The best places to find copyright-free music for videos are the YouTube Audio Library (free, built into YouTube Studio), Pixabay Music and Free Music Archive (free, no attribution for most tracks), Incompetech and Bensound (free with credit), and Uppbeat or Epidemic Sound for higher-quality libraries. For most creators, the YouTube Audio Library and Pixabay cover everything for free. Always check each track’s license — some require you to credit the artist — before using it in a monetised video.
Nothing gets a video taken down or demonetised faster than the wrong music. Using a popular song without a license invites copyright claims, muted audio, or a strike, even on a small channel. The fix is copyright-free music — tracks you are actually allowed to use — and there is a huge amount of it available free. This guide covers the best sources, explains the licensing terms that trip people up, and shows you how to use music safely on YouTube, TikTok, and beyond.
What ‘copyright-free’ really means
The term is used loosely, so it helps to be precise. Very little music is truly free of all copyright; what creators actually want is music they are licensed to use, usually called royalty-free or Creative Commons. Royalty-free means you pay once (or nothing) and can use the track without ongoing fees, while Creative Commons licenses let artists share work freely under specific conditions — often requiring you to credit them. The practical point is that ‘free to use’ almost always comes with terms, and reading them is what keeps your videos safe.
The most common condition is attribution — giving the artist credit, usually in your video description. Some tracks require it, some don’t, and using an attribution-required track without the credit can still trigger a claim. So the rule across every source below is simple: check each individual track’s license, note whether it needs credit, and follow the terms. Do that and you will never face a copyright problem; ignore it and even ‘free’ music can cause trouble.
The best free sources
YouTube Audio Library
If you make YouTube videos, the Audio Library built into YouTube Studio is the safest and easiest option, offering thousands of free tracks and sound effects cleared specifically for use on YouTube. Each track is clearly labelled with whether attribution is required, and because it is YouTube’s own library, using it guarantees no copyright claim on the platform. For most creators, this alone covers the majority of their music needs at no cost and with zero risk.
Pixabay Music and Free Music Archive
Pixabay Music offers a large collection of free tracks that, for the most part, require no attribution at all — genuinely free to use, including in monetised and commercial videos, which is rare and valuable. The Free Music Archive is another long-standing source with a broad range of Creative Commons music, though licenses there vary track to track, so it demands a closer read. Between them, they cover a wide range of genres and moods for free.
Incompetech, Bensound, and friends
Several independent composers offer their catalogues free with attribution. Kevin MacLeod’s Incompetech is a legendary source of free instrumental music spanning every mood and genre, free to use as long as you credit him. Bensound offers polished tracks under similar free-with-credit terms. These sources are excellent when you want quality music at no cost and don’t mind adding a line of credit in your description.
| Source | Cost | Attribution | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Audio Library | Free | Sometimes | YouTube videos |
| Pixabay Music | Free | Usually none | Commercial use, no credit |
| Incompetech / Bensound | Free | Required | Quality with credit |
| Uppbeat / Epidemic | Free tier / paid | Varies | Premium libraries |
Premium libraries with free tiers
If you want a more curated, higher-production selection, subscription libraries like Epidemic Sound and Artlist are what many professional YouTubers use, offering vast catalogues of polished music with clear, worry-free licensing while you are subscribed. Uppbeat sits in between, with a genuinely useful free tier alongside its paid option. These are worth considering once you are producing regularly and want music that sounds distinctly professional, but they are not necessary to get started — the free sources above are plenty for most creators.
The trade-off with subscription libraries is that your license typically depends on maintaining the subscription, so understand the terms around what happens to videos you have already published if you cancel. For occasional creators, the free sources remain the sensible choice; for full-time creators publishing constantly, a subscription can be worth it for the quality and the simplicity of never having to check individual licenses.
Even free tracks usually carry conditions — most often a requirement to credit the artist. Always read the specific license for each track you download, and keep a note of which ones need attribution so you can add the credit before publishing.
A note on TikTok, Reels, and Shorts
Short-form platforms handle music differently. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts provide their own in-app music libraries that are cleared for use within that app, which is convenient — but be careful, because tracks available for personal accounts are often not licensed for business or branded content, and music that is fine inside TikTok may trigger a claim if you download the video and post it elsewhere. For cross-platform safety, using genuinely copyright-free music from the sources above is the reliable approach.
This distinction catches many creators out: they use a trending song from TikTok’s library, then repost the clip to YouTube and receive a copyright claim. If you plan to publish the same video across multiple platforms, don’t rely on any single app’s built-in music — use copyright-free tracks you have downloaded and licensed yourself, so the video is safe wherever it ends up.
How to use the music safely
The safe workflow is straightforward: choose a track from a reputable free source, check and note its license terms, download it, and add the required credit — if any — to your video description before publishing. Keep the attribution in the exact format the artist requests, since a vague or missing credit can still count as non-compliance. If you use several tracks, credit each one. This small discipline is all that stands between you and a copyright-free video that will never be claimed or demonetised.
Beyond licensing, good music choice lifts a video. Pick tracks that match the energy of your content, keep background music well below your voice in the mix, and let the music breathe rather than fighting your narration. The right copyright-free track can make a simple video feel genuinely professional.
FAQ
What is the best free copyright-free music source?
For YouTube creators, the built-in YouTube Audio Library is safest and easiest. Pixabay Music is excellent for tracks that need no attribution, including commercial use. Most creators are fully covered by these two, for free.
Do I always have to credit the artist?
Not always — it depends on the track’s license. Many Pixabay and YouTube Audio Library tracks need no credit, while sources like Incompetech require it. Always check each track’s terms and add credit when required.
Can I use TikTok’s music on YouTube?
Often no. Music cleared inside TikTok may trigger a copyright claim if you download the clip and post it on YouTube. For cross-platform videos, use downloaded copyright-free music licensed for use anywhere.
Is royalty-free music really free?
Royalty-free means no ongoing fees, but it may still cost a one-time payment or require attribution depending on the source. Plenty of genuinely no-cost, no-attribution options exist — just confirm the terms for each track.
Building a small go-to music library
Rather than hunting for a track every time, it pays to build a small personal library of copyright-free music you know you can use. When you find a source and a few tracks you like, download them, note their license terms and any required credit in a simple document, and keep them in a folder ready to drop into future videos. This turns music selection from a recurring chore into a quick pick from your own shelf.
Organising by mood — upbeat, calm, dramatic, background — makes it even faster to score a new video appropriately. Over time you develop a recognisable sound for your channel, which subtly strengthens your brand, and you never scramble for a last-minute track or risk grabbing something unlicensed under deadline pressure. A little curation upfront pays off on every video you make afterward.
The Bottom Line
You never need to risk a copyright claim for a soundtrack. The YouTube Audio Library and Pixabay Music between them offer thousands of free tracks — many with no attribution required — that cover most creators completely, with Incompetech and Bensound adding quality options if you don’t mind giving credit. Always read each track’s license, add attribution where it is required, and avoid relying on any single app’s built-in music for videos you will post across platforms. Do that, and your videos stay safe, monetisable, and sounding great, for free.