The Top 20 Best Songs for YouTube Videos

Copyrighted music is great because:

• It’s recognisable, meaning your viewers enjoy it more and therefore engage more with your video! (This helps you get more views, watch time, likes, and comments – which ultimately grows your channel!)
• It creates emotions and vibes that royalty-free music couldn’t. Like nostalgia, for example!
• It drives trends on short-form videos like TikToks and Reels. Why shouldn’t you be able to use those on YouTube?!
• It’s almost as cheap and easy to use as royalty-free music. So why settle for that when you can have the real deal?

With Lickd, you can use copyrighted music in your YouTube videos legally for the first time!! Forget worrying about copyright issues and demonetisation. No more digging around in royalty-free music libraries to find a decent track that hasn’t been overused already. You’ll have instant access to music from famous artists that’s super quick and easy to license.

Welcome to the new era of music for YouTube!

These are the top 20 best songs for your YouTube videos:

1. The Weeknd – Blinding Lights

As the most-streamed song EVER, you literally could not get your hands on a more popular song. It’s instantly iconic and pulsing with retro energy that turns any scene into a cinematic masterpiece. Did you know you can use Starboy and other tracks from The Weeknd too? Check them all out below

2. Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso

This was the song of the Summer in 2024. Let’s face it, all of 2024 was soundtracked by Sabrina and her other big tracks like Taste, Please Please Please, and loads more! Check them all out below.

3. The Killers – Mr Brightside

An American hit that the British go mad for. Play this song in your video and be prepared to have 100 brits mention it in the comments. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

4. Coldplay – Paradise

Turn any moment of your video into a cinematic journey with this epic anthem from Coldplay. Scored a goal? Received great news? Watching the most beautiful sunset? Paradise is the perfect soundtrack. Check out more songs from Coldplay, including Yellow, Sparks, Viva La Vida, and loads more…

5. Can’t Hold Us by Macklemore ft. Ray Dalton

This 2010s hit is one of the top licensed tracks on Lickd EVER. With its high energy, we can totally see why. Will you use it to energise your video too?

6. 24K Magic by Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars sure knows how to write a hit. Beloved by milennials, Gen Z and beyond, he is 24k magic. Check out more of his tracks too, like Just The Way You Are, and Marry You, also available for use on YouTube!

7. Caesars – Jerk It Out

If you don’t know this one from the title, you’ll recognise it as soon as it comes on. It has a great drum beat, and a hook that’ll have you going “Let’s play FIFA” as soon as you hear the opening tune. 

8. Don Toliver – No Pole

Add instant swagger to your video with this hypnotic track from Don Toliver. It’s screaming out for a fit check, nighttime drone shot, cars, or workout video.

9. Christina Perri – A Thousand Years

This song is super popular with wedding videographers. They LOVE this track! But, it works well for any romantic moment 🫶🏻

10. Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up

A cultural icon, the ultimate soundtrack for rickrolls! Need we say any more?

11.  La Roux – Bulletproof

An iconic 2000s hit that has stood the test of time, it has also received more love again recently thanks to going viral on TikTok (long live Y2K!)

12. Dua Lipa – Don’t Start Now

This disco-inspired banger was our first taste of Future Nostalgia and boy, did the world love it. Fun fact: it’s been used in over 8 million TikTok videos to date! If this isn’t your favorite Dua Lipa song, no worries, there’s loads more to choose from.

13. The Offspring – You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid

Fast, furious, and impossible to ignore — this punk-rock powerhouse fuels revenge arcs, epic fails, and every high-octane moment in between. Crank it up and let your edit go feral. + more honorable mentions from them like Pretty Fly (For A White Guy), and The Kids Aren’t Alright. Check them all out via the button below.

14. Bastille – Pompeii

With thunderous drums and an anthemic hook, “Pompeii” brings nostalgia, energy, and emotion in one hit. Perfect for travel vlogs, transformation arcs, or any moment that feels like the start of something big.

15. KALEO – Way Down We Go

This impactful and raw track will instantly take your video from YouTube video to cinematic masterpiece. See what we mean here (this clip gives me chills every time!): 

16. Evanescence – Bring Me To Life

🎵 Wake me up, wake me up inside, SAAAVE ME 🎵  With its haunting vocals and explosive rock power, this track defined the 2000s. Though it’s had its moments on TikTok too! It’s perfect for dramatic edits, gaming montages, or any scene that needs raw intensity.

17. R.E.M. – Losing My Religion

A timeless alt-rock anthem full of emotion and atmosphere. Ideal for reflective moments, storytelling, or when your video needs a thoughtful, nostalgic edge. Other tracks from them, like Everybody Hurts and Shiny Happy People deserve a shoutout too!

18. Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Murder On the Dancefloor

Back in the spotlight thanks to Saltburn, this disco-pop classic is playful, stylish, and instantly recognisable. A killer pick for party vibes, fashion edits, or cheeky transitions.

19. Justin Bieber – Sorry

One of Bieber’s biggest hits, packed with tropical house beats and catchy hooks. Perfect for travel vlogs, fun skits, or anytime you want to keep the energy light and upbeat. Check out loads more from biebs too, via the link below.

20. Shania Twain – Man! I Feel Like A Woman

An iconic 90s anthem that still brings the hype today. The ultimate soundtrack for glow-ups, girls’ nights, bold entrances, or any video that needs unapologetic confidence.

There are so many more to choose from that it was a real challenge to just pick the top 20! Runners up include Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars, The Proclaimers – I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), twenty one pilots, and loads more.

But, how is it possible to use all these huge copyrighted hits from huge artists?

Lickd allows you to quickly, easily, and cheaply license copyrighted tracks, meaning you can use them in your content without getting copyright claims! 

Plus, creators using copyrighted music from Lickd have experienced huge improvements in their video stats – Double the views, 76% more likes and 35% more watch time!

Tips for working with background music

Finding the best background music for YouTube is one thing, but artfully weaving it through your videos is a skill. Making sure your viewers can still hear you talk, but that your audience gets the vibe you want from your video can be tricky. This blend sets the best videos apart.

It doesn’t matter where you’ve sourced your soundtrack from, you still need to make sure you’ve used the music effectively. Here’s what to consider when you’re editing background music into your video:

1. Choose music that matches the tone of your video

Think about some of your favorite movie scenes or film soundtracks. There’s a reason why the producers of the Harry Potter films chose that magical, mystical, lilting melody rather than a punk rock soundtrack. Music is essential to setting the mood of your content.

In fact, 30% of YouTube viewers say that music can make or break a video. If you get it wrong, it could quickly get your audience clicking away from your content and subscribing to a different channel. Not only that, but you need to consider how your music choices fit with the overall style of your YouTube channel and the vibe your audience expects.

We’d recommend working on the video first and finding a track to match it later. Check the tempo, do you want lyrics or something purely instrumental? If you get the blend right you’re onto a winner.

2. Choose tracks that loop, or tracks that flow well into the next

If you’re looking for a cohesive feel to your video, choose tracks that loop easily. This way you can use a few similar tracks on repeat and not worry about potentially jarring changes between melodies.

Another way to tackle this is to pick tracks that have the same genre or BPM. We showed you above how fitness creators choose tracks that go well together in their longer pieces, which adds variety but keeps an overriding tone and theme.

3. Adjust the audio levels in your video

There’ll be points in your video where you want your chosen music to be the most prominent audio, but at other times, you’ll want to be heard talking over it. Background music often needs to remain in just that –  the background – so it’s important to understand how to adjust audio levels.

How you do that will depend on your video editor of choice, check out our audio editing tutorials to help you. For more top tips on how to choose the right music for your YouTube videos, watch the video below.

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

One of the biggest questions that new creators ask. We’re here to help you understand the basics of monetizing your videos.

How to use copyrighted music on YouTube, legally

We know everything there is to know about music copyright laws. Lickd is here to help you legally add your favorite artists and music to your YouTube videos.

YouTube music policy – a beginner’s guide

We’re experts in music policy across all platforms, and are here to run you through everything you need to know about YouTube’s music policy.

How to create multiple YouTube channels

Getting one channel off the ground is hard enough, but getting multiple channels going and performing is even tougher. We’re here to help.

Best places to get YouTube video music

We’ve rounded up 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.

How to add an intro to a YouTube video

Adding an intro to your YouTube videos is an easy way to communicate your brand and give viewers a glimpse of your channel.

How to Create a Good YouTube Thumbnail

Your video thumbnail is your first impression and will either lead viewers to watch your video or mindlessly scroll past it.

Now you know all about the best songs for YouTube videos! So, what is Lickd?

Now you’ve worked out the kind of tracks you want to use and how you’re going to seamlessly blend them into your content, it’s time to use them! Lickd allows you to quickly, easily, and cheaply license copyrighted tracks from famous artists. Meaning you can use them in your content without getting copyright claims! Plus, creators using Lickd have experienced huge improvements in their video stats – Double the views, 76% more likes and 35% more watch time! You can achieve this too with the best background music for YouTube. Simply click the button to get started with Lickd: