Podcast FAQ

how to find music for podcast

by Michelle Ryan Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
image

You can find a composer for your podcast music by:

  • Posting a request in podcasting Facebook groups like Podcast Movement
  • Research and contact a composer you’ve heard on another podcast.
  • Approach a local music school or academy
  • Search for composers on Soundcloud

Top 11 Places to Find Music for Your Podcast
  1. Free Music Archive.
  2. Silverman Sound Studios.
  3. Freebeats.io.
  4. Incompetech.
  5. Pixabay Music.
  6. Audiojungle.
  7. Audio Blocks.
  8. Epidemic Sound.
Jun 12, 2022

Full Answer

Where can I find free music for my podcast?

You can find thousands of free music for podcasts on Snapmuse. In our massive royalty free music library, you can find the best intro music, most popular outro tracks and good background music for your podcasts. How do I download music to my podcast?

How to make your podcasts more appealing?

You can incorporate catchy intro and outro music or appropriate background music into your podcasts. By using the right transition music and theme music, you can create professional and fun podcasts that successfully entertains your audience.

Where can I find a good theme tune for a podcast?

There's a whole load of tracks on there that would certainly fit as the theme tune to a spoken word podcast though. You can use the music on Incompetech for free, and without permission (so long as you credit the site).

Where can I find intro music for my podcast?

TLDR: Best places to find ‘podsafe' podcast intro music. FYI we use affiliates for these services because we really like them. They each have 10,000s of tracks available on lifetime licenses. You'll find more in-depth info on each service in the article itself. Any music you use during the course of your subscription is yours to keep, forever!

image

What music can I use on podcast?

It's legal to play copyrighted music on a podcast so long as you've cleared the rights or are following Fair use. Ah.

How do I put music on my podcast?

1:073:18How to add intro and outro music to your podcast - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSpace there are a couple of ways to do this you can either import audio files from your documentMoreSpace there are a couple of ways to do this you can either import audio files from your document saved computer wherever.

Can you use any song on your podcast?

You cannot simply use small portions of copyrighted music under fair use laws. Not-for-profit or hobby-based podcasts are not exempt from copyright laws. There is no non-profit exception to copyright laws. Giving attribution to the creator does not give you the right to redistribute their work.

Can I use background music on a podcast?

Music you have licensed The majority of music available to use for your podcast will need to be licensed. You can do this through music licensing platforms like Lickd, or else directly through the license owner of a track.

Can I use Spotify music in my podcast?

Spotify's Music + Talk format brings together music and spoken-word content to create a unique format that combines full songs and commentary together into one podcast episode. Creators are able to use Anchor to add any of the 70 million songs in Spotify's library to their podcasts .

Where can I find non copyrighted music?

The 11 Best Websites for Background Music for VideoEpidemic Sound.YouTube Audio Library.AudioJungle.Storyblocks.Jamendo.SoundCloud.Freeplay Music.Bensound.More items...

How much does it cost to play a song on a podcast?

But the part that stood out to us: “An annual track license generally costs between $500 and $2,000 for the master recording, plus the same amount for publishing, sources say, and must be renewed for a podcast to remain online”.

Should I copyright my podcast?

Using any portion of copyrighted material for a podcast without permission may be copyright infringement if an exception or limitation on the copyright owner's rights does not apply. Fair use is one such limitation and discussed further below. It would be wise to secure the rights before using any copyrighted material.

How do I get permission to use a song?

In general, the permissions process involves a simple five-step procedure:Determine if permission is needed.Identify the owner.Identify the rights needed.Contact the owner and negotiate whether payment is required.Get your permission agreement in writing.

Where can I get free music for my podcast?

Best Free Sources of Podcast MusicPodcast.co.Pixabay Music.Freebeats.io.Free Music Archive.Incompetech.Silverman Sound Studios.Purple Planet.Audionautix.

Do you need a license to play music on a podcast?

1) Podcasts Require Sync Licenses In order to use any copyrighted music in their show, a podcaster needs to obtain a synchronization license. These types of licenses traditionally govern music use in TV shows, films, and commercials, as those media require the music be “synced” with the visuals on screen.

Can I use YouTube clips in my podcast?

