Music is one of the best ways to enhance your YouTube videos and improve the user experience. But if you aren’t careful about where you find your music, you could get hit with claims of copyright infringement.
What is music copyright infringement?
Music copyright infringement occurs when copyrighted music is used without the owner’s permission. Copyright infringement includes distributing, reproducing, or displaying a song without first securing legal permission to do so.
YouTube allows creators to monitor content through Content ID, a copyrighted audio and visual content database. Whenever someone uploads a new YouTube video, it’s scanned through Content ID and flagged for potential copyright infringement.
If you break YouTube’s copyright infringement policies, you could face the following penalties:
- Demonetization: The copyright holder can choose to demonetize your video and claim any of the proceeds.
- Muted content: The copyright holder can mute your content, meaning the video will still be available, but there will be no sound or music.
- Blocked content: A copyright holder can also block your content so it’s no longer available on YouTube. This could seriously penalize your channel and the following you’ve worked hard to build.
Copyright infringement includes distributing, reproducing, or displaying a song without first securing legal permission to do so.
Fair use, licensing, and when you can legally use music on YouTube
Many copyright infringement claims are accidental, but you’re still responsible for complying with copyright laws. Here’s how to avoid copyright violations on YouTube.
Understand YouTube’s Community Guidelines
YouTube’s Community Guidelines explain how creators are allowed to behave on YouTube. Copyright infringement violates the platform’s guidelines, and you'll receive a content strike if you’re caught doing this.
YouTube will notify you of a content strike via email, and the first violation is usually a warning. You won’t be allowed to upload new videos, start a livestream, or upload new shorts for a week after the first formal strike. Your channel will be permanently removed if you receive three content strikes within 90 days.
Only use music you have the rights to
The best way to avoid copyright infringement is only using music you have the right to use. If you want to use copyrighted music, you must first obtain a license or permission from the owner.
You can also stick to using music you’ve created yourself.
If you only upload original content, you don’t have to worry about claims of copyright infringement. Of course, not everyone has music composition skills, so using royalty-free music is another good option.
Understand fair use
Fair use is a legal exception to copyright infringement laws — it states that you don’t need permission to use copyrighted music in the following situations:
- Criticism: If you’re critiquing a movie or some type of music, you can include a short clip of the work you’re reviewing without permission.
- Parody: If you’re creating a humorous parody of another artist’s music, it may qualify as a fair use exception.
- Commentary: If you’re using copyrighted music to illustrate a point in your commentary, it falls under fair use protection.
- Academic: If you’re creating educational content, you may need to reference other individuals’ work, and fair use allows limited use for scholarship purposes.
Best sources for royalty-free and licensed music for business videos
The good news is there are plenty of reputable sources that offer royalty-free and licensed music. YouTube’s Audio Library is one of the easiest options for businesses — it includes a large collection of free music you can use in your YouTube videos. There are no licensing fees, but some tracks require attribution, so be sure to check the specific requirements for each selection.
Subscription-based music libraries are another popular option. These services charge a monthly or annual fee in exchange for access to a large catalog of licensed tracks that can be used in videos. Many also provide documentation proving you have the rights to use that music if a claim is ever disputed.
Another option is a stock music marketplace, which lets you purchase individual licenses for specific tracks. It could be a good option if you only produce videos occasionally and don’t want to commit to a subscription.
What to do if you receive a copyright claim or strike on your channel
If you receive a copyright claim, start by reviewing the details to learn which parts of the video triggered the claim and what actions the copyright holder has taken. In many cases, you can resolve the issue by removing or replacing the copyrighted music. If you believe you have a valid right to use the music, you can dispute the claim in YouTube Studio.
A copyright strike is more serious and can affect your ability to post new content, so it’s important to act quickly. Don’t delete your video, because doing so will not resolve the strike. You can usually resolve the strike either by removing the content or completing a copyright education program.
If you believe the copyright strike was erroneous, you can file a counter notification in YouTube Studio. However, submitting a counter notification can be risky; it’s only a good idea if you’re certain you’re allowed to use the music and can back up that claim.
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