Finding the perfect soundtrack for your project can be a daunting task, especially with the plethora of royalty-free music websites available today. Whether you're working on a YouTube video, a podcast, or any other creative endeavor, the right music can make all the difference.
To help you navigate through the noise, we've compiled a list of the best royalty-free music websites. These platforms offer a variety of tracks to suit any mood, genre, or project, ensuring you find the perfect tune without breaking the bank.
Key Takeaways
Artlist offers a vast library of high-quality music and sound effects, updated daily.
Epidemic Sound provides a user-friendly interface and a wide range of tracks, ideal for content creators.
PremiumBeat, owned by Shutterstock, boasts a diverse collection of over 10,000 curated tracks.
Soundstripe is known for its unlimited downloads and affordable subscription plans.
YouTube Audio Library is a free resource with a surprising amount of musical choice, perfect for YouTubers on a budget.
1. Artlist
Artlist is a beautiful music licensing site for video, film, and YouTube. It’s part of an end-to-end platform for video creators, which also features Artgrid (curated footage) and Motion Array (a filmmakers marketplace where you can find video templates, plugins, and more). Artlist offers an immense amount of both variety and quality. You’ll find over 22k great songs and more than 27k sound effects – updated daily.
The site itself is a joy to use, with super easy navigation that lets you delve into the works of fresh new artists based on the mood, video theme, or genre you’re aiming for. If you hadn’t noticed, we’re somewhat smitten with Artlist!
2. Epidemic Sound
Epidemic Sound re-imagines royalty-free music by simplifying the complexities of music licensing. Unlike other libraries that claim to be royalty-free but require reporting and performance royalties, Epidemic Sound includes everything in one simple license.
Subscription Plans
Epidemic Sound offers three subscription plans:
Personal: $15/month
Commercial: $49/month
Enterprise: Custom pricing
Each plan includes all the legal rights you need, and there's a 30-day trial period that you can cancel anytime.
Unique Tools
Epidemic Sound provides a unique tool that allows you to clear YouTube videos on the fly. This is particularly useful if you're creating videos for YouTube channels other than your own.
Accessibility
With a varied and easy-to-navigate library of tunes, Epidemic Sound is one of the more accessible royalty-free music sites available. Subscriptions start from as little as £7 a month.
3. PremiumBeat
PremiumBeat is a top-notch service backed by the might of Shutterstock. This platform offers a diverse collection of royalty-free music that you won't find anywhere else. The site is fast, intuitive, and the licensing process is straightforward. While $49 for a track might seem steep, the quality and breadth of tracks available ensure you get value for money.
Unique Music Collection
PremiumBeat prides itself on offering music that can't be found anywhere else on the internet. This exclusivity is due to their focus on quality over quantity, vetting every new addition to their stock music library.
Advanced Search Tools
The platform boasts one of the better search tools in the industry, allowing users to filter music by genre, mood, artist, and more. This makes finding the perfect no copyright music for your project a breeze.
Pricing
All music tracks on PremiumBeat come with a price tag of $49. While there are no free music tracks available, the investment is worth it for the high-quality, no royalty music you receive.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Wide range of music filtering options (by genre, mood, artist, etc.)
High-quality, exclusive tracks
Cons:
No free music tracks available
4. Soundstripe
Soundstripe is a versatile platform that allows you to create an account, follow artists, build playlists, like songs, and create your own playlists. If you need sound effects for your video, Soundstripe offers 29 sound effects categories, from construction to sci-fi.
What we like: Soundstripe is free to sign up and use. However, there are limits. Soundstripe’s subscription plans are affordable and offer extra perks.
Best for
Filmmakers and podcasters looking to add a bit of curated flair to their work.
Subscription Plans
Soundstripe offers a yearly subscription plan starting at $11.25. While it doesn’t have a free plan, the affordable pricing makes it accessible for many users.
Features
Create and follow playlists
Like songs
Access to over 40,000 sound effects
5. YouTube Audio Library
The YouTube Audio Library is YouTube’s very own catalog of free stock music for creators to use in their videos. It offers useful filters such as genres, instruments, vocal, and duration, making your search process as short and precise as possible. Additionally, the library includes a sound effect library, which makes it worth bookmarking.
Key Features
Free Access: All tracks are free to use for YouTube creators.
Filtering Options: Easily filter tracks by genre, mood, and license type.
Attribution: Some tracks require attribution, so be sure to check before using them.
Best For
YouTube Audio is best for YouTube creators looking to enhance their videos with music and sound effects.
Pricing
Creating an account is free, but you need to invest to make a channel.
6. Bensound
Bensound is a royalty-free music site created by Benjamin Tissot, a composer and musician based in France. The site is a little busier than other options, which makes navigation a touch jarring when you first land on it. That said, there’s no messing about as you can get straight into the tracks with no preamble or explanation. If you’re short on time and up for diving in, then Bensound is a great way to test the aural waters and see where it takes you.
