7 October 2026

Licensed Music for Online Video Content: Where to Find It and What Licence You Need

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.

DISCOVER MORE

Licensed Music for Online Video Content: Where to Find It and What Licence You Need Read More »

Background Music for Videos: Where to Find Copyright-Safe Music

Background Music for Videos: Where to Find Copyright-Safe Music

The best place to find background music for a video is a production music library that owns its rights, so every track is copyright-safe from the start. Our catalogue holds 300,000+ tracks and versions across 158 genres and sub-genres, searchable by mood, genre, tempo and BPM. You can create a free account and test tracks in your edit before you licence.

Where Do I Find Background Music for a Video?

Find it in a production music library, where the music is made for use in video and the rights are controlled in one place.

That’s different from searching the web for a track you like. Music found that way usually belongs to a label, publisher or artist, and using it in a video often needs permission you don’t have. A production music library like ours composes, commissions and records music specifically for licensing, so the permission comes with the licence.

Our catalogue covers everything a video team is likely to need, from light beds under a voiceover to cinematic scores for a hero film, across 158 genres and sub-genres and 80 moods.

What’s the Best Background Music for Videos?

There’s no single best track. The right background music depends on your video’s tone, pacing and audience.

Good background music supports the message rather than competing with it. It sets the mood, keeps energy up or calms it down, and stays out of the way of a voiceover. Here’s how common video types usually map to music styles, using our catalogue as the guide:

Video type

Music that usually works

Why

Corporate, explainer and product videos

Clean, modern electronic beds and light acoustic

Stays neutral under a voiceover and feels polished

Social and online video

Upbeat, energetic tracks in pop, indie, electronic and hip-hop styles

Grabs attention quickly in short formats

Documentary and factual

Cinematic, orchestral and minimal underscore

Supports narration and carries emotional moments

Podcast and spoken-word

Theme music, under-speech beds and transitions

Frames the show without covering the speaker

Advertising and promotional

Bright, driving or powerful tracks matched to the brand

Has to land in seconds and fit tight lengths

How Do I Find Music for a Video Project?

Start from your brief, search by the feeling you want, then test tracks against your edit before you commit.

  • Decide what you want the viewer to feel, and the pace of your edit: calm and reflective, bright and optimistic, driving and exciting.
  • Search the catalogue by mood, genre, tempo and BPM. Our AI-powered search tools also let you search by keyword, describe a scene, match a reference track or search by lyrics.
  • Use alternate versions, short edits and stems to fit the music to your cut. More than half the catalogue is available as stems.
  • Download high-resolution, un-watermarked files and test two or three directions in your edit.
  • Licence the track that serves the message best.

If you’d rather not search alone, complimentary music research is included as standard: send us a brief and our team returns a curated shortlist at no extra cost.

What Is Copyright-Safe Music for a Video?

Copyright-safe music is music you can use in a video without risking a copyright claim, takedown or legal action, because the rights are clear and a licence covers your use.

Ours is commercially safe because four things are true at once: 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. Our catalogue is also 100% human-created, with no AI-generated compositions or recordings.

Our licences cover digital advertising, social media, YouTube, internal and corporate communications, TV advertising, radio and podcasts, with worldwide coverage available depending on the licence you choose.

Why Not Just Use Free Music From a Web Search?

Because music from a random web search can bring copyright strikes, demonetisation and takedowns, and the quality is inconsistent.

Free music often comes with unclear or restrictive terms, or none at all. If the rights aren’t clear, a video can be muted, blocked or removed by the platform it’s published on, which means time lost re-editing and re-publishing work that was already finished. For a business, using music without a proper licence can also expose it to legal action from the rights holder.

Using a professional music library removes that risk before you start, and it means the quality is consistent from one video to the next.

What Does Royalty-Free Mean, and How Does a Production Music Licence Compare?

“Royalty-free” describes how some music is paid for: you pay once and don’t pay per-use royalties to the library afterwards. It doesn’t tell you how good the music is or whether the rights are clear.

Audio Network isn’t a royalty-free music site. We’re a premium production music library, the professional alternative to royalty-free libraries. Here’s how the two approaches usually differ:

 

Audio Network (production music library)

Typical royalty-free library

How the music is made

100% human-created, commissioned and recorded for the library

Often aggregated from many sources, and increasingly AI-generated

Rights

We control the rights, so one licence clears the music

Rights chains and terms vary by provider and tier

Protection

Every licence is fully indemnified

Varies by provider

Coverage

Content type, platform and territory set out in the licence you choose

Often limited by platform, territory or subscription period

Help finding music

Complimentary music research included as standard

Often behind top enterprise tiers

What Do I Owe After I Licence a Track?

