YouTube Audio Library: Free Music and Attribution Rules in 2026

Most tracks in the YouTube Audio Library are free to use with no attribution required. A subset of tracks (marked with a 'CC BY' license) require attribution: you must credit the artist and link the track in your video description. The library makes the requirement clear next to each track.

How to tell if a YouTube Audio Library track needs attribution:

1. Open the YouTube Audio Library in YouTube Studio.
2. Look at the 'License type' column.
3. 'YouTube Audio Library License' equals no attribution required.
4. 'Creative Commons - Attribution (CC BY 4.0)' equals attribution required.
5. Click any track to see the exact credit line to copy into your description.

Royalty-free music isn't a perk reserved for large creators. YouTubers of all sizes need quality backing tracks to make better content and attract more viewers.

Think about it: Have you watched a video that seemed OK, but everything improved once the music kicked in? At that moment, you probably felt the "cinematic mood" as the music paced the story.

Well, viewers can feel that, too. They might not leave a comment saying so, but there's a reason polished videos get significant views. And that reason alone is why you should find royalty-free music for YouTube content.

If a song is royalty-free, you don't need to pay licensing or royalty fees every time it's used in a video. At most, you'd pay a one-time fee to use the song if it's not free already.

By doing this, you'll skip the hassle of dealing with copyright holders and reduce copyright claims and strikes on your channel.

Read More: What's the Difference Between a Copyright Claim and a Copyright Strike?

If that sounds good to you, here's your guide for finding high-quality stock music.

How to Access YouTube's Free Audio Library

Did you know YouTube has a built-in library of free music? This resource is from YouTube itself and pretty much guarantees you won't use copyrighted music. Every sound in the collection is copyright-free and ready to download.

Here's how to find and use it:

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio
2. In the left sidebar, click Audio Library

1. You'll see two tabs: Free Music and Sound Effects
2. Use the filters to search by genre, mood, duration, instrument, or attribution requirements

1. Click the play button to preview any track
2. Click the download arrow to save it to your computer

1. Drop it into your video editor and you're good to go

The Audio Library is separate from Creator Music, which is YouTube's licensed music marketplace where you can use popular songs in exchange for a revenue share. Audio Library tracks are completely free, with no revenue sharing or licensing fees.

There's a good selection of music: jazz, rock, reggae, pop, folk, country, and other genres. Just make sure you don't distribute the music yourself or use it in illegal content. Other than that, you have unlimited access to the library.

Do You Need to Give Credit for YouTube Audio Library Music?

Most tracks in YouTube's Audio Library are completely free to use with no strings attached. But some tracks require attribution, meaning you need to credit the artist in your video description.

Here's how to check:

1. Go to YouTube Studio and open the Audio Library
2. Look for the Attribution column next to each track
3. Tracks marked with a Creative Commons (CC-BY) icon require credit
4. Click the attribution icon next to the track, and YouTube will show you the exact text to copy
5. Paste that text into your video description

Pro tip: Use the filter menu to show only tracks that don't require attribution. Just toggle the "Attribution not required" filter.

Forgetting to include attribution on a CC-BY track won't trigger a copyright strike, but the artist could file a claim. It takes five seconds to paste the credit, so just do it.

YouTube's Free Sound Effects Library

While you're in the Audio Library grabbing music, don't overlook the Sound Effects tab. YouTube offers hundreds of free sound effects organized by category:

• Ambience (rain, crowds, office backgrounds)
• Impacts (whooshes, hits, transitions)
• Comedy (cartoon sounds, laugh tracks)
• Emergency (sirens, alarms)
• Animals, Sports, Weather, and more

These are 100% free, no attribution required, and they can make a huge difference in production quality, especially for transitions, intros, and reaction content. Most creators overlook this completely.

What We Use at vidIQ

For our own YouTube videos, we use a mix of YouTube's Audio Library and Epidemic Sound. One of our go-to tracks from the free library? "Arp Bounce", it's upbeat, non-distracting, and works for almost any explainer or tutorial format. Sometimes the simplest pick is the best one.

Best Free Royalty-Free Music Sources for YouTube (2026)

YouTube's Audio Library is a great starting point, but it's not your only option. Here are the best free sources for royalty-free music:

Pixabay Music , Completely free library with no attribution required. The catalog has grown significantly and covers most genres. Quality varies, but the top tracks rival paid libraries. Great for creators who want zero complexity.

