Why is background music so powerful? Imagine a Christmas ad without any music? Or a huge blockbuster trailer without its soundtrack? Unthinkable, right? Music touches our emotions in a different way from visuals alone – whether it’s a song that you already know and love, combined with a scene that moves you, or a track used in a completely different way. It could be something you’ve never heard before, which becomes indelibly linked with a story or character. Something used in such a quirky way that it’s instantly memorable, and you’re desperate for a repeat viewing. So, how do music supervisors and creatives best use background music on both big screens and small?
If you need to know where and when you could use background music, and how to find the very best, read on. Here’s what you’ll find out:
- What is background music?
- What might you need background music for?
- Background music in TV shows
- How music can help your production
- Tips on choosing background music
- Types of background music
- Where to get background music
- Where can I find music for…
- Hand-picked playlists
What Is Background Music?
Put simply, background music – sometimes known as ‘bgm’ - is either instrumental or vocal music played in the background of any audio, audiovisual or media content. It’s used to enhance the mood or create an atmosphere or emotion, without distracting the audience.
What Might You Need Background Music For?
In short – any kind of content! The best TV and radio advertisements all have either memorable music – everything from the ‘Old Spice’ music (aka classical piece ‘Carmina Burana’) to the McDonald’s or Intel’s ‘audio signatures’, which are just a few notes.
Kantar reports that 84% of the ads they test globally have music. Why is music used in TV commercials? Well, it makes it way harder to connect with your audience on an emotional level if you omit music in ads, for one.
Kantar’s research found, ‘a strong relationship between consumers who enjoy the music in an ad, and those who feel an emotional connection through our “feel-good” metric. Our Link database shows a 63-point increase in the average feel-good factor between those who enjoyed the music most and those who didn’t enjoy it. Further, when people enjoy the music in the ad, we see a 20-point increase in the average involvement score when the music is also well-known.’
And when you’ve only got 30 seconds to tell a story, the music can get you at least halfway there.
When you’re looking for background music for ads, first work out what kind of story you’re telling, and what emotions you want the viewer to feel. Is it quirky, like the IKEA ‘Wonderful Everyday’ ads? Or full of triumph, passion and drama, like the best sports ads? Are you trying to tug on the viewer’s heartstrings? If so, you’ll probably want something slower and calmer – think of the John Lewis Christmas ads, which use slow, acoustic versions of well-known hits. Also bear in mind your brand identity and your target audience.
Background Music in TV Shows
A carefully-curated soundtrack can be a key criteria for making a great TV series – hence why there’s now an Emmy for ‘Outstanding Music Composition for a Series’. If you’ve ever Shazammed a song whilst watching a show and added it to your playlist, you know how impactful music can be. One that recently made a big splash online is Kate Bush’s ‘Running up That Hill’, which was used in a pivotal scene in Stranger Things.
Under threat from villainous Vecna, Max’s friends realise that music might be the key to breaking her out of a potentially fatal trance. They blast her favourite track, ‘Running Up That Hill’, through her Walkman’s headphones.
Nora Felder, the series’ music supervisor, told Variety that, ‘In the face of Max’s painful isolation and alienation from others, a “deal with God” could heart-wrenchingly reflect Max’s implicit belief that only a miracle of unlikely understanding and show of support could help her climb the hills of life before her.’ It was a perfect choice, and the track was such a hit with fans that it went to No. 1 in the charts – a mere 37 years after its initial release.
TV programmes can be full of atmosphere and tension, romance or comedy, and music can be used to enhance the effect or guide the audience’s reaction.
Documentaries can use music to enhance key sequences, launching them into ‘modern classics’ status. For one of the best examples, look no further than Planet Earth II’s most celebrated sequence. Baby iguanas have to run the gauntlet across a sandy beach to the safety of the rocks, whilst chased by a cascade of beady-eyed, super-fast racer snakes.
The final iguana’s near-miraculous escape is soundtracked by blockbuster supremo and Oscar-winner Hans Zimmer, who expertly ramps up the tension. When it came to writing the music for it, Zimmer said, ‘Imagine you’re a Hollywood composer, and so you know a lot of Hollywood directors who are all doing their car chases and whatever. Nobody ever had as exciting a chase, as exciting footage, as that. It’s incredibly emotional stuff. All the music is trying to do is shine an additional light onto things. Make it something that gets under your skin.’
How Music Can Help to Improve Your Production
Let’s illustrate just how background music can help to improve a movie scene. We’re all used to seeing a film’s final cut – it’s been edited, the sound is balanced so you can hear the dialogue, all the SFX are in place. But how does music affect the mood of what you’re watching? Watch this classic ‘throne room’ scene from Star Wars:
It’s got gravitas, with all those epic strings, orchestrations and the fanfare trumpets creating a suitably regal feel for the sequence of Han, Luke and Chewbacca being recognised for their heroism.
Now watch it without the music:
It’s just a long walk, a lot of awkward looks, an extra coughing in the background and what sounds like six people clapping. Zero atmosphere and not much of a way to finish the movie on a high.