0:325:41Youtube Clips in Podcast EpisodesYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOn what the nature of the use in the podcast. Is you see here in the United States at least we haveMoreOn what the nature of the use in the podcast. Is you see here in the United States at least we have the fair use exception or defense to a copyright infringement claim.

How much does it cost to play a song on a podcast?

But the part that stood out to us: “An annual track license generally costs between $500 and $2,000 for the master recording, plus the same amount for publishing, sources say, and must be renewed for a podcast to remain online”.

Do you need a license to play music on a podcast?

1) Podcasts Require Sync Licenses In order to use any copyrighted music in their show, a podcaster needs to obtain a synchronization license. These types of licenses traditionally govern music use in TV shows, films, and commercials, as those media require the music be “synced” with the visuals on screen.

How much of a song can I use on a podcast?

There is no limit or threshold. There are many rumors and myths about music samples being within fair use for podcasting if the used fragment is less than two seconds (or 3 or 5, it doesn't matter). This is not true. Any usage of protected material can infringe copyrights.

Should you add music to your podcast?

Good background music in a podcast is very important for many reasons. You see, podcasts are an audio-only format. Your listeners don't see your face and facial expressions or those of your guests, and there are no graphics bouncing around on screen. So you want to provide a full audio experience, which includes music.

What Kind of Music Am I Allowed to use?

It’s your duty to always make sure you have permission to use whatever music you play on your podcast. Generally there are 3 options available to you.

Where Can I Find Free Podcast Music?

It is possible to get podcast music for free, but beware. Because there are only a few options, here, and the libraries aren’t big, then the music...

How Can I Buy Commercial Podcast Music?

To me, it’s worthwhile paying a wee bit extra to license some commercial music. It means you can find much higher quality tracks, that sound far mo...

What Are The Best Paid Podcast Music Stores?

Here’s where we get our music. Just to let you know, we have a partner deal with each, so we get a small commission if you use them. But, don’t wor...

Wondering How to Use Music well?

We have a couple of articles around this that you could check out: 1. How to Choose and Use Music for Mood 2. Adding Structure, Clarity & Timing Th...

How long is the outro music for podcasts?

Not very long! Depending on your stylistic choices, the length of an outro music might vary between 5 seconds to a whole minute.

How to get intro music just right for podcasts?

You need to find an intro music that suits well with your content and style. If you are looking for royalty free music for podcasts, you should che...

How can I find music for podcasts?

It is easy! Check Snapmuse’s impressive library of music for podcasts where you can find hundreds of high quality tracks in different genres.

Can I use any music for my podcast?

Unfortunately, you cannot. Due to copyright laws and regulations, you need to pay close attention to which music you use for your podcast otherwise...

How much of a song can you use legally on a podcast?

You may find some web pages online that say you can use 5, 15 or 30 seconds of a copyrighted song on your project without having to pay for it. Unf...

Do I just need a standard music license for podcasts?

No, you need Sync Licenses (Synchronization Licenses) for podcasts. This type of license pertains to commercials, TV shows, films and other visual...

How will music help my podcast?

Maybe you just recorded a hilarious podcast with friends, or an amazing interview for your company or publication. You’re feeling on top of the world and the material is full of substance, but the recording feels like it’s missing something.

What kind of music works for podcasts? How do I choose the right music for my podcast?

There are a few things to consider when picking the right music for your podcast. You may need to ask yourself some hard-hitting questions, such as “What is the purpose of this” or “What is the trajectory of this work” to fully inform your musical choices.

Where do I find music for podcasts?

Well, there are a few different places you can find music for podcasts. What’s most important to remember is that you have legal permission to use the music you include in your podcast.

What Music Should You Use?

Firstly, you need to figure out what kind of music you want to use. There’s a lot of options out there and this step can be very overwhelming. I recommend listening to shows with a similar style to yours to get some inspiration. Many shows with similar formats or genres will use the same type of music. Upbeat and happy for interview shows.

Where To Find Royalty-Free Music

So now you know what type of music you want for your podcast, where should you go to get them? There are plenty of websites out there where you can download royalty-free music . Some of these sites offer you the tracks for free, while others require different licensing or one-off fees to download.

Where To Place Music In Your Podcast

Typically most shows use music in their intros and outros and some shows use it to break up their episodes into segments. Music can be used for more than this though as it can help to create an immersive sound design that draws your audience in into the narrative.

