There are a lot of great YouTube tips creators should know about, and you can add this big one to the list. 

Launched in 2013 with just over 150 tracks, the YouTube Audio Library provides royalty-free music and sound effects to use anywhere you'd like.


YouTube announced that they are adding over 1000 more tracks to this library (provided as 320 Kbps MP3 files). With how the company has cracked down on usage without permission, using one of these songs is the easiest way to make sure that your video has no rights issues whatsoever. 

Not only does the library feature royalty-free music, but they also will tell you about ad-supported popular songs, and how you can use those in your own work. There are obviously different exceptions to these, but if you're just making a video for fun, a lot of popular and current music can be used and still comply with the artist/label's requirements for usage. 

Here are some of the featured examples from the YouTube Audio Library:

These tracks can also be used in commercial videos. Here's a little more on that:

  • Attributing your video: If you see an attribution-required icon next to a track, make sure to credit the original artist in your video description. Learn more about attribution on the Creative Commons website.
  • Monetizing your video: You can monetize your video since free music isn't claimed through Content ID. If you're prompted to show that you have commercial use rights to the music, just make sure to include the music's exact title and that you downloaded it from the YouTube Audio Library. Learn more about supplying documentation to claim rights.

To download any of the tracks featured above, head on over to the YouTube Audio Library.

Source: YouTube Audio Library