You pay one clear licence fee, with no hidden or recurring charges from Audio Network.

What you’re cleared for depends on the licence you choose. Some licences can be granted in perpetuity, which means a track stays cleared for the life of the content, with no renewal or recurring fee. Others, including some advertising licences, are agreed for a limited term at a lower price, so you only pay for the rights you need.

Check that the licence covers your content type, platforms and territory before you publish, and keep a record of it for each video.

How Big Is Audio Network’s Catalogue, and Which Genres Does It Cover?

Our catalogue holds 300,000+ tracks and versions across 158 genres and sub-genres and 80 moods, so there’s depth for almost any video.

It’s deepest in the styles video teams use most: cinematic and orchestral (over 99,000 tracks), electronic, rock, indie, hip-hop and pop, and 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.

How Do Download Accounts Work?

Create a free account, with no credit card, and you can search the whole catalogue and download high-resolution, un-watermarked files to test in your edit.

When you’ve chosen a track, you licence it: a single track can be licensed online for one video, a per-project licence covers several videos, and an unlimited annual subscription covers a full year of content. We place no seat restrictions on accounts, so you can add your whole team 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 do I find background music for a video?

A: In a production music library that owns its rights. Audio Network’s catalogue of 300,000+ tracks and versions can be searched by mood, genre, tempo and BPM, and a free account lets you test tracks before you licence.

Q: What’s the best background music for videos?

A: There’s no single best track: it depends on your video’s tone, pacing and audience. Choose music that supports your message without competing with a voiceover, and search by mood to match the feeling you want.

Q: How do I find music for a video project?

A: Start from your brief, search by mood, genre and tempo, test two or three tracks in your edit using un-watermarked downloads, then licence the best one. Audio Network’s team will also return a curated shortlist from your brief at no extra cost.

Q: Where can I get copyright-safe music for a video?

A: From a library whose music is original, rights-controlled, pre-cleared and indemnified. Audio Network’s catalogue is commercially safe and 100% human-created.

Q: Can I use free music from the internet in my video?

A: It’s risky. Free music often has unclear terms and can lead to copyright strikes, demonetisation or takedowns, and using music without a proper licence can expose a business to legal action. A licensed library removes that risk.

Q: What does royalty-free mean?

A: It describes a payment structure: you pay once and don’t pay per-use royalties afterwards. It doesn’t guarantee quality or clear rights. Audio Network is not a royalty-free site; we’re a premium production music library.

Q: What do I owe after I licence a track from Audio Network?

A: One clear licence fee, with no hidden or recurring charges from Audio Network. Some licences can be granted in perpetuity, and some are agreed for a limited term at a lower price.

Q: Does one licence cover every platform?

A: Our licences cover digital advertising, social, YouTube, internal communications, TV, radio and podcasts, with worldwide coverage available depending on the licence you choose.

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: Can my whole team use one account?

A: Yes. We place no seat restrictions on accounts, so you can add your whole team at no extra cost.

Q: Does Audio Network help me choose music?

A: Yes. Complimentary music research is included as standard: send us a brief and our team of music licensing experts returns a curated shortlist.

Ready to Find Music for Your Video?

Discover our catalogue to search by mood and tempo, create a free account to test tracks in your edit, or contact our team to talk through the right licence.

DISCOVER MORE

Background Music for Videos: Where to Find Copyright-Safe Music Read More »

Music for Advertising: How to Find the Right Music for Commercials and Marketing Videos

Music for Advertising: How to Find the Right Music for Commercials and Marketing Videos

The best music for advertising lands in seconds, matches the brand’s tone and is licensed for broadcast and paid media. We offer 300,000+ tracks and versions across 158 genres and sub-genres, all original and rights-controlled, with fully indemnified licences cleared for TV, digital and social advertising on any platform and some licences available in perpetuity.

What Music Works Best for Advertising?

There is no single best track for an ad. The right music depends on the story: is the ad building excitement, trust, emotion or urgency?

