How to Find Copyright-Free Background Music for Your Videos

In this day and age, video content is an essential part of your content marketing strategy. Videos perform extremely well online — in fact, research has shown that people are twice as likely to share video content with their friends than any other type of content (including social media posts, blog posts/articles, and product pages). But sometimes creators hesitate to take the leap into video content because they worry it will be too expensive.

There are some costs that come along with video content creation (like basic equipment), but background music doesn’t have to be one of them. As video marketing experts, we’re here with a list of the best places to find copyright-free background music for your videos.

Find Copyright-Free Background Music for Your Videos

1. YouTube Audio Library

The YouTube Audio Library is chock-full of copyright-free background music. They’ve curated a mix of Creative Commons and public domains works that are free to use. Many of which do not even require you to attribute the owner of the track. They have a helpful search function that will allow you to search for background music using keywords, mood descriptions, duration, etc. Alternatively, you can apply the “popularity” filter to see what songs have been downloaded the most recently. 

Another fantastic feature of YouTube’s Audio Library is the ability to “star” your favorite tracks. Sometimes you may find some background music you like but isn’t the right fit for your current video. YouTube makes it easy to mark the track so you can come back to it later.

2. Free Music Archive

Free Music Archive has tagged itself as the “#1 resource for free music and royalty-free music”. Started and directed by WFMU, a non-commercial radio station, the site works with other radio stations, curators, and artists to provide creators with a huge selection of background music. Now, the types of licenses of Free Music Archive do vary, so it’s important to look at any track you want to use to ensure you know what specific licensing it has.

You can also filter your music search results by license. For instance, if you’ll be using your video for marketing purposes, you’ll want to un-check the “non-commercial use” box to make sure your search only returns tracks that you can actually use. The site has tracks divided into many different genres, with sub-genres underneath those. To get started, check out their Music For Video section where they have lots of tracks that are will make great background music for videos.

3. Incompetech

This artist-run site has copyright-free background music perfect for your videos. With around 2,000 tracks to choose from, you’re sure to find something that fits your needs. And they can all be used for free as long as you credit the musician and link back to the site. The tracks are arranged into traditional genre collections, like Hip Hop or Classic Rock.

You can also filter results by selecting different criteria like Mood (angry/aggressive, epic/powerful, funny/quirky, etc.), Instrument, Tempo, Length, and more. When you select a song, the site will also give you the full attribution you need to use, so all you have to do is copy and paste.

4. SoundCloud

We’re guessing you’ve probably heard of SoundCloud before. But you may not know that it’s a great resource for copyright-free background music for marketing videos. The reason that SoundCloud stands out so much from the competition is that most of the tracks you’ll find there sound like real music – not the distinctive “elevator music” sound you often get in marketing videos.

Their search function isn’t quite as user-friendly as some other sites, but it doesn’t take too long to get the hang of. To get started, try searching keywords like “ambient beat” or “uplifting background music”. And don’t forget to pay attention to the social element of SoundCloud! On this site, users can “like” tracks, so you can show some love to the music you like and see what songs in your search results are the most popular.

Now, keep in mind that now all of the tracks on SoundCloud are copyright-free. To make sure your searches only return results that you can actually use for free, follow the steps below:

1. Once you’ve searched your keywords, select Tracks from the menu on the left.
2. Click © To listen to under Filter Results.
3. Here, you’ll find the option to select different licenses. Select To use commercially.
4. Your search results will now refine to show only the tracks that are available for free download and commercial use.

As for attribution, any track you select should offer specific instructions for attribution from the creator. Just make sure you follow those, and you’re good to go!

5. Jamendo

Jamendo is unique because it’s got a major focus on listening, not just providing copyright-free background music. When you visit their site, you’ll see that they have two different sections: Jamendo Music, which offers free streaming and the ability to discover new artists, and Jamendo Licensing, where you can find royalty-free music for commercial use. Under the Jamendo Licensing headline, you’ll find a button that will take you directly to Music for Videos.

Jamendo is also unique because it’s the only platform featured here that was specifically created for marketers and advertisers. That’s why you’ll find a very different search functionality than you will on other sites. You can search for tracks based on two factors: the type of project you’re creating (software, advertising, etc.) and what platform you’ll be using your project on (Facebook, YouTube, etc.). Once you’ve selected these two options, the site will automatically give you options based on your selections.

Keep in mind that not all tracks on Jamendo are free to download and use. Some tracks can cost around $50 to license. So be sure to check the stipulations on any music you find in your searches.

6. YouTube Search

If you’re looking for copyright-free background music for your videos and you want a simple solution, you can always just search on YouTube using appropriate keywords (try “copyright free background music”). There are also entire YouTube channels that are dedicated to uploading copyright-free music. Try Audio Library and Royalty Free Music to get started!

Where is your favorite spot to find copyright-free background music for your videos? 

Tell us in the comments how you find and use music in your videos! 

And don’t forget to use Zubtitle for all of your video editing and optimizing needs. Sign up for a free account today and start creating instantly.