We all want to use the latest commercial music or a track from our favorite artist in our YouTube videos. But we also want to do it the right way, without fear of attracting any copyright strikes.

So how do you do that? Someone who knows everything there is to know about the music industry and YouTube is the Founder and CEO of Lickd, Paul Sampson. 

 is a chart-music licensing platform for video creators and Paul has spent over 15 years creating revenue with music licensing. In this episode of TubeTalk you will learn:


The differences between royalty-free vs copyright claims-free vs production music vs commercial music

How the YouTube copyright system actually works from a brand's point of view

Who gets the money if your video is claimed

Why you should NEVER use Royalty-free music from Soundcloud

How to legally use your favorite artist's track in your next video

 for the very latest news around copyright & music.

Want to Know More About Copyright Issues?

Can you take somebody else's music and use it in the background of your video as long as you credit them in the description? Do you really know your rights when it comes to your content and what you can and cannot do? 

Find out more about the wonderful world of copyright in 

our expert's guide to Fair Use & copyright on YouTube

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 Hands up who wants to use a track from their favorite artist in their YouTube video but doesn't want a copyright strike? Find out how to use copyrighted music legally in this episode of TubeTalk.

How to Use Copyright Music on YouTube Completely Legally

How to get, and how to use, royalty free music is a huge topic (which we'll be covering more of in the future) but for this post, we'll focus on the resource that YouTube itself offers its own creators. What's so great about that? Well:

Royalty free (AKA copyright free) music means that no other person or legal entity owns the rights to that musical composition, and therefore and no royalties are due or must be paid.

So, YouTube creators can use it for their content without fear of attracting a copyright strike or a takedown request. Neither of which you want. So, let's run through our quick guide to YouTube's royalty-free Audio Library to help you add some sparkle to your content.

How to Access Royalty Free Music from YouTube's Audio Library

From any YouTube desktop screen, click your profile image in the top right-hand corner and click on YouTube Studio.

On the left-hand menu, you’ll find a link to an Audio Library you can access

If you want to hear a sample of a track, just click the play button so you can listen and decide if it’s right for you. When you find the right track for you, just click on the download button:

If you want to go hunting for a specific music track, you have four columns that are sortable:

'Genre' and 'Mood' aren't sortable, but they do act as automatic filters. For example, if you mouse over 'Mood' and click the filter button, the Audio Library will now only show you the type of music you want to select from.

The terms and conditions of using music directly from this source are pretty straightforward. As a creator, you are allowed to use any of these tracks and still monetize your videos without fear of a copyright claim. Just make sure you don't distribute the music yourself, or use it in any illegal content.

When it comes to finding and using 100% royalty free music, we always recommend using YouTube's own Audio Library. That way, any music you use from the library is 100% guaranteed to work on your YouTube videos 

Watch our handy guide to royalty free music from YouTube here:

Of course, there are many free, royalty-free services that offer you music off of the YouTube platform. But, just as a word of warning, you use those services at your own risk. 

 offer their music royalty-free, but then change their mind in the future, and there's nothing stopping them from then copyright claiming your content. 

Yes, that is a really sneaky thing to do, and it's not common, but when you get music from outside of the YouTube Audio Library, you're just opening yourself up to that potential danger. 

By the way, did you notice the link to Audio Classic Library remains active (at least for now)?

If you use any audio from this library it will come with an extra setting - Attribution. 

If you use some of the music in this section, you must include particular attribution text in your video description. The new Studio Audio Library does have this filter setting, but I haven't seen any music yet that requires attribution. 

Also, sound effects haven't yet been implemented in the new studio. So you will still have to jump to the Classic Studio section to get to them.

If you want to take your YouTube channel to the next level and 

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YouTube offers creators free access to royalty free music for their own video content - without the risk of attracting any copyright claims. Find out how.

How to Get Royalty Free Music For Your YouTube Videos

, Fortnite is one of the most popular and most influential Battle Royale games in the world. Now, Epic Games has just released its 12.0 update which finally adds an option to mute potentially copyrighted audio clips.

In a Tweet, Epic confirmed that the update will allow gamers to mute licenced emote audio, a feature that will help solve the copyright strikes gamers have been experiencing as they stream or upload Fortnite to YouTube:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">PC Players: In the 12.00 update, we&#39;ve added the ability to mute Licensed Emote Audio. This option is available in the game&#39;s Audio settings. <a href="https://t.co/UHGYAlXKgH">pic.twitter.com/UHGYAlXKgH</a></p>&mdash; Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) <a href="https://twitter.com/FortniteStatus/status/1230163848088428544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2020</a></blockquote>

Fortnite and Copyright Claims: Why Muting Audio is a Big Deal

The ability to mute certain audio clips will be a huge benefit to creators who upload Fortnite gameplay content to YouTube. There have been a number of gamers who have been hit 

 from music publishers for using licensed music from the game, albeit unintentionally.

YouTube’s ContentID system can easily identify any audio files protected by those publishers, triggering a claim against any creator who uses even a few seconds of the track in their content. Many gamers on YouTube have monetized their gameplay content, so to be hit with a copyright strike can be a devastating blow.

Did you know that while Epic Games has licensed any audio featured in the game itself, those licenses only cover the playing of that song or backing track within the game itself. It doesn’t extend to any streaming or uploads of the game on social video platforms like YouTube.

Gamers who publish video content about Fortnite that feature any audio leave themselves wide open to claims from the original rights holder, and that’s why so many videos have been flagged.

