The Ultimate Music for YouTube Gaming Videos

Gaming and music: two things that are great on their own and even better together. Like peanut butter and jelly, Jay Z and Beyonce, or, controversially, pineapple and pizza.

Before you start leaning into that debate, we’re not here to bicker about food or our favorite solo album; we’ve got a serious job to do. In this article, we’re here to help you solve the difficult artistic issue that can make or break a budding YouTuber’s career! 

You might think we’re exaggerating here (ok, maybe we are a little bit), but the importance of music in any YouTube video content can’t be overstated. We don’t need to convince you it’s good…historians reckon that, as a species, we’ve been listening to music for around 250,000 years, and there’s plenty of research on the emotion.

Why do gaming YouTubers need to use music in their videos?

 

The short answer is this: YouTube gamers use music in their YouTube videos to enhance the overall experience. In the same way that films use music as a tool to grip the viewer, tell a story or highlight a particular emotion; the best YouTubers do that, too.

Now, depending on what type of content creator you are, you can use this in a few different ways. If you’re producing some sort of high-octane, competitive gaming content, you’re going to want to enhance that mood with something upbeat and assertive. You want something provocative that gets the people going! 

If you want to create a chill vibe that helps people unwind, use music that compliments that! With this all being pretty common sense, we’re not here to explain how music works, we’re here to show you your options so that you can make the best content possible.

What types of music are best for gaming videos?

With so many tracks, artists, and genres to choose from, picking the best beats for your videos can feel like an impossible task! Don’t worry, though, the Lickd team is on hand to help. We’re here to give you the low-down on the different music you can use so you can understand what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t.

To help you get a head start with this, we’ve curated a list of playlists catered to most moods.

Feeling relaxed? No problem. 

Wistful? You got it. 

Energized? Hell to the yes! 

Stick with us to discover the best music that’ll be sure to take your content from zero to hero in no time.

Popular gaming background music

With so many artists and musical genres to choose from, picking background game music can be difficult. To help you find the right tunes, regardless of the game footage you’re uploading to your YouTube channel.

Gaming Lounge

This one’s packed out with hits that everyone loves to keep that retention high and create a party atmosphere. 

It’s got a nice mix of upbeat and relaxed tracks that are guaranteed to get those shoulders moving. The party’s over here!

Lo-Fi beats

Whether you’re studying, traveling or chilling, there’s a Lo-Fi beats playlist for everything. Lo-Fi beats make good gaming background music because they’re easy to listen to and can even enhance your focus.

If you’re looking for some chilled-out music to soundtrack gaming content like Minecraft or the Sims, our Lo-Fi playlist is a great place to start.

Sounds of FIFA

This is a playlist filled with excitement, guaranteed to bring good vibes to your content. For some videos, it makes sense to start on a high! With some absolute anthems on this playlist from the likes of George Georgia, Tom Boddy and Alex Norgate, this one will get the party started. 

Can’t get enough of FIFA Inspired? Check out our pick of the best songs from recent releases of FIFA that’ll be sure to take your videos straight to the back of the net.

Included: Epic

This playlist really does tick all the boxes when it comes to delivering truly epic vibes that are guaranteed to set the mood in your gaming videos, taking your viewers on a journey of heightened emotions alongside your gameplays, live streams, tutorials, and speed runs.   

Included: Epic is jam-packed full of snarling guitars and heavy drums, meaning it’s perfect for grabbing your audience’s attention and keeping them hooked.

Included: Trap

If you want to be on-trend with your content, this trap playlist is a winner. Full of swagger that’ll teleport you to the streets of 90’s Atlanta, the trap genre will add an instant edge to your videos. 

One thing to bear in mind, though, is the explicit nature of some trap music. If you want to target younger audiences with your gaming videos, be careful about including lyrics that reference drug use, violence, sex, and any other X-rated themes.

Playlists inspired by video game soundtracks

Included: League of Legends Inspired

This playlist is for all the League of Legends fans out there, or for anyone who’s looking for tunes that are the dictionary definition of epic! Think orchestral climaxes. Think Colosseum battles. This is the type of music that can make anyone feel like a hero.

 

Included: Call of Duty

Perhaps the pioneers of epic gameplay? Call Of Duty will forever be known for its cinematic scenes and immersive, gripping gameplay. So we made a playlist that sums this up. This playlist is full to the brim with tension. Get your weapons ready.

 

Included: Fortnite

Fortnite Battle Royale is a super-fun competitive multiplayer game, consisting of epic battles, furious looting and lots of building.

If you’re a Fortnite content creator, you need the ideal gaming background music to do those victories justice. 

Our Fortnite Inspired playlist includes epic songs that enhance the tension of getting down to the final few competitors and dance-infused beats that are an amazing soundtrack to the frantic looting to find a gun.

