Finding legal source of music is a key element for filmmakers, youtubers and content creators in general. Thus, music licensing companies have been flourishing on internet for several years to the extent that it is sometimes difficult to see clarity among all those sites. To help you find the one that suits your need, we’ll show you 10 music licensing companies for creators and content makers worth the try.
1) YouTube Audio Library
YouTube Audio Library is the most natural and easy alternative you can think of. You can find a good music library directly in the Video Editor of YouTube,with music you can use freely for your creation. The only inconvenience is that YouTube Audio Library is a source that everybody knows. It contains songs that everybody heard out of the curiosity on the YouTube Editor, or by simply hearing it randomly in a YouTube video. Good thing is that this music library not only offers music but also sound-effects, which can be really useful for content makers.
2) Free Music Archive
Free Music Archive (FMA) is an online library that provides users with music under free licenses. Founded in 2009, and recently acquired by Tribe of Noise, this platform is a consequent source of music. You can browse their catalog by genre and popularity. You can download all the tracks freely availablon the website. On the side of each track’s page, you’ll find the Creative Commons mention of the type of license attached to that music. They also lead you to their other platform where you can buy tracks you’d want to use.
3) ccMixter
ccMixter, founded in 2004, is a website similar to Free Music Archive, in the sense that it offers music that can be freely used by content creators. They claim a catalog of more than 45 000 artists. Like FMA, ccMixter is a real alternative that’s convenient to get free sounds. The quality of the sound varies from one artist to another, though. So, you’ll maybe have to dig their site deeper to find the real gem you’re looking for. In comparaison to a professional paying library, you’ll see that the interface is much plain and more straightforward. That’s no surprise considering that everything is free to use.
4) Soundcloud
SoundCloud is one of the most renowned online music platforms. It was created in 2007 and has evolved a lot since then. Maybe you’re surprised to see Soundcloud in those 10 music licensing companies for creators. But their catalog is huge since it’s a participative platform, everybody can just upload their music on it. Therefore, you’ll find tons of song, from Creative Commons licenses (be sure to check that beforehand). A “download” option allows you to directly download a song. The ambiguity with Soundcloud is that it recently changed its business model, to evolve towards a Spotify’s like strategy. You’ll have to go to a lot of ads when using the free version, which can be bothering when you’re browsing sounds available there.
5) BAM Music
BAM Music in an online licensing company founded in 2007. It offers more than 30 000 tracks for professional and amateur content makers. Its license system is made to be easy to use and includes 4 types of packages. Unlike the previous websites, BAM Music does not offer free music (although you can browse the catalog and download any sound for free). But also unlike those sites, the interface is user-friendly and professional, the service is very qualitative. Moreover, you can get diversified catalogs of music and even change a song to your need. A big thanks to the “stems” audio files. It can be worth investing in licenses if you want to step up your creations .
6) Epidemic
Epidemic Music is a Swedish licensing company that was created back in 2009. Their catalog got the time to be expanded with a lot of tracks. Just like the previous library, they offer different ways to purchase licenses: with a monthly or yearly subscription or through a single-track purchase. Their interface is also neat and easy to use. They work with renowned businesses and creators.
7) Music Vine
Music Vine is a young online library (2015). Their major asset is their interface which is very pleasing and user-friendly. When you’re browsing the website, it’s rather simple and quick to find the right song that matches your creation. They offer pretty much the same system of licenses as the other online libraries (pay-per-use and subscription). Their cheapest subscription starts at 14$, so it can be pretty economical for beginning content makers on YouTube. The only downside from Music Vine is the range of their catalog. With a little less than 5000 tracks, their catalog is quite limited compared to other online libraries. They also choose to focus on quality rather than quantity.
8) Music Bed
Music Bed is one of the references in the field of online music licenses. Their catalog is large and qualitative. Their interface is pretty easy to use. However, you can’t listen to the songs in their entirety unless you create an account. An interesting feature from their website is their playlists. They designed those playlists by genre or mood. Likewise, artists, musicians, and filmmakers also create playlists from songs that inspire them. About their pricing system, it’s once again pretty standard with single-track as well as subscription offers, and 5 types of licenses.
9) Artlist
Artlist is another emerging company in this sector. Its inconvenient license system make it . That system is very simple. They offer one license that allows you to use everything and basically however you want (for 199$ a year). That can be very interesting, even more when you’re producing content regularly. The downside is that some songs do not actually fall under such music license which can lead to some difficulties when using this music on YouTube for example. Interesting bonus: their catalog includes sound-effects.
10) Soundstripe
Soundstripe’s licensing system is pretty similar to Artlist’s. Their standard license subscription starts at around 11$ a month, and 3 types of package are available in total. The quality of their service is a real plus: STEM audio files, SFX, customer services, etc. Although they add songs regularly, their catalog is rather short compared to other companies, with around 4000 tracks available.
Thus, with those 10 music licensing companies for creators and content makers, I hope you had a quick overview of what online libraries offer. Getting a music license is crucial when creating videos on YouTube and other platforms, so make sure to choose them wise!