Uppbeat , Free tier gives you 10 downloads per month with a huge selection of high-quality tracks. The search and filtering is excellent, you can browse by mood, genre, or even video type (vlog, tutorial, gaming). Paid plans start at $6.99/mo for unlimited downloads.

Bensound , One of the oldest free music libraries around. Free tracks require attribution in your video description. Their catalog leans toward mellow, cinematic, and acoustic styles, ideal for travel vlogs and lifestyle content.

Free Music Archive (FMA) , A massive library of Creative Commons music across every genre imaginable. Check the specific license on each track, some allow commercial use freely, others have restrictions. Best for creators who want unique, indie-sounding music.

NoCopyrightSounds (NCS) , If you've watched any gaming or montage content on YouTube, you've heard NCS. Their EDM and electronic catalog is iconic. Free to use with attribution (link to the NCS track in your description). They also have a Spotify presence with 7M+ followers.

TuneTank , Under-the-radar free library with solid production quality. No account required, just download and use. Attribution required for the free tier.

inaudio.org , Smaller catalog but consistently high quality. All tracks are free for YouTube use with attribution. Updated regularly with new releases.

Mubert , AI-generated music that creates unique tracks on demand. Set your mood, tempo, and duration, and Mubert generates a royalty-free track that literally no one else has. Free tier available with watermark; paid plans from $14/mo.

Best Paid Royalty-Free Music Sites for YouTube

The free sources above cover a lot of ground, but if you're a full-time creator looking for the widest selection and zero hassle, a paid subscription is worth the investment. Here are the top options:

Epidemic Sound ($9.99+/month) , The most popular choice among full-time YouTubers. Massive library of 50,000+ tracks with excellent search filters. Your license covers all platforms, not just YouTube.

Artlist ($9.99+/month) , Clean interface, high production quality, and a universal license that covers commercial use. Great for cinematic and professional content.

SoundStripe ($9.99+/month) , Unlimited downloads with a straightforward subscription. Good variety across genres.

Audio Jungle ($1+) , Pay-per-track model instead of a subscription. Good if you only need a few tracks per year.

Musicbed ($29.99+/month) , Premium feel with a curated catalog. Popular with filmmakers and high-production channels.

PremiumBeat ($9.99+/month) , From Shutterstock. Curated library with hand-picked tracks, so quality is consistently high.

Storyblocks ($15+/month) , Bundles music with stock video and images. Good value if you need multiple asset types.

Free vs. Paid Music Sources: Quick Comparison

How to Avoid Copyright Claims on Your YouTube Videos

Even with royalty-free music, copyright claims can still happen if you're not careful. Here's how to protect yourself:

1. Verify the License Before You Download

Not all "free" music is free for commercial use. Check whether the license covers:

• YouTube monetization
• Commercial projects
• Modification (editing the track length, mixing with other audio)

Creative Commons licenses come in several flavors. CC-BY (attribution) and CC0 (public domain) are safe for YouTube. CC-BY-NC (non-commercial) is not safe if you monetize your videos.

2. Download from the Official Source

Don't grab royalty-free tracks from random re-upload channels or third-party sites. Download directly from the original source (YouTube Audio Library, Epidemic Sound's site, the artist's page, etc.). Re-uploaded tracks sometimes get flagged by Content ID because the re-uploader doesn't have distribution rights.

3. Keep Your License Receipts

If you use a paid service like Epidemic Sound or Artlist, keep your subscription active while your videos are public. Some licenses only cover you while you're a paying subscriber, and if you cancel, old videos could get claimed. Check the specific terms.

4. Understand How Content ID Works

YouTube's Content ID system scans every upload against a database of copyrighted audio. Some royalty-free music distributors register their tracks with Content ID to prevent piracy. This means you might get an automated claim even when you have a valid license. If this happens:

• Don't panic, it's not a strike
• Go to your Copyright section in YouTube Studio
• Dispute the claim and provide your license proof
• The distributor should release the claim within 30 days

5. When in Doubt, Test First

Upload a short unlisted video with the music track and wait 24-48 hours. If Content ID flags it, you'll know before it's on your main video. This is especially useful for tracks from lesser-known free libraries.