Included GTA inspired

It’s easy to get lost in a GTA game, whether you’re planning a heist in Los Santos or dodging the cops in Liberty City.

One of the ways Rockstar immerses you in GTA’s worlds is through the radio. Each title has its own collection of radio stations, playing a huge variety of music and featuring guest hosts like Cara Delevigne and Frank Ocean.

To recreate the feel of cruising around Los Santos in a stolen whip, our GTA Inspired playlist includes a selection of royalty-free music. Here, you’ll find west-coast-inspired classic hip-hop beats, big guitar riffs, and Lo-Fi beats, to take your gaming clips to the next level.

The most popular genres for the best video game music

Hip Hop Central

Now this is what you call an “anthems-only” playlist. Dripping with silky-smooth beats and fresh lyrics, these tracks will get those shoulders going. What better way to get that party started, right!? Expect hits from hip-hop icons like Lil Baby, Ice Spice, and XXXTENTACION; all of the vibes from start to finish.

 

Included: EDM

If you’re looking to give your gaming content the wow factor, our EDM playlist is the place to start. These huge tracks are sure to turn heads.

EDM is hugely popular in gaming, with Marshmello hosting an in-game Fortnite event that saw over 10 million gamers attend.

Regardless of the game you play and create content for, hearing a massive beat at 128-BPM is sure to get a gamer’s attention.

Rock gaming

If big guitar riffs and pounding drums are your thing, our Rock Gaming playlist is the place to be. Linkin Park, YUNGBLUD and Papa Roach all feature, so whenever your era was, there’s a track to get you head-banging.

This is an amazing playlist if you love action-packed games, like fast-paced shoot ’em ups and epic, adrenaline-fuelled violence.

Give your gaming content the soundtrack it deserves and grab the attention of your viewers by using one of the anthems from our Rock Gaming playlist.

Electro gaming

For upbeat, funky house, quirky electronica, and more, our Electro Gaming playlist is the one for you.

Retro gamers, who love arcade classics like Pac-Man, Space Invaders or Street Fighter, can’t go wrong with the heavy synth sounds of this playlist.

Where can YouTubers access the best music for their videos?

There are a few different ways that content creators can access music to put into their videos, but when you’re talking about the best music, you might want to give us a try.

If you want to download gaming background music, Lickd’s library includes the freshest tunes and trending beats to take your gaming videos to the next level (pun intended).

There’s a mix of stuff from the world’s favorite artists and royalty-free music, all available at the click of a button.

Gaming videos need Lickd

As a content creator, only you know the perfect music to accompany your videos based on the message you’re trying to convey and how you want your viewers to feel. So, have fun with it! Be yourself and experiment with different tracks until you find the ones that make your gaming videos the best they can be.

The key is to use backing and intro music that will resonate with your audience. More often than not, though, your average royalty-free tunes just aren’t going to cut the mustard. Using the same, uninspiring beats as everyone else isn’t going to make your content stand out against your competition’s. And, that’s not all, being part of our team helps you avoid those pesky copyright issues, too.

Enter, Lickd. 

Browse millions of the hottest tracks from the world’s biggest artists, all from our catalog of music. Not quite sold? Joining Lickd means following in the footsteps of some of the biggest and best YouTube channels: Logan Paul, Mr. Beast, Ryan Trahan…we could go on. Get started using the music that you (and your audience) really want to listen to, and watch your channel go from strength to strength!

Hungry for more top-tier content like this? Get yourself over to our blog, where you’ll find tips and tricks on all things content creation, including advice on music licensing for Twitch streamers, how to avoid copyright claims on YouTube, and more.

FAQs

What are the best headsets for YouTube gamers?

Great music deserves great sound systems, so don’t forget about the importance of choosing a headset designed with the needs of content creators like you in mind! 

When it comes to the best ones on the market, reputable brands like Bose, Razor, and Logitec are firm favorites among even the most famous creators. 

These styles consistently get fantastic reviews for the quality of their sound rendering capabilities, something which is key to producing quality content. 

What is the best audio editing tool for YouTube gaming music?

Depending on your needs and resources as a content creator, there are a few different options for the best audio editing tool for you. For people just starting out, we’d recommend Audacity for its user-friendliness and the fact that it is completely free.

Editing music into YouTube videos shouldn’t be too technical a task once you get the hang of it, so avoid spending money on fancy software that you don’t need!

How can YouTube gamers make money from their videos?

There are a number of ways that YouTubers can make money from their videos! The first one is through advertising revenue, this is where you can earn revenue from having different types of ads on your video. 

The amount paid per 1000 views has fluctuated over the years, and it is subject to the nature of the content you’re posting. Another great way is through brand deals, which you can learn more about on our blog.