exciting” tracks and versions, alongside cinematic, electronic, pop, indie and hip-hop styles.
How Do I Try a Track and Choose a Licence?
Create a free account, with no credit card, then search the catalogue and download high-resolution, un-watermarked files to test in your edit.
When you’ve chosen a track, there are three ways to licence. A per-use licence clears a single video or episode, a per-project licence covers multiple videos and tracks, and an unlimited annual subscription covers a whole team for a year. Accounts have no seat restrictions. Some licences can be granted in perpetuity, and some are agreed for a limited term at a lower price, so you pay only for the rights you need.
If a brief is complicated, complimentary music research is included as standard: send us the brief and we return a curated shortlist at no extra cost.
Who uses Audio Network?
We’ve been creating and licensing music for branded content since 2001, and we’re trusted by leading global brands and agencies, including Spotify, Dentsu, Nike, Google, the V&A, Amnesty International, Saatchi & Saatchi and Disney.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where can I find licensed music for video content?
A: In a production music library that controls its rights. Audio Network’s catalogue of 300,000+ tracks and versions is original, rights-controlled and fully indemnified, and licensed for YouTube, social, digital advertising and more.
Q: What’s the best place to find licensed music for online videos?
A: One with clear rights, a deep catalogue and licences written for the platforms you publish on. Audio Network combines all three, and a free account lets you test tracks before you licence.
Q: What music licence do I need for video content?
A: One that covers your content type, platforms and territories. Audio Network’s licences cover digital advertising, social, YouTube, internal communications, TV, radio and podcasts, with worldwide coverage available depending on the licence you choose.
Q: Do I need a different licence for each platform?
A: Not with Audio Network. A single licence clears music across the platforms brands publish on, so the same track can run on YouTube, social and digital.
Q: Can I use trending sounds or platform music in branded video?
A: Often not safely. Music in a platform’s built-in library is frequently limited to personal or non-commercial accounts, and trending audio may not be cleared for branded or paid use. Licensed music gives brands consistency and legal clarity.
Q: What happens if I use music without a licence?
A: It can be claimed, muted, blocked or taken down, and for a business it can lead to legal action. A disclaimer or crediting the artist doesn’t replace a licence.
Q: Is Audio Network’s music safe for brands and agencies?
A: Yes. Audio Network’s music is commercially safe: original, rights-controlled, pre-cleared and fully indemnified.
Q: How do I find music for short-form video?
A: Search by tempo and mood, look for tracks that hook quickly, and use short edits and stems to build your cut. Audio Network’s AI-powered search lets you search by keyword, scene description or reference track.
Q: Does an Audio Network licence last forever?
A: Some licences can be granted in perpetuity, so the track stays cleared for the life of the content. Others are agreed for a limited term at a lower price.
Q: Is Audio Network’s music AI-generated?
A: No. Audio Network’s catalogue is 100% human-created, with no AI-generated compositions or recordings. AI is only used to support search and discovery.
Q: Can I try a track before I licence it?
A: Yes. Create a free account, with no credit card required, and download high-resolution, un-watermarked files to test in your edit.
Q: Is Audio Network royalty-free?
A: No. Audio Network is a premium production music library, the professional alternative to royalty-free libraries.
Ready to Find Licensed Music for Your Video?
Discover our catalogue to find music for your next video, create a free account to test tracks in your edit, or contact our team to talk through the right licence.
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