What is a music license and how does it work?
Need music for your next project, but not sure how music licensing works? We’re proud to call ourselves experts on the subject — learn all about it below.
TL;DR: While royalty-free music often comes with limitations, direct licensing ensures full rights and lifetime clearance. Epidemic Sound’s direct license benefits both users and artists, providing unlimited access to music and sound effects, while compensating artists with upfront payments and a Soundtrack Bonus.
What is a music license and how does it work?
Need music for your next project, but not sure how music licensing works? We’re proud to call ourselves experts on the subject — learn all about it below. To soundtrack your content, you need to find music you’re allowed to use — you have to license music. Music licensing can be a bit of a jungle, but we’ll guide you through it.
Royalty-free music
Royalty-free music is music you can use in your projects without paying royalties to artists and rights holders each time the music is played. It’s different from copyright-free music, for example, which doesn’t require payment.
However, royalty-free music providers aren’t always the sole owners of the music. If you’d like to play the music publicly, you’ll need to secure public performance rights, too — these aren’t always included in royalty-free licenses. If you don’t get your music licensing ducks in a row, you’ll likely run into legal issues like takedowns, fees, or even lawsuits.
Direct music licensing: Beyond royalty-free
If you want to avoid any legal complexities and not have to worry about copyright and royalties, choose direct licensing. With direct licensing, the music provider owns all the rights to the music. With this type of license, you can freely soundtrack and publish your content, which will stay cleared forever. Direct licensing doesn’t just mean value for money and worry-free soundtracking for creators, but peace of mind and upfront payment for artists — it’s a win-win.
Artists working with Epidemic Sound, for example, receive upfront payments for all tracks — regardless of performance. The streaming revenue is then split 50/50, and they’ll get a share of our Soundtrack Bonus, based on how popular their tracks are on the Epidemic Sound platform.
How does the Epidemic Sound music license work?
With an Epidemic Sound music license, you can use unlimited music and sound effects in your content, which you can safely publish and monetize on the biggest platforms out there. You’ll get access to the largest music and sound effects catalog of its kind, seen and heard over 2.5 billion times per day. Choose between more than 50,000 premium tracks and 200,000 unique sound effects and variations, and use our advanced soundtracking tools to fine-tune your sound.
All you need to do is connect your channels to your Epidemic Sound account — this is called safelisting — and you’re good to go. We’ll handle the complexities of licensing and you can focus on your storytelling. All content published during an active subscription will stay cleared forever.
Are you a business looking for a tailored solution? Learn more about business licensing here.
Not sure which subscription is right for you? We’ve got you covered — check out all of our plans here.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I use music without a license?
Unauthorized use can result in content being taken down, legal action, fines, or reputational damage. With an Epidemic Sound subscription, you can use high-quality music in your productions while staying safe from copyright claims.
Can I use music as long as I give credit?
Giving credit to the original artist or composer is always a good practice, but it does not necessarily mean that you can use music without obtaining the necessary licenses.
Music is protected by copyright laws, and in order to use it in a TV show or any other type of media, you must obtain the proper licenses. These licenses may include synchronization licenses, which allow you to use the music in conjunction with visual images, and master use licenses, which allow you to use a specific recording of the music.
Even if the music is in the public domain, you might still need to pay for the license to use the music, especially if you are planning to monetize your TV show.
In summary, giving credit to the original artist or composer is a good practice, but it does not replace obtaining the necessary licenses to use the music in a TV show or any other type of media. It's always best to consult with a music supervisor or an entertainment lawyer to make sure that you are obtaining the necessary licenses and paying the correct fees.
If you don’t have the time/budget to go through the steps above, check out Epidemic Sound. Thanks to our catalog, you’ll be able to download unlimited music/sound effects and use them within your content. Our music is already licensed for external use if you do have a subscription, so there’s no need to worry about copyright-related issues.
What makes Epidemic Sound’s license different from other royalty-free music providers?
We own 100% of the rights to our catalog, including the master rights, neighboring/performer rights, and the rights to the musical composition embodied in the recording. Our unique business model ensures that you won’t face any legal risks, offering complete peace of mind with every track you use.
Where does your music come from?
We work directly with artists from around the world to bring you high-quality, original tracks that are perfectly in tune with your needs. Our music strategy harnesses customer feedback, data insights, and knowledge from in-house experts.
Our talented artists and in-house music team include Grammy winners and multi-platinum recording artists. They draw on years of industry experience from a broad set of backgrounds ranging from major-label pop to underground hip hop, all within a global context.
On average, our artists earn over $60,000 USD per year, with our top earners making more than $200,000 USD per year.
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