In this guide, you’ll learn:
- The difference between royalty-free, copyright-free, public domain, and Creative Commons music (and why it matters)
- Where to find music that’s actually safe to monetise
- My step-by-step process for choosing and using tracks in long-form videos and Shorts
- How to use stems for more control over your audio
- Three common mistakes that trip up new creators and how to avoid them
Introduction:
One wrong song choice could cost your entire YouTube channel. Dramatic? Maybe.
But if you’re creating videos in 2026, understanding music rights isn’t optional. It’s essential.
The right music can help your videos feel more emotional and engaging, but with so many options out there, how do you know what music you can actually use?
While Wicked for Good may have the best music soundtracks, ever…using those songs (or copyrighted music) without the correct permission creates real problems.
Many creators don’t realise that using music without the proper rights can jeopardize their channel, resulting in muted audio, blocked videos or even worse, a copyright strike.
So let’s talk about the right way to go about using music in your YouTube videos so you don’t end up in hot water.
What is royalty-free vs other music types?
Royalty-free
Royalty-free music is music that can be used in your content (like videos, podcast or audio snippets) that doesn’t require you to pay ongoing royalties to artists every time you use the track.
To access it, you pay once (or via a subscription service).
Royalty-free music can be used in your YouTube videos without copyright strikes.
Copyright free:
Copyright-free music is music where the creator has given up copyright and can be used freely by anyone.
It’s pretty rare to have music that is truly copyright free.
Public domain
Here, the copyright has expired or been waived. You can copy it, change it, share it, and use it to make new stuff without needing to ask permission or pay any money.
Creative commons
Free to use under license rules.
These rules typically require you to:
- Give credit (say where you got it from)
- Only use it for non-commercial purposes (not make any money from it).
Here’s the part many beginners miss: royalty-free doesn’t mean risk free. Especially if the license terms aren’t crystal clear.
This is why most creators eventually move away from random “free music” sites. What starts as a quick fix can turn into a headache when you’re trying to figure out whether you can actually monetise that video, or use the same track across Instagram and YouTube.
A music licensing platform takes the guesswork out of it. You get clear licensing, commercial use included, and predictable terms that work across platforms, without needing a law degree to understand what you’re allowed to do.
In other words: less stress, more creating.
Where to find royalty-free music (and why I use Epidemic Sound)
If you’re creating video content consistently, especially across multiple platforms, you need music that’s safe to monetise, cleared for commercial use, and easy to manage without a spreadsheet.
This is where a subscription service makes life so much easier than buying tracks one by one.
Why subscriptions beat individual purchases
One-off track licenses often come with frustrating fine print: limited usage rights, no coverage for future platforms, unclear terms around sponsored content, and costs that add up fast.
When you’re producing weekly content, buying tracks individually becomes expensive and exhausting to keep track of. What you actually need is a library you can rely on, not a checkout page you’re revisiting every time you sit down to edit.
Why I use Epidemic Sound.
This is the music library I use for everything. YouTube videos, Shorts, Reels, all of it.
What I love about it: unlimited downloads, a clean and simple license, music that’s already cleared for monetisation and commercial use across all your channels.
They also offer stems (vocals, bass, drums, melody) if you want more control. Their filtering system makes it easy to find the right track by mood, genre, energy, or tempo. This is perfect when you need to edit quickly without falling down a two-hour music rabbit hole.
It’s predictable pricing, a deep library, and one less thing to worry about.
Start exploring Epidemic Sound for royalty-free music here.
How to actually use it in your videos
Step 1: Browse by mood, not genre
I used to search by genre, but I found it led me astray more often than not. Now I search by mood. It’s way more accurate for finding tracks that actually fit.
For my educational and tutorial-style videos, I’ll search for things like “warm,” “calm,” “uplifting,” or “steady beat.”
These kinds of tracks support what I’m saying without pulling focus, which is exactly what I need for talking-head content.