Check Levels And Fade It In And Out

Now that you have chosen your music and you know how you are going to use it, now it’s time to incorporate it into your podcast. There are a few key things you can do to make sure the music sits in well with the rest of the audio, so that your podcast sounds clean and professional.

What is royalty free music?

With Royalty Free music, you buy the license for a piece of podcast music. This entitles you to use it as and when you wish, for the duration of the license. Most one-off music purchases give you a lifetime license. A lot of the newer ‘subscription' services give you a license, as long as you have an active subscription.

How many tracks are there in Epidemic?

Epidemic boasts a library of over 30,000 tracks, and they add new ones every week. They also have a 60,000-strong sound effect library. This is ideal if you like to do a bit of soundscaping in your show.

How long does it take for music to go out of the public domain?

Music goes out of copyright and into the public domain after a certain amount of years. Usually this follows the death of the artist/copyright holder. That law and time period differs from country to country. 70 years after death is a good ballpark figure.

What is Alitu used for?

Alitu is designed to help folks who have never mixed audio before to create great sounding content in a quick and simple way. You can record directly into Alitu (either solo, or with a remote guest), chop out any mistakes, add in your fancy new music and it'll help you create a nice fade-out effect.

What is music radio creative?

Music Radio Creative go beyond simply helping you choose music for your podcast. They will also work with you to design tailor made intros, outros, transitions, stingers, and jingles. They collaborate with some of the best voice over talent in the world to craft your message into these segments.

Who is Gordon Firemark?

If you want to dive a bit deeper into how the law works with podcast music, check out this interview with Gordon Firemark on Podcraft. He's a media lawyer, and went into some great detail around copyright and fair use.

Who made the incompetech?

Single Tracks: Incompetech. Incompetech is an extensive library of free-to-use music created by composer Kevin MacLeod. A lot of his work is scored for film and documentary. These can really work well on fictional pieces, if you're an audio drama or documentary creator.

Why do podcasts need music?

In fact, you must use music in your podcasts to get your listeners’ attention and keep them engaged with your content. You can incorporate catchy intro and outro music or appropriate background music into your podcasts.

What is intro music?

Intro music has the ability to set the tone for a podcast. You can tell a lot with your intro music alone: who you are, what kind of content you create, which audiences you appeal to and much more. In addition, your intro music is your first contact with your listeners. If you want to make a good impression and hook your listeners in ...

Why use background music in podcasts?

Using high quality background music in your podcasts help you create a vivid, engaging atmosphere. Moreover, using a background music that complements your content allows you to convey your message to your listeners as well .

Why is it important to have the right music?

Adding a track that complements the theme and style of your content helps you convey your message more efficiently. Moreover, with the use of right music, you can easily evoke emotions in your listeners.

Can you use Creative Commons music for podcasts?

You can opt for creative commons music for podcasts so that you can freely share your content without worrying about violating the copyright rules of your preferred platform. Moreover, you can also find free music to use in podcasts on Snapmuse.

Do podcasts need sync licenses?

No, you need Sync Licenses (Synchronization Licenses) for podcasts. This type of license pertains to commercials, TV shows, films and other visual media since the visuals on the screen and sound are “synched.”.

Can you use different types of music in podcasts?

You can use different types of music in your podcasts. Below you can find out what these different types are and discover the most popular, high quality examples of different music for podcasts.

How to find royalty-free music for podcasts?

Well, if you want to find the perfect royalty-free tune for your show, you need to skim through the platforms with copyright-free tracks. In other words, you’re going to go through a lot of research.

Free Sources for Podcast Music

Sometimes, starting a podcast is a pretty spontaneous decision. You start it for your uni project, to impress the instructors and have fun while on it, and all of a sudden, it becomes your true passion. You wake up every day with one thought in your mind: what type of episode should you record this time?

Podcastle.ai

Although Podcastle is mainly an audio content creation platform, it also offers many royalty-free music tracks that you can use for free. Here, you’ll find intro tracks, outro tracks, and even some tunes to separate your segments.

Pixabay Music

For those among you who have also looked for copyright-free images before, Pixabay should already be familiar. They are mostly known for their royalty-free images, but luckily for podcasters, they now also offer completely free-to-use music tracks that do not require credits.