Advertising music has to do more in less time than almost any other use. It has to land within the first few seconds, match the brand’s tone precisely, and hold up when the same campaign is cut into several lengths. Original production music is built for exactly that.

Our catalogue is deepest in the upbeat, energetic moods that suit advertising, including more than 29,000 “bright / optimistic” and more than 24,000 “driving / exciting” tracks and versions. We also offer cinematic, electronic, pop and acoustic styles, so a team can move from a warm brand story to a high-energy product launch without leaving one catalogue.

What’s the Best Music for a TV Commercial?

The best music for a TV commercial is broadcast-grade, original and cleared for television before it goes near an edit.

We’ve been creating production music for branded content and broadcast since 2001, and our licences cover TV advertising across terrestrial broadcast, VOD and streaming. Our catalogue includes over 99,000 cinematic and orchestral tracks and versions for premium, high-impact spots, alongside electronic, rock, indie, hip-hop and pop for faster, more energetic work.

Clearance matters most on TV. A broadcast campaign is expensive to produce and to air, so music that has to be replaced after approval or complaint can mean re-editing, re-delivering and missing a slot. Because we control the rights to our music, a single licence clears it, rather than a chain of separate approvals that can hold a campaign up.

What’s the Best Music for a Product Launch or Product Video?

For a product launch, choose music that matches the feeling you want customers to have: bright and optimistic for a feel-good consumer product, driving and exciting for a high-energy launch, or powerful and bold for a hero film.

Search by mood rather than genre alone. We tag every track across 80 moods, so a team can search for the emotion a launch needs, even when they don’t know the style. For product videos, clean, modern electronic and corporate beds work well under voiceover, and more than half the catalogue is available as stems so the music can sit around a voice.

Where Can I Find Music for Adverts and Marketing Videos?

Find it in a production music library that owns or controls its rights, so the music you choose is already cleared for advertising.

In our catalogue you can search by keyword, by describing a scene, by dropping in a reference track, or by lyrics, then narrow results by mood, genre, tempo and BPM. Create a free account, with no credit card, and you can download high-resolution, un-watermarked files to test a track in your edit before you licence it.

If a brief is complicated, our music licensing experts include complimentary music research as standard: send us the brief and we return a curated shortlist at no extra cost, so you aren’t picking a generic “corporate upbeat” track from a long list.

How Do You Fit Music to Different Ad Lengths?

Use tracks that come with cutdowns, alternate versions and stems, so one piece of music can run across every version of a campaign.

Advertising campaigns rarely run at one length. A single idea may need a 60-second hero film, a 30-second TV spot, a 15-second digital cut and a 6-second social version. Our tracks come with alternate versions, edits and cutdowns, and every track carries a BPM so edits stay on the beat. More than half the catalogue is available as stems, which lets an editor lift the drums for impact or drop the melody under a voiceover.

Cutdowns are included with advertising licences on a per-use basis, so you don’t pay extra to adapt the music to each length.

What Licence Do You Need for Advertising Music?

You need a licence that covers your content type, every platform the ad will run on, and the territories you’re advertising in.

This is where advertising differs from other uses. A campaign often runs on TV, online and social at the same time, and a gap in any one of them can mean a pulled ad. Here’s what our licences cover for advertising and brand content:

Advertising use

What Audio Network’s licences cover

Digital advertising

Any online platform

Social media ads

Organic content, boosted posts and ads, across all platforms

YouTube

Entertainment, promotional or advertising use

TV advertising

Terrestrial broadcast, VOD and streaming

Radio

AM, FM, DAB and internet stations

Podcasts

All platforms

Worldwide territory coverage is available depending on the licence you choose, and every licence is fully indemnified, so you’re protected when you use the music as licensed.

How Long Does an Advertising Licence Last, and What Does It Cost?

Some licences can be granted in perpetuity, and some advertising licences are agreed for a limited term at a lower price, so you pay only for the rights you need.

A campaign with a defined run, for example one year, can use a time-limited licence. A brand that wants to keep an ad live indefinitely can choose a licence granted in perpetuity. Territory and platform work the same way: the broadest use costs more, and narrower needs cost less.

We offer three ways to licence. A per-use licence clears a single video or episode, priced per track. A per-project licence covers multiple videos and tracks at a price tailored to a campaign. An unlimited annual subscription covers a whole team for a year. Simple single-track licences can be bought online, and for anything more complex our licensing experts price a quote to suit your budget, typically responding within the hour during working hours.

Why Does Music Rights Clarity Matter So Much in Advertising?

Because an ad is a paid, public, branded asset, and music with unclear rights puts all of that at risk.

Music without proper clearance can trigger a copyright claim or takedown mid-flight, which can mean a paid campaign pulled or muted while media spend is already committed, and time lost re-editing approved work. In the worst case, using music without a proper licence can expose a business to legal action from the rights holder.

Our music is original, rights-controlled and pre-cleared, so that risk is removed before the ad is made, not discovered after it airs.

How Does One Catalogue Keep a Campaign Consistent?

By using the same music catalogue and the same licensing terms across every touchpoint, so the brand sounds the same wherever it appears.

A product launch may run as a TV spot, a product video, social cutdowns and a website film. When all of it comes from one catalogue under consistent terms, a brand’s sonic identity stays coherent and the team isn’t relearning licence rules for every channel.

How Is Audio Network Different for Advertising Music?

Our catalogue is 100% human-created, with no AI-generated compositions or recordings. AI supports how people search and discover music in our catalogue, but plays no part in making it.

For advertisers, that means no ambiguity over authorship or ownership, a point that matters more as brands think harder about the rights risks of AI-generated content. Alongside that, our licensing experts support you from first brief to final clearance, and complimentary music research is included as standard. Comparable personal curation from many competitors sits behind their top enterprise tiers.

Who Uses Audio Network for Advertising?

We’re trusted by leading global brands and agencies, including Spotify, Dentsu, Nike, Google, the V&A, Amnesty International, Saatchi & Saatchi and Disney, from in-house brand teams to creative and media agencies.


 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What music works best for advertising?

A: Music that lands in seconds and matches the brand’s tone. There’s no single best track: it depends on whether the ad builds excitement, trust, emotion or urgency. Audio Network’s catalogue is searchable across 80 moods, so you can search by the feeling the ad needs.

Q: What’s the best music for a TV commercial?

A: Broadcast-grade, original music that is cleared for television. Audio Network’s licences cover TV advertising across terrestrial broadcast, VOD and streaming, and our catalogue includes over 99,000 cinematic and orchestral tracks and versions.

Q: Where do I find music for adverts?

A: In a production music library that owns or controls its rights. At Audio Network you can search 300,000+ tracks and versions by keyword, scene description, reference track or lyrics, and test tracks in your edit before you licence.

Q: What’s the best music for a product launch video?

A: Music that matches the feeling you want customers to have, such as bright and optimistic or driving and exciting. Search by mood across Audio Network’s 80 moods, and use stems to fit music around a voiceover.

Q: Where can I find music for marketing videos?

A: Create a free Audio Network account, with no credit card, search the catalogue and download un-watermarked files to test in your edit. Our team also offers complimentary music research from your brief.

Q: How do I cut music to 6, 15, 30 and 60 seconds?

A: Use tracks that come with cutdowns, alternate versions and stems. Audio Network’s tracks include edits and cutdowns, every track carries a BPM, and more than half the catalogue is available as stems. Cutdowns are included with per-use advertising licences.

Q: What licence do I need to use music in an ad?

A: One that covers your content type, platforms and territories. Audio Network’s licences cover digital advertising, social, YouTube, TV advertising, radio and podcasts, with worldwide coverage available depending on the licence chosen.

Q: Is Audio Network’s music cleared for TV and social ads?

A: Yes. Our licences cover TV advertising across terrestrial broadcast, VOD and streaming, and social ads across all platforms. Every licence is fully indemnified.

Q: Does an advertising licence last forever?

A: Some licences can be granted in perpetuity. Some advertising licences are agreed for a limited term, for example one year, at a lower price, so you pay only for the rights you need.

Q: How much does music for advertising cost?

A: It depends on how the music will be used: a single track licensed online covers the broadest use, narrower needs cost less, and per-project or subscription licences offer the best value across several videos. Our licensing team will price a quote to suit your budget.

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: 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 Music for Your Next Campaign?

Discover our catalogue to find music for your ad, create a free account to test tracks in your edit, or contact our team to talk through the right licence for your campaign.

