When it comes to creating online visual content for your brand, music might be a game-changer. Where, though, can you find music that is suitable for commercial use?
More precisely, where can you get a free download of it?
Prior to delving into the available materials, let us address commercial use.
Consider whether you’re using something for your business when determining whether it qualifies as commercial usage. It’s probably for business purposes if everything you’re creating is in any way related to your brand.
If the use is directly related to making a profit, it is almost certainly commercial.
Err on the side of caution and classify the content as commercial if you are disseminating information or marketing your company without making money off of it directly.
Without authorization, using someone else’s music or works could lead to a stop-and-desist order or worse.
Resources for free music use in commercials
You can find free music for business use on some well-known websites. There are many fantastic resources available, whether you’re looking for musical pieces to play in the background of your next explainer film or you need some sizzling noises for your social media ads.
How Can I Make Commercial Use of Free Music?
While music can be a great addition to online marketing campaigns (particularly in sponsored advertisements), the usage of the music is up to the song’s owner. We’ll discuss the differences in detail below, but before you download anything, make sure you understand the terms of service for the website you’re considering.
The mere fact that music is available for free does not absolve users of attribution obligations. Consider attribution as your way of thanking the musicians or distributors of this song. Carefully examine each website’s requirements for giving credit for the song; typically, this entails including a link in the description or caption of your video.
Furthermore, free does not always equate to unrestricted use. For example, some venues might permit lyrics or remixing, while others would not. Examine the conditions of each website’s licensing.
Is “free” music actually available for commercial use?
Occasionally, music that can be used commercially is completely free. In other cases, access to part or all of the content requires a subscription charge.
Usually, a subscription opens up additional opportunities for use or may provide you with access to a larger selection of books.
Some offer truly free music, but usage can still be restricted, so make sure to read the fine print.
Free music for commercial use vs. royalty-free
When searching for free music to use commercially, keep in mind that “free” does not always mean “royalty-free.”
The term “royalty-free” indicates that the writers of the music are not required to be paid a royalty charge. However, usage is still limited to specific formats, consumption levels, etc.
Bensound
Tracks on Bensound, billed as royalty-free music, are available for free download—but with some restrictions.
On the track you want to download, click the black download symbol if you want to use the free option. Click the button once more when the popup that gives you the option between free and subscription opens. Doing so starts an MP3 download.
As long as you follow the license requirements listed on the Bensound website, you can use the file in a variety of audio and video projects. You may, for example, incorporate them into your movies and include a link to the Bensound website. Nevertheless, you are not permitted to alter the music or use it in podcasts or audiobooks, nor can you claim ownership of it.
You have several options to choose from when exploring by genre. You can also do a keyword search. Click to learn more about a song that catches your attention. This will direct you to a page including the composer’s biography, a synopsis, keywords, and further information.
Bensound provides options for both free and paid memberships. Compared to memberships, free downloads are restricted to a lesser selection of music.
Standard Membership
The standard membership permits a certain amount of use, such as streaming music or watching videos online at your restaurant or bar.
In the meantime, other uses are possible with the increased membership, including local radio and television advertisements, theater productions, and film. The use of national radio and television advertisements is not free.
Bensound maintains tight guidelines about what uses are permitted and prohibited for the music. Whether you download music for free or through a subscription, you are not permitted to remix or add lyrics to any of the songs you use.
Furthermore, you are not permitted to use them for international radio or television commercials, podcasts, audiobooks, meditation programs, or music-only projects.
Audionautix
Founder Jason Shaw’s side project is called Audionautix. His goal was to provide a way for people to legally obtain amazing music for their projects, even if they are commercial, without having to worry about copyright issues. The majority of the music on the website is original to Jason and spans a variety of genres.
You can narrow down your search results by mood, genre, tempo, style, and more.
Click “Listen Now” to hear anything that piques your curiosity. You may view more songs that are similar to it by clicking on the respective tags.
Once you’re prepared to begin the download, select “Download Mp3.”
Even though you can download the music for free and use it for commercial purposes, you still need to give credit.
Free Music Archive
WMFU, a radio station in New York and New Jersey, created the Free Music Archive to provide independent musicians on the internet with a platform to share their work. The idea behind its construction is that outdated copyright laws can impede the development of digital inventiveness.
They contend that providing a platform for musicians to distribute their songs under creative commons licenses both increases the visibility of artists and aids in the improvement of other artists’ creations.
You can explore several genres, just like on other websites that offer free music for commercial usage. Additionally, you can scroll to the bottom to browse all accessible writers, or click the links of particular artists to view more work by them.
Press the play button to listen to a song or composition. Click the download icon (a downward-pointing arrow button) to download a recording. A small pop-up window containing details about the song and licensing will appear when you click that button.
Check out the icons in the pop-up window for information on how you are allowed to use the music. The website uses definitions of creative commons licenses.
This dollar sign with a line through it is the one item you should look out for. This suggests that commercial usage of this free music is prohibited.
You are free to use it for business reasons if you don’t see that icon. For more details on each creative commons use, follow the link.
MusOpen
Try MusOpen if you’re looking for free public domain music that you can use for business purposes. A nonprofit organization called MusOpen is committed to promoting music education and getting more music into people’s hands—or rather, ears.
They make music in the public domain accessible by concentrating on compositions whose copyrights have lapsed, allowing for its reuse or redistribution, including for commercial purposes.
You can search for songs using distinct categories such as amorous, joyful, melancholic, serene, vibrant, or enjoyable. Additional search options include composer, instrument, and time period.
You can listen to and view license information for each piece while you browse. Seek out those that have a line through the dollar sign to indicate that they are not for commercial use. The ones without this symbol may be used for business endeavors as long as appropriate credit is given.
You must register for an account before you can begin downloading music.
DL Sounds
DL Sounds is a Dutch label that produces unique music for use in multimedia projects by artists all over the world. The label is run by a group of people. They may provide original music for digital projects because their music was created by them and isn’t found anywhere else.
They include brief, repeated sections called loops and sound effects in addition to songs.
To browse through all of the tracks, you may type in a search term or select the music tab. From there, you can browse by genre, mood, file type, or even beats per minute.
The majority of the music on DL Sounds can only be accessed through membership. A one- or three-month subscription with limitless downloads is available.
But they also provide free music for use in commercial settings. Look for the “free” icon, as seen below, in the lower right corner of a song’s graphic:
Conclusion
Your imaginative thoughts may actually come to pass if you locate free music that might be used for commercial purposes. The license and attribution requirements on each website are the sole limitations on your ideas.
These are best Free Commercial-Use Music For Your Business To Grow
When considering the videos and other marketing campaigns you want to create, use the tools above to find inspiration in the original music, public domain alternatives, and more. All this music could help your marketing efforts, from quick social media posts to how-to videos.
1 thought on “5 Free Commercial-Use Music For Your Business To Grow”