Step 2: Match the track length to your content
For long-form videos, I choose tracks around 2 to 3 minutes in length and pick a handful with a similar vibe so the energy stays consistent. I also avoid anything with dramatic drops or heavy vocals. I find that they tend to distract for my type of educational content.
For Shorts and Reels, it’s a different approach: short loops, punchy energy, and no long intros. You want to hit the beat quickly and keep the momentum going.
Step 3: Use stems for more control
This is one of my favourite features in Epidemic Sound. Stems let you separate the audio layers of the track. So if I’ve found a track that I love but need to remove the vocals on it so it doesn’t clash with what I’m teaching in my video, I can remove that audio layer.
Step 4: Send your picks to your editor (or straight into your editing app)
Here’s my process: I create a playlist inside Epidemic Sound with 3 to 5 options per video and also sound effects that I’d like to use. Then I share it with my editors as part of our workflow.
My Editors use the Epidemic Sound plug-in and are able to see my shared playlist in Davinci Resolve or Premiere Pro. No switching tabs, no exporting files manually.
For lo-fi DIY videos I do myself, I download the tracks and drag them straight into Adobe Express or Descript.
A good audio workflows speeds up the whole production cycle and if you’re working with an editor, they’ll thank you for it.
Common mistakes to avoid (and how to fix them fast)
Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to trip up when you’re new to using music in your videos. Here are three mistakes I see creators make all the time—and how to sidestep them.
Assuming “free” means “safe”
This is the big one. You find a track on a random website, it says “royalty-free,” and you assume you’re good to go. But unless the license explicitly covers commercial use, monetisation, and the platforms you’re posting to, you could still end up with a claim or a muted video.
The fix: stick to a trusted music library with clear licensing terms, like Epidemic Sound. It will save you the headache later.
Forgetting to check platform coverage
Some licenses only cover YouTube and not Instagram, not TikTok, not your podcast. If you’re repurposing content across platforms (which you should be), you need music that’s cleared everywhere you’re posting.
The fix: before you commit to a track, check that the license covers all the places your content will live. This is one of the reasons I love services like Epidemic Sound. They tend to cover everything in one go.
Not keeping any record of your licenses
If you ever get a copyright claim, you’ll need to prove you had the right to use that track. Digging through old downloads or trying to remember which site you got something from three years ago is not fun.
The fix: keep a simple system. I use playlists inside Epidemic Sound, so everything’s tracked automatically. If you’re using one-off downloads, save the license info somewhere you’ll actually find it.
Ready to make music the easy part of your workflow?
You’ve got enough to think about when you’re creating content. Music shouldn’t be the thing that slows you down or keeps you up at night wondering if you’re about to get a copyright strike.
A good music library takes that worry off your plate. Clear licensing, simple terms, and tracks you can actually use across all your platforms without second-guessing yourself.
Epidemic Sound is the library I use for everything I create, and if you’re looking for a straightforward way to sort your music out, it’s a solid place to start.
Sign up to Epidemic Sound and start soundtracking your content today.
If you’d like to learn more about how Epidemic Sound can help you, check out this link: https://www.epidemicsound.com/
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use royalty-free music on monetised YouTube videos?
Yes, but only if the license specifically allows for commercial use and monetisation. Not all royalty-free music is cleared for this, so always check the terms before you use a track. Subscription services like Epidemic Sound include monetisation rights as standard, which takes the guesswork out of it.
What happens if I get a copyright claim on my video?
A copyright claim (also called a Content ID claim) means someone else is claiming ownership of audio in your video. Depending on the claim, your video might be muted, blocked in certain countries, or have ads placed on it with revenue going to the claimant. If you have a valid license, you can dispute the claim, but you’ll need proof. This is why keeping a record of your licenses matters.
Do I need to credit the artist when using royalty-free music?
It depends on the license. Some require attribution (especially Creative Commons tracks), while others don’t. With most paid subscription services like Epidemic Sound, attribution isn’t required, but it’s always a nice gesture if you want to support the artist.
