Every day, you use social media to advertise your products and services. You post videos on YouTube, Facebook posts, Tweets, and more to promote. But what if the song you want to use is copyrighted? Is it legal for you to use copyrighted music?
You can search for free royalty-free songs on Youtube or Pixabay. If you’re not sure whether or not a song is copyrighted, purchasing a commercial license is the safest bet. This will allow you to use the copyrighted music for your business (if you’re using it in advertising). If you can’t find free music, buy exclusive music.
1. The fastest way to find out if the song you want is copyrighted
When you use a copyrighted song in your advertisement, be sure that the song is allowed for commercial use. The easiest way to do this is to check the copyright release form that came with the music you purchased. If there is no copyright release form on file, you should contact the artist for approval.
Finding out whether a song is copyrighted can be done very quickly. If you go on Youtube and search for “song name,” a list of videos using that song should come up. An alternative method is trying Googling “<artist name> mp3.” If the song is copyrighted, it will have a © symbol next to the title.
If you’re still not sure, it’s best to contact an intellectual property lawyer to find out for sure.
2. Legally use copyrighted music with a commercial license
When you have a video, make sure it doesn’t violate someone else’s intellectual property rights. If you want to use songs or video clips for commercial purposes, make sure that their music licenses allow it.
Music licensing is not worldwide, therefore different licenses are required for various locations (i.e. social media, advertising, radio). So, you should double-check the license type before using any copyrighted music.
When dealing with music that is not copyrighted, it is free for commercial use. For example, you can upload your original or royalty-free music to social media sites as background music. There won’t be any issues as long as you use a song in the public domain. However, if you’re using a song that is copyrighted but free for commercial purposes, then you may be in trouble. Before releasing any content that utilizes music or video clips, make sure you have the appropriate permissions.
If the song is copyrighted and licenses are available, you’ll have to pay for them. Licenses can be purchased through different sources.
3. When using copyrighted music, make sure you have the copyright release form
Before you buy your legal music license, make sure that the company has the copyright release form on file. This will protect both you and the company in case of any legal issues. It is also a good idea to keep a copy of the release form yourself, just in case.
Copyright law can be challenging to understand, but that doesn’t mean you should take any chances with it. By taking the necessary precautions, you can stay out of legal trouble and honor the artist’s intellectual property.
4. To follow copyright law, you must get permission from the artist.
Then you should contact the artist to ask for their permission. This is the safest way to avoid any legal issues down the road. Make sure that you have taken care of all the paperwork that is needed before you publish anything.
By using licensed music in your advertisements, you’ll be able to avoid any legal issues. You need to do your research and get the necessary licenses before you use any copyrighted music in your content. It’s the best way to keep your business out of trouble.
5. But with music subscription websites, it’s easy.
There are a few different companies that offer a monthly subscription to access their music libraries. This is a great option if you’re looking for a wide variety of songs to use in your advertisements. The libraries typically have a wide range of genres, as well as artist and song information. It’s a great way to ensure that your business is using the appropriate music, legally and without hassle.
Here are a few of my favorite subscription websites to acquire commercial use music licenses:
If you don’t want to go through the trouble of securing licenses, you can contact me to get exclusive music written for you. Contact me today to get started!
This post may contain affiliate links for the products I use and recommend. I am not paid to promote these products. If you purchase using my affiliate links, I could make a small commission at no charge to you.
