When it comes to monetization of content, every video creator often struggles with a crucial question about legally using copyrighted music on YouTube.
The idea of enhancing your content with popular tunes is undeniable, but the legal intricacies surrounding copyrighted music can be a daunting obstacle. Mainly, if you aim to earn revenue through your videos, it’s one of the important steps – alongside the originality of the video clips you utilize.
So, this guide provides information on how to use copyrighted music in YouTube videos without violating copyright laws.
Learn the Revenue Potential of Your YouTube Channel
Before diving into the bits and pieces of usage of copyrighted music on YouTube, it’s wise to know the value of your channel before you monetize videos. This knowledge can help you plan your future actions on video platforms about content creation and improve the audio track selections in your videos.
In this case, the best way to estimate the real value of your channel is by using a reliable tool that understands YouTube’s terms and algorithms.
Views4You’s YouTube Money Calculator is a powerful tool that estimates potential earnings based on various metrics. Inputting factors like views, CPM, and click-through rate into its system, Views4You helps you gain insights into the revenue potential of your YouTube video. Check the website to learn more.
So, you can utilize this tool to understand your content’s potential better and seriously start looking for alternatives to find the best music for your videos while avoiding copyright strikes.
3 Ways to Avoid Copyright Claims on Your YouTube Music Videos
While it makes sense that you might prefer using famous tracks in your videos, you also need to understand and face the consequences of using copyrighted music without proper authorization – which range from limited monetization to the removal of your videos.
You can implement these three methods to avoid such situations while using someone else’s music:
Use Royalty Free Music
Royalty-free music or copyright-free music is composed with the explicit intent of being used by content creators without the fear of copyright infringement. YouTube and some other online sites offer a vast selection of royalty-free music through their music library, allowing creators to enhance their videos without legal concerns.
Utilizing royalty-free music can ensure you do not face copyright claims or strikes, allowing you to be creative with your YouTube videos. So, you can either search online for public-domain music or use the Creative Commons in YouTube’s Audio Library to find the perfect soundtrack for your content with diverse genres.
Purchase a Copyright Music
If you wish to utilize copyrighted music on the YouTube platform legally, you can either state a fair use statement on the video description or purchase the particular music track.
The first option is favorable if you aren’t planning to earn ad revenue once you post videos. In this scenario, you have to clearly state in the description that you don’t own copyright claims. This way, you can use the commercial song as the background music under certain circumstances, such as commentary, criticism, or educational purposes.
However, if you want to use commercial music on YouTube, purchasing the rights to a particular song is better. This way, you can use the music in your commercial business projects without facing copyright violation claims.
Get Permission from Music Owners for Using Copyrighted Music on YouTube
Lastly, another way to avoid copyright infringement as a YouTube creator is to get permission from the music owner – the singer or record label listed as the music copyright owner. Especially if you want to use famous songs, you can easily find the copyright holders in the video’s description.
You can either comment under such music videos or personally email song owners to ask them permission to use their copyrighted music on YouTube.
How Does Music Licensing Work on YouTube?
YouTube has a “Content ID System” that allows content creators to protect their rights as copyright holders – which means if the music playing in a video is the same audio they registered as their own, they can issue copyright claims.
So, this music licensing in the YouTube system allows creators to legally protect what they created without manually looking for such videos and seeking copyright law negotiations. This automated system scans videos for copyrighted material, eventually leading to ad-based revenue redirection or video takedowns if someone uses the claimed song illegally.
FAQs About Using Copyrighted Music on YouTube
Here are the commonly asked questions about how to legally use copyrighted music on YouTube videos:
What is Creative Commons Music?
Creative Commons refers to a system that offers freedom to a YouTube video editor to use audio with some rights reserved. That means although it isn’t a public domain, editors still use music in their videos without worrying about the legal aspect. There are many sites online that allow unlimited download options for Creative Commons.
How does YouTube find copyrighted songs on videos?
YouTube’s content ID approach enables the platform to find out the copyrighted music on video uploads. As the original content creator states, the system uses various algorithms and AI-based programs in music licensing to find content and inform the creator about the copyright claim. Both new and old creator studios had an automatic system that told the creators about copyright as they uploaded their videos to the platform.
How do you use someone else’s song without receiving a copyright strike?
YouTube can find copyrighted audio using the content ID system, so it’s important to know the terms stated on the music policy page before determining which song to use. In this case, if you want to use copyrighted music legally, you can either state you don’t own the copyrights and don’t use it for revenue as you give proper credits to the real owner or purchase the specific music. You can also ask the music owner’s permission to use their video content.