Licensing and Pricing
A great bonus with Bensound is that as long as you credit Bensound.com with any music used in online videos, websites, or animations, then you’re able to use certain tracks for free under a Creative Commons License. If you’re unable to credit Ben, or need slightly more scope, you can buy a license which starts from €34 a track or €139 for a standard annual subscription.
Music Collections
Bensound offers a nice collection of royalty-free music from different collections: cinematic, acoustic/folk, electronica, etc. As they state on the website, they operate under the Creative Commons license. This means that you can use the music on YouTube, Facebook, and other purposes. But you will need to credit Bensound. If you don’t want to credit Bensound, you can buy the license.
Pros
Bensound allows you to download some tracks for free and use them in your videos or live streams.
All you need to do is find the track you want, follow the licensing terms, and credit Bensound in the video description.
7. HookSounds
HookSounds gives you access to exclusive royalty free music that you won’t find anywhere else as it was composed specifically for the website. Users can browse the catalog by artists, tags, moods, and more, which makes the navigation easy and smooth. HookSounds offers several music licenses that serve different purposes – the free license is for personal use only.
Unique Features
HookSounds is a catchily titled royalty free music site with a stellar client list. Here, you’ll find more than 5,000 royalty free music tracks, over 8,000 royalty free sound effects and 500+ royalty free intros. It’s all organised and categorised into collections and playlists so you can find the right track for every piece of content you produce.
Licensing Options
Individual licenses are available but, if you’re producing at scale, the best option is to plump for the Premium License or Business License.
8. Icons8
Icons8 is a versatile platform offering a wide range of creative assets, including royalty-free music. This makes it an excellent resource for content creators looking to enhance their projects without worrying about copyright issues. Icons8 provides much more than just music; it also offers stock photos, ready-made scenes, and backgrounds, all taken in similar environments for cohesive visuals.
9. Facebook Sound Collection
Facebook Sound Collection is a part of Creator Studio. It strongly resembles the looks of YouTube Audio Library. However, they offer fewer filters, and some of the songs I found were quite heavy (30-70 Mb). But give it a try anyway: your next best free music might be hiding here.
10. Purple Planet
Purple Planet is a unique royalty-free music website that stands out with its distinctive purple-themed design. Unlike many other platforms, Purple Planet categorizes its music based on the emotions they evoke, such as active, creepy, and cute, rather than traditional genres like rock or pop. This approach can be particularly useful for content creators looking to match the mood of their projects.
Licensing Options
Purple Planet offers both free music, which requires credit to the creators, and commercial licenses. The commercial licenses start at $8 for basic use and go up to $40 for broadcast purposes.
Quality of Music
One of the standout features of Purple Planet is its use of real instruments, such as guitars and percussion. This can create a more authentic and engaging atmosphere compared to music generated by AI.
Best For
Purple Planet is ideal for any content creator, whether you need a full commercial license or are okay with sharing credit. Purple Planet is among the best royalty-free music websites, offering free music for use in both commercial and non-commercial projects.
Discover the wonders of the Purple Planet and elevate your music career with our expert guidance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, finding the right royalty-free music site can significantly enhance your creative projects without breaking the bank. With a plethora of options available, it's essential to consider factors such as cost, usability, and music selection to find the best fit for your needs. Our top recommendations for 2024 include YouTube Audio Library, Icons8, and HookSounds, which stand out for their extensive libraries and user-friendly interfaces. Whether you're a seasoned content creator or just starting, these platforms offer a wealth of musical choices to elevate your work. Happy music hunting!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is royalty-free music?
Royalty-free music is a type of music licensing that allows the purchaser to pay for the music license only once and use the music for as long as desired without having to pay additional royalties or licensing fees.
Why should I use royalty-free music?
Using royalty-free music ensures that you avoid legal issues associated with copyright infringement. It is also cost-effective and provides a wide range of music options for various projects.
Are there any free royalty-free music websites?
Yes, there are several free royalty-free music websites such as YouTube Audio Library, Bensound, and Facebook Sound Collection, where you can find quality music tracks without any cost.
Can I use royalty-free music for commercial projects?
Most royalty-free music licenses allow for commercial use, but it is important to read the specific terms and conditions of the license to ensure compliance.
How do I credit the artist when using royalty-free music?
Crediting the artist depends on the license agreement. Some royalty-free music requires attribution, where you must give credit to the artist in your project, while others do not. Always check the license details.
What are the best royalty-free music websites in 2024?
Some of the best royalty-free music websites in 2024 include Artlist, Epidemic Sound, PremiumBeat, Soundstripe, YouTube Audio Library, Bensound, HookSounds, Icons8, Facebook Sound Collection, and Purple Planet.
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