Content Creators! You probably already appreciate the importance of high-quality background music when creating, producing, and editing videos for your YouTube channel or other online platforms. In some cases, the music accompanying your content can make or break its success! But how and where do you get this music?
If you’ve come across this blog post, you are in the right place. We’ve done the hard bit for you! Rounded up below is a quick summary of what you need to look out for when choosing music as well as a roundup of your YouTube Video Music options.
So, read on and start optimizing your content with fantastic background music for your YouTube videos.
Music for Youtube Videos: What You Need to Consider
Let’s set the scene.
You’ve created a killer piece of content! You’ve worked your butt off, and now you’re ready to add the finishing touches before clicking that all-important upload button. But first, it’s finally time to choose the music that will accompany your masterpiece.
Before we run through your options, here are the main points you need to consider in order to select that crucial piece of music.
Copyright and Music Licensing
Probably the most important element to consider when deciphering which music you’ll use alongside your content is its licensing. Above all, you want to avoid copyright infringement!
Simply put, any music that is played in public or on a public platform requires the permission of its copyright holders before it can be used.
If you do not seek permission and use the audio regardless, there is every chance your YouTube video will be removed from the platform. Then, all your hard work would be gone in the blink of an eye!
With Lickd, you have access to an extensive music library that allows you to include some of your favourite music in your YouTube videos without needing to worry about a copyright claim! Yes, we know you thought you couldn’t use mainstream music without getting a copyright claim… but the game has changed! Doesn’t it seem a bit unfair that you shouldn’t be able to use music from the likes of Sia, Charlie Puth, Megan Thee Stallion? We thought so too, so that’s why we started Lickd! To finally give you access to mainstream music to use in your videos.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of your Youtube video’s background music should not be sacrificed. You want your content to seem professional and well-made. Using muffled music with poor sound quality is enough to put anyone off finishing watching a video!
Making sure you use high-quality music in your YouTube video will create a better end result and should gain you more views and engagement!
Lickd is unique in that we work directly with recording studios and artists, collaborating to provide music of the highest possible quality to content creators.
Your Audience
Make sure the music that you choose is appropriate for the type of content you create. You wouldn’t want to use, for instance, classical background music for a high-energy workout YouTube video!
Consider your audience, who they are, what they like, and choose music accordingly!
The Latest Music
Great music is released all year round, so it’s a fantastic idea to make use of trending or popular music.
Lickd offers popular, mainstream music to content creators. This way, your content will appear trendy and relevant!
Budget
Consider your budget. You want to be able to achieve the above points without rendering yourself out of pocket. With so many sources for YouTube video music, you are sure to find an option with a budget that suits you!
From as little as $8 per mainstream song, Lickd has great prices for mainstream music licenses. If you’re just not quite there yet or don’t have the cash to spare, a subscription to a stock music platform may be a good option for you. As long as you consider that you’ll need to consistently make new content in order to make the most of your subscription. Plus, the music you’ll get from these subscriptions are generally of lower quality and therefore will add less value to your videos.
Your Options
Let’s talk through your options! There are a few different types of music licenses that will allow you to avoid that all-terrifying copyright infringement!
Public Domain Music Licensing
Public domain music is music that no longer has a copyright owner, possibly because the artist specifically put their work into the public domain or the rights the copyright owner had expired. This music can be downloaded for both personal and commercial use without the worry that you’ll infringe on its copyright.
It’s often pretty tricky to find music in the public domain. Often when you do find something you like, only half the song’s copyright will be in the public domain, so you’ll still have to obtain a license for the other half. It’s pretty long to explain why but you can learn more in our guide to public domain music.
A lot of the music in the public domain is also usually classical music – so if you’re looking to use classical music in your YouTube videos then great! But if not, public domain music probably isn’t the right option for you.
Mainstream music
Adding mainstream music into your YouTube videos has been proven to grow channels faster as well as improve engagement and views. Not only this, but creators say that featuring mainstream music in their videos makes it seem of higher quality and their viewers actually recognize the music and stick around for longer. But you’re probably thinking “How can I use mainstream music in my videos? I’ll get a copyright claim and have my video demonetized!” Well, the game has changed!
Lickd is a licensing platform that is reinventing music licensing for content creators. What gives Lickd the edge is that we work directly with some of the world’s largest recording studios to get music from artists you’ll actually recognize such as David Guetta, Rita Ora, Sia, Mabel, Disclosure, XXXTENTACION and many, many more!