New Fortnite Rickroll Emote: Famous Meme Can be Silenced

In the ever-changing Fortnite eco-system, new features are constantly being introduced, and very recently, players were blessed with a brand new emote inspired by the legendary Rickrolling meme. The in-game character dances along to the Rick Astley banger “

” just like Rick himself, and is available from Fortnite for 500 V-Bucks (around $5).

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I liked a video on YouTube: Watch How This Bear Made The Unlikeliest Of Friends <a href="https://t.co/iQDd9tB0e9">https://t.co/iQDd9tB0e9</a></p>&mdash; Fortnite (@FortniteGame) <a href="https://twitter.com/FortniteGame/status/1228468970208088064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2020</a></blockquote>

The new emote is one of the first to incorporate such a famous song, and Epic has ensured full licensing rights around its usage within the game. But that didn’t stop the first wave of gamers from getting hit with copyright claims from the start.

The good news is that Epic has released a patch to PC users which allows those gamers to mute the Astley track before publishing or streaming any gameplay content that features it online. The 12.00 patch allows creators to mute the emote, this avoiding potentially revenue-hitting copyright claims.

# How to Mute Copyrighted Music on Fortnite

With the new patch, players should click on the "Licensed Emote Audio" option within their settings, then either confirm the option to mute all copyrighted music, or just mute other players who are using it.

This new setting isn’t just aimed at silencing the new meme-inspired emote though. Epic confirmed that it will give players the ability to mute all licensed audio going forward.

Right now the patch is only available to PC users, but Epic has promised to (Rick) roll-out the feature to consoles soon.

 then make sure to download vidIQ. Join over 1 million other users and use vidIQ to help you research YouTube, analyze videos, audit your own channel, and take actionable steps 

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Gamers who upload or stream Fortnite content to YouTube have been having issues with copyright claims over licensed music within the game. Now Epic has a solution that could tackle that tricky issue.

Fortnite to Allow Gamers to Mute Emotes to Avoid Copyright Strikes

Millions of creators on TikTok are used to lip-synching or dancing to any song they choose as background without any legal consequences (

). But using other people’s music in a YouTube video can have serious repercussions. Like getting your channel terminated serious.

YouTube recently confirmed again their policy around using cover songs in your video content with the very clear message that:

If you're singing to, or humming along to, or drumming over a copyrighted melody, then the uploader is wide open to receive a copyright takedown.

Cover Songs on YouTube: What Creators Need to Know

 team from YouTube released a video that breaks down the issues around using other people’s music, including Content ID and copyright claims around cover songs, remixes, and accidental or intentional use of licensed musical compositions. You can watch the video below but here are the main takeaways:

#1 You Can Get a Copyright Claim Just By Humming a Copyrighted Tune!

YouTube confirms that for every song or musical composition there are two sets of copyright: one belongs to the songwriter or the songwriting team behind the melody, the ones that wrote the music and created the lyrics.

The second copyright protection is for the artist and covers the recording and performance of that song. If you upload a video that features you, or anyone else, humming along to a copyrighted melody that you haven’t sought permission for you are infringing on that copyright and may receive a copyright takedown for doing so.

#2 Creating a Lyric Video Can Also Attract a Copyright Claim

Adding lyrics over a background image to a licensed song without permission is also a big no. They could be claimed by the music publisher, that’s the entity that usually owns the copyright to a composition. The publisher protects the songwriter and that includes the use of the music or lyrics on YouTube.

#3 How About Just Playing an Instrument Over a Song?

A recognisable version of a melody is usually referred to as a ‘Master Recording,’ and copyright covers that tangible asset. If, as a creator, you use clips from that master without seeking written permission, then you may attract a copyright takedown. This includes using snippets in a remix, or singing or playing an instrument over it.

#4 But I Played All the Instruments Myself!

Creators will often dispute a copyright takedown by arguing that they recreated the song by playing all the instruments themselves, or recorded a new voice track. But if the musical composition was used then the publisher or songwriter has a valid claim.

#5 What Cover Music Can be Claimed by the Rights Holder?

The copyright team at YouTube confirmed the following actions by a creator can leave them vulnerable to a copyright claim if the music and lyrics belong to a rights holder (i.e. not in the public domain):

Any use of the master recording in a remix/mash-up

#6 Fair Use and Parodies of Licensed Songs

Fair Use is a very complicated topic but a judge will use the following when considering any claims:

The amount and substantiality of the portion taken

The effect of the use upon the potential market

If a video creator uses a song or changes the lyrics in a way that either provides commentary or ridicules the original, there may be an argument for Fair Use. But Fair Use is not a guarantee and depends entirely on how the creator has interpreted the composition. So, parodies can absolutely be subject to claim.

If you are performing a copyrighted song on YouTube, and are in the partner program, the platform has the ability to share revenue between the publisher and the creator who uploaded the video. That’s known as a cover rev share, even though the new version may not necessarily be a straightforward cover. YouTube wanted to find a way to reward creators by allowing them a monetization option, as long as the rightsholder is in agreement.

Thinking of using someone else’s music in your YouTube video? Here’s what you need to know to avoid a copyright strike.

Posts tagged with "Music Copyright"

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Fortnite to Allow Gamers to Mute Emotes to Avoid Copyright Strikes

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Fortnite to Allow Gamers to Mute Emotes to Avoid Copyright Strikes

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The Truth About Using Cover Songs in Your YouTube Videos

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