DISCOVER MORE

Music for Advertising: How to Find the Right Music for Commercials and Marketing Videos Read More »

What Music Can Businesses Legally Use? Copyright Rules for Brands

What Music Can Businesses Legally Use? Copyright Rules for Brands

Businesses can legally use music only when they hold a licence covering that specific use. Commercial chart music, tracks with unclear terms and platform audio often don’t qualify. Our catalogue is commercially safe: original, rights-controlled, pre-cleared and fully indemnified, so one licence clears branded content on every platform worldwide, with some licences available in perpetuity.

What Music Can Businesses Legally Use?

A business can legally use music it has a licence for, covering the way it will be used. That includes production music from a library that owns or controls its rights, music commissioned directly from a composer, and tracks cleared by every rights holder involved.

What it generally can’t use is music it simply likes or found online: commercial releases, tracks from streaming services, and audio lifted from other videos. Using that music in branded content, even briefly, normally needs permission from the rights holders, and brands rarely have it.

Production music libraries exist to solve this. We compose, commission and record our music specifically for licensing, and we control the rights, so a brand gets permission in one step.

What Is Copyright-Safe Music for Businesses?

Copyright-safe music is music a business can use in commercial content without risking a copyright claim, takedown or legal action, because the rights are clear and a licence covers the use.

Ours is commercially safe because four things are true at once: 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. Each one matters: original music has no hidden source to trace, controlled rights mean no separate negotiations, pre-clearance removes copyright-strike and takedown risk, and indemnification gives a brand legal protection when it uses the music as licensed.

Our catalogue is also 100% human-created. We use no generative AI to make music, so there are no AI-generated compositions or recordings in it. AI only supports search and discovery.

What Copyright Rules Apply to Music in Business and Brand Content?

The core rule is simple: music in commercial content needs permission from whoever owns it, and the permission has to cover how, where and for how long it’s used.

In practice, that means checking three things before any track goes into a brand video: who owns the rights, whether the licence covers your use (paid advertising and organic social are often treated differently), and whether it covers the platforms and territories you’ll publish in.

Several common assumptions don’t hold up. Crediting the artist isn’t a licence. Buying or streaming a track doesn’t give you the right to use it in business content. Keeping a clip short doesn’t remove the need for permission. And music in a social platform’s built-in library is often limited to personal or non-commercial accounts, so a brand should check the terms before relying on it.

How Common Music Sources Compare for Brand Use

Here’s how the sources brands most often reach for compare on copyright safety, set against our catalogue:

Music source

Safe for brand use?

Why

Commercial chart or streaming music

No, not without licences from the rights holders

Owned by labels and publishers; a brand rarely holds permission for commercial use

Platform built-in music libraries

Often restricted

Frequently limited to personal or non-commercial accounts; terms vary by platform

Stock or royalty-free libraries

Depends on the licence terms

Rights chains and platform, territory or term limits vary by provider and tier

AI-generated music

Can be unclear

Authorship and rights position can be harder to establish and verify

Audio Network’s catalogue

Yes, within the licence you choose

Original, rights-controlled, pre-cleared and fully indemnified

How Do You Avoid Copyright Issues When Using Music in Brand Videos?

License the music before you publish, check the licence covers your use, and keep the paperwork. The cheapest way to avoid a copyright claim is to start with music that’s already cleared.

  • Choose music from a source that owns or controls its rights, not from a consumer streaming service.
  • Check the licence covers your content type (advertising, social, TV, radio, podcast, internal) and every platform you’ll publish on.
  • Check the territory and term: some licences are worldwide, some are limited, and some can be granted in perpetuity.
  • Test the track in your edit first, using un-watermarked downloads, so you don’t license music you end up not using.
  • Keep a record of the licence for every piece of content, so a claim can be answered quickly.

Free to try: create an account with no credit card, search the catalogue and download high-resolution, un-watermarked files to test in your edit before you commit to a licence.

Why Does Clear Music Licensing Matter for a Brand?

Because unclear rights create real, expensive problems after content is already live.

Music without proper clearance can trigger a copyright claim, strike or takedown on the platform your content is running on. For a brand that can mean a campaign pulled mid-flight, content muted or removed, and hours spent re-editing, re-exporting and re-publishing work that was already approved. In the worst case, using music without a proper licence can expose a business to legal action from the rights holder, with the reputational damage that follows.

Pre-cleared music removes that risk before it starts. And because every licence we offer is fully indemnified, a brand that uses the music as licensed is protected, rather than left to deal with a rights holder alone.