Because of working with the record labels and other rightsholders directly, it mean that we can give you actual legal permission to use these songs. Meaning no copyright claims or demonetization!
With 25% off your first license, there is no reason not to give Lickd a go. Combine that with free stock music for 14 days and we hope to help you with all your needs for music for YouTube videos!
Royalty-free stock music
Stock music is another popular option for YouTube videos. Originally created as a workaround for mainstream music, stock still has its place – sometimes all you need is a non-distracting background tune. It’s also a cheap alternative to mainstream music and you can usually use stock tracks an unlimited amount of times!
There are a bunch of stock music websites to choose from so we’d say do your research and see what works best for you. Of course we may be slightly biased, but Lickd is the biggest music licensing platform for creators and the only one that also offers mainstream tracks, so to us the choice seems pretty clear, but we’ll leave it up to you!
With a Lickd account, you’ll have unlimited use of stock music. Plus, our extensive collection of high-quality stock music, features stock tracks that have been used in TV and movies. Get free stock music for 14 days if you sign up now. Decide for yourself by trying it out, no strings attached.
Other royalty-free music platforms
There are a few free royalty-free music platforms available, like YouTube Audio Library, but you’ll probably find that these platforms are very limited in their choices and quality. Platforms like YouTube Audio Library might be a good option for some, but if you want your subscribers to keep coming back for more, you’ll definitely benefit from something a little better. Remember, good music doesn’t have to break the bank, but you’ll probably see more engagement and growth on your channel if you opt for it, resulting in (more) ad revenue which more than makes up for the investment.
FAQs
Why should I choose Lickd?
Choosing Lickd means you will have access to the very best music for your YouTube videos. It is the simplest process!
You won’t have to scour the internet for music of good quality or music that is currently popular – it will all be at your fingertips! It takes the hassle out of adding the finishing touches to your content and guarantees that the quality will be as good as can be. Plus, copyright infringement will seem like a distant memory.
So, get ready to create some of the best content on the web, with a Lickd music account perfectly complimenting your soon-to-be-viral YouTube video!
How long is my license valid for?
Forever! The majority of our licenses are granted in perpetuity, so there’s no danger of your video ever being taken down (Yay!)
There is one small exception to this… which is that Universal Music Group (UMG) reserves the right to potentially choose to reapply claims after five years.
However, even if they did this, it would not result in a video takedown.
I don’t have a YouTube channel. Can I still use Lickd?
If you produce videos for other platforms like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok etc., it’s understandable you might not already have a YouTube channel.
You will need a Google Account and YouTube channel in order to license music from Lickd, even if you aren’t posting your videos there.
Fortunately, it only takes a few minutes to create these (if you don’t have them already)! You can find more information here.
I see you don’t have the chart track I am looking for. Can I license it anyway? Do you take recommendations, or can you help me find an alternative?
With over 1 million tracks currently available on Lickd, we know we don’t have every track covered – but we’re working on it. If the track isn’t on the website, then, unfortunately, it’s not available to license… Yet!
However, if there is a particular track you’d like, the Lickd music team is prioritising the most searched tracks on Lickd, so start searching to get the track you want added next. Help prove to the music industry that this is a service that creators really want, and bigger and better tracks will be made available!
In the meantime, we can help you find an alternative. Our music matching technology can match the characteristics (genre, mood, BPM, etc.) of your desired track to help you find something similar that is currently available on the Lickd platform. This is a service we offer to all of our members, so all you have to do is send us the YouTube link of your desired track to support@lickd.co, and we’ll provide you with an alternative.
Can I upload a chart song by itself or with lyrics to YouTube?
Our licenses do not permit the songs to be used for lyric videos or by themselves (with just an image of the album artwork, for example). That’s because these videos are deemed not as background music to content but simply as a way to stream the track – which is not what our licenses are intended for. This is listed in the restrictions section of all our licenses.
For more FAQs, check out our help center.
You may also be interested in these YouTube-related guides
As experts in providing licensed music for videos and creative projects, Lickd is here to help you with everything you need to know to make the best content possible for your subscribers.
How to monetize your YouTube channel – a beginner’s guide
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How to legally use copyrighted music on YouTube
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YouTube music policy – a beginner’s guide
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How to create multiple YouTube channels
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Whether you’re after music intros for your podcast or trending tracks for your videos, Lickd can guide you through the music sourcing process and help you make the right choices.
How to add an intro to a YouTube video
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