However, you don’t need to blow the budget by getting movie legend John Williams to compose an impressive score from scratch. Using background music from a catalogue like Audio Network’s is cheaper and quicker. You can search by genre, by mood, by production type and even by instrument and bpm to find exactly what you need.
Tips on Choosing Background Music
Background music for videos can improve your content by giving it polish, making it unique (you’re not using that same Dua Lipa track that everyone else has been trying to license) and, as we’ve shown, creating atmosphere and emotion. You can also use music as a narrative device to push a story along, whether it’s in a documentary or a drama.
Background music can also help you to stand out from the crowd in terms of video content – whether it’s a big presentation, a YouTube how-to or a reaction video.
Types of Background Music
A key element in choosing any background music, whether it’s for TV, ads, films or YouTube is: who is my audience, and what types of music are they most likely to respond to? If your production is set in a particular era, like Stranger Things (80s), then your background music will either come from that era – or sound as though it does (heavy on the synths, for a start.) When it comes to other choices, though, you could go down a genre route.
To create a mood that’s big, sweeping and epic, explore the huge array of classical and cinematic music on offer. It’s powerful, and great for underpinning and evoking a swell of emotion. For the kind of ‘Hollywood sound’ made famous by movies such as Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning and Top Gun: Maverick, check out their soundtrack composer, Lorne Balfe – he’s put together an expert collection with hundreds of spectacular tracks to choose from.
Ambient Music
If you want the music to take more of a backseat and push your message harder, then ambient is ideal: it’s a genre that adds interest, without dominating. Soothing ambient sounds are great for videos with lots of information, or for teaching videos.
Acoustic music is equally adaptable, suiting everything from lifestyle content to montages, inspirational videos or how-tos.
Search through our catalogue for everything from pop to indie, heavy metal to jazz, to create whichever mood you need.
Where to Get Background Music
Licensing either specially-commissioned music, or pre-existing tracks, can be very expensive, and getting permission to use it can also be notoriously difficult and time-consuming. A production music library owns all the copyright of its music. Thus, it can be licensed without getting the composer’s permission separately.
As a dedicated production music company, Audio Network’s is one of the best. Audio Network commissions original, high-quality music from 1,000+ artists and composers from every corner of the world, in every possible genre. Often recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, all our music is written and performed by the world’s best musicians and recorded with renowned producers.
Where Can I Find Music For…
If you’re looking for background music for a specific type of content, then we have you covered! First, head to our main discover hub. Or check out these production areas:
- TV and radio advertising
- TV programming
- Music for podcasts
- Corporate videos
- Video content
- Film and trailers
- Digital branded content
Hand-Picked Playlists
At Audio Network, we want to make sure that finding music is quick, easy and fun – and that you have plenty of choice. So, our expert in-house team selects the best of our original music and assembles the tracks into playlists that you can browse, meaning that most of the work has already been done for you.
Here are some of our most useful and versatile playlists:
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- Drama – music for drama can span literally any genre and mood. You might want an orchestral ballad, or an intense track to soundtrack a chase sequence. On the hunt for exciting background music? Our selections are incredibly versatile.
- Dramedy such as Succession needs a balance of music that combines both dramatic elements and comedy, depending on which accent you’re focusing on in a particular scene.
- True Crime – background music can be crucial for true crime podcasts or shows, adding atmosphere, suspense and emotion, including beds and soundscapes.
- When it comes to music for sport, we have a huge array. You’ll have everything to conjure sport’s emotion at your fingertips, from music showcasing determination and anticipation, to the joy of victory and the heartbreak of a narrow defeat.
- Reality – aka factual entertainment – is now one of TV’s most popular genres. Dating shows, celebrity, cookery and travel, 24 Hours in A&E: literally all human life is here. So we have all the reality show music you need – from uplifting and easy-going to tension-building for shows like Bake Off and Masterchef, which have a competitive element, or the huge variety you need for a show like Love Island.
- Current Affairs – from hard news to investigations and the weather forecast, our news and current affairs playlist has stings, themes and beds with pulses, tension builds, dynamic, exciting orchestra tracks and bright, positive marimba for lighter news stories.
- Documentaries – bring diverse stories to life with this expansive playlist, including dedicated picks for historical, international and travel-based documentaries, plus tracks to add atmosphere.
- Trailer – these mini masterpieces are fantastic for film, TV, video and advertising. Inspiration, excitement, anticipation – these tracks have it all.
- Drones – drone footage can be truly magical, as you float high above a scene. From cinematic to minimalist and even menacing, this drones playlist has the perfect mix of moods.
- Beds – music beds are there mainly to add atmosphere or a particular mood. Our beds, ideal if you’re looking for background music for videos, are split into ‘light beds’ and brooding, unnerving beds to add tension.
- Transitions – need the perfect accompaniment to a scene change? Take your pick from this expansive playlist.
Looking for More Inspiration?
So, now you know about background music and where to find it! If you want an expert view on creating standout soundtracks, then read our interview with Hollywood composer Lorne Balfe; or explore award-winning ads and see how their soundtracks and background music help to tell their story.
We have new releases every fortnight, so there’s always more background music to choose from!
Need Music for Your Project?
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