How Does Audio Network Keep Brand Content Copyright-Safe?

By owning and controlling the rights directly, so there is one source and one licence, and no chain of third parties to trace.

Our catalogue is original music, commissioned and recorded specifically for the library. Because we don’t aggregate tracks from outside sources, there is no ambiguity over who made a track or who can license it. Usage rights are set out in the licence you choose: what content it covers, which territories and platforms, and how long. A brand always knows what it’s cleared for.

Alongside the licence, our music licensing team helps you pick the right one. Complimentary music research is included as standard: send us a brief and we return a curated shortlist at no extra cost.

Does One Licence Cover Every Platform and Content Type?

Yes. A single Audio Network licence clears music across all the content types and platforms brands produce, with worldwide coverage available depending on the licence you choose.

Here’s what our licences cover:

Content type

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, Facebook and YouTube

YouTube

Entertainment, promotional or advertising use

Internal and corporate communications

Covered

TV advertising

Terrestrial broadcast, VOD and streaming

Radio

AM, FM, DAB and internet stations

Podcasts

All platforms

TV, film and documentary productions

Broadcast, VOD, streaming, cinema and festival release

How Long Does an Audio Network Licence Last?

It depends on the licence. Some licences can be granted in perpetuity, which means a track cleared under one of those licences stays cleared for the life of the content, with no renewal and no recurring fee.

Other licences, including some advertising licences, are agreed for a limited term, for example one year, at a lower price. Term works like territory and platform: you choose the rights you need and pay only for those, so a brand with a short campaign doesn’t pay for rights it won’t use.

Is Audio Network’s Catalogue Big Enough to Cover a Brand’s Content?

Yes. Clean rights only help if the catalogue is deep enough to find the right track, and ours spans 300,000+ tracks and versions across 158 genres and sub-genres.

That covers a broadcast-grade hero film, a short social cut and an internal explainer from one catalogue, under licences with the same clear rights. Tracks are tagged by 80 moods as well as genre, and more than half the catalogue is available as stems, so editors can fit music to a voiceover or a fixed-length cut.

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.

We work with in-house brand teams and creative and media agencies alike.


 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What music can I legally use in branded content?

A: Music you hold a licence for that covers your use, such as production music from a library that controls its rights. Commercial releases and streaming tracks generally need permission from the rights holders, which brands rarely have. Audio Network’s catalogue is original, rights-controlled and fully indemnified.

Q: What is copyright-safe music for businesses?

A: Music with clear rights and a licence covering your use, so it won’t trigger copyright claims or takedowns. Audio Network’s music is commercially safe: original, rights-controlled, pre-cleared and fully indemnified.

Q: How do I avoid copyright issues when using music in brand videos?

A: License music before you publish, check the licence covers your content type, platforms and territory, test the track in your edit first, and keep a record of the licence. Starting with pre-cleared music removes most of the risk.

Q: What music copyright rules apply to businesses?

A: Music in commercial content needs permission from its rights holders, covering how, where and for how long it’s used. Crediting the artist, buying a track or keeping a clip short doesn’t replace a licence.

Q: Can a business use music from streaming services or the charts?

A: Not without permission from the rights holders. Streaming services license music for listening, not for use in a brand’s content. Production music libraries such as Audio Network are set up to license music for exactly that purpose.

Q: Is Audio Network’s music indemnified?

A: Yes. Every Audio Network licence is fully indemnified, so a business using the music as licensed is legally protected.

Q: Does one Audio Network licence cover every platform?

A: Yes. A single licence clears music across advertising, social, YouTube, TV, radio and podcasts, with worldwide coverage available depending on the licence you choose.

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 with no renewal or recurring fee. Others, including some advertising licences, 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: Is Audio Network a royalty-free music site?

A: No. Audio Network is a premium production music library, the professional alternative to royalty-free libraries.

Q: Can I test a track before I license it?

A: Yes. Create a free account, with no credit card required, and download high-resolution, un-watermarked files to test a track in your edit before you license it.

Q: Does Audio Network help me choose the right music and licence?

A: Yes. Complimentary music research is included as standard, and our licensing experts help you choose the right licence for your brief.

Ready to Use Music Your Brand Can Trust?

Discover our catalogue to find music for your content, create a free account to test tracks in your edit, or contact our team to talk through the right licence for your organisation.

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