Free Music Archive

Free Music Archive is exactly what the name suggests: an archive of free music. It collects music from hundreds of curators and artists and offers them all on its platform. Just like Pixabay, it has a pretty decent UI and is very easy to navigate through. All tracks are absolutely free, and you don’t need to credit any of them.

Musicbed

Founded in 2011, Musicbed is one of the leaders in the market of premium music. Most of the tracks are created by top musicians, and with a paid subscription you can access them all.

Soundstripe

Another subscription-based platform that offers good music for podcasts is Soundstripe. Although it does not provide as extensive of a library as Musicbed, it is still a pretty decent option, especially considering the fact that the price is way more affordable.

What is a podcast music bed?

Podcast music beds (i.e., background music) The best background music for podcasts often goes unnoticed. It’s subtle enough to not be distracting. Yet it sends a powerful emotional cue to listeners, whether they’re aware of it or not.

What does transition music mean in podcasts?

When a podcast host shifts to a new topic in a show, transition music signals to listeners that a change is coming. It’s comparable to a subhead or page break in an article and results in a smoother listening experience.

Why do podcasts need music?

Adding music to your podcast can help you increase audience engagement, brand awareness, and your show’s overall level of professionalism. And with Music for Makers, sourcing great music for podcasts is simple and affordable. But don’t take my word for it.

What is the purpose of theme music in podcasts?

But a theme song — the most common application of music in podcasts — can help give it an identity. Theme music serves as a sort of auditory logo . It’s part of your brand, something that distinguishes you from other podcasts and sets expectations for your listeners.

How long should an intro music be?

Justin Jackson, podcaster and founder of Transistor.fm, recommends aiming for five seconds. This ensures you jump into the meat of the episode right away and thus avoid annoying or boring listeners.

Do you have to include attribution when using my music?

For example, you don’t have to include attribution if you use my music. (But you’re welcome to!) On the other hand, some paid libraries require you to link back to them — even after you’ve purchased a license. The moral of the story is to read the music license or just ask the copyright holder.

Is podcast music in the public domain?

As of 2019, that includes stuff created before 1924. So, for the vast majority of podcasts, Public Domain music isn’t all that useful.

What is YouTube's audio library?

YouTube’s Audio Library provides numerous types of music and sound effects. Initially intended for YouTubers, the service also appeals to podcasters. The contents can be classified by genre, mood or type of instrument. In addition to musical content, the platform also offers a wide variety of sound effects. An icon indicates whether or not you need to credit the artist. Attention: YouTube specifies that if you want to use their music other than on their platform, it’s up to you to check the legality of your actions.

What is an icon8?

Icons8, a company specializing in icon design, offers a music platform under a Creative Commons license. Although the service was originally designed for videos, you’re sure to find some little nuggets to dress up your podcasts. The songs are classified by theme (documentary, horror, meditation…), genre (folk, piano, vintage…) and mood (calm, intense, romantic…). Be aware that they’ll ask you to include a link to the site if you use one of their productions. If you don’t wish to include a link, you can buy a subscription.

Does Universal Music have a music library?

Universal Music offers an extensive music library. Though it primarily features music for movies and TV or radio programs, podcasters may also find the service useful. On their own initiative, artists provide royalty-free content that can be accessed on a subscription basis. As with other platforms, you can filter the results by theme (there’s even a radio theme), by mood or by genre. Regarding rates, you’ll need to contact them directly to find an offer that meets your needs.

Do I need music in my podcast?

Music plays an important role in podcasts. Even if featured briefly as intro and outro to an episode, it adds an extra layer of polish to a production and is often the first impression you make on a listener.

Where can I find music to use in my podcast?

Where can you find music to use in your podcast? Fortunately, there are many ways to get quality, legal music for your podcast and some of them are even free! No, simply buying an album does not grant you rights to use that music commercially.

Free Music

Here are my recommendations on how and where to find music for your podcast. I have no connection to any of these stock music sites. They are simply sources I have had experience with in my time as a podcast producer. First, where to find free music for your podcast!

Paid Music

Can’t find the perfect song in the public domain or Creative Commons? Or maybe you are looking for something more unique. There are, of course, many options if you have even just a small budget to invest in podcast music.

Custom Music

Perhaps you want a truly original theme song for your podcast. Unless you happen to be a musician yourself the best option for original music is simply to find a musician to create it for you. The cost of this can vary widely, of course.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9