Listening to a podcast
If you’ve just recorded a podcast, you’re probably looking for the right music to dress it up.
But you don’t know any musicians, and you don’t want to spend a lot of money to get an original production?
Here are eight free and paid platforms for finding music for your podcast. ~Please note that you should always verify the type of license associated with your music! ~
Want free podcast music? Here are some sites to try.
Icons8, a company specializing in icon design, offers a music platform under a Creative Commons license.
Although the service was originally designed for videos, you’re sure to find some music that will dress up your podcasts.
The songs are classified by theme (documentary, horror, meditation…), genre (folk, piano, vintage…) and mood (calm, intense, romantic…).
Be aware that they’ll ask you to include a link to the site if you use one of their productions. If you don’t wish to include a link, you can buy a subscription.
Updated daily, this YouTube channel compiles productions from several hundred artists.
You can browse the videos in the catalog or take a listen to their playlists sorted by genre (vacation, relaxation, hip hop…) or by artist.
If the music offered is copyright free, be sure to credit the musician when using them.
YouTube’s Audio Library provides numerous types of music and sound effects. Initially intended for YouTubers, the service also appeals to podcasters.
The content can be classified by genre, mood or type of instrument. In addition to musical content, the platform also offers a wide variety of sound effects.
An icon indicates whether or not you need to credit the artist.
Attention: YouTube specifies that if you want to use their music other than on their platform, it’s up to you to check the legality of your actions.
With more than 28,000 tracks on their platform accessible free of charge, Dig CC Mixter appeals to podcasters looking for a soundtrack that won’t break the bank.
The way it works is simple. Musicians put their creations on the site, and you can access them freely.
However, you’ll need to be aware of the different types of licenses: some productions can be used for commercial purposes, provided that the musician receives credit. Others are reserved for personal use only and also require crediting the artist.
You can filter the results by category through the “Tag Search” function in the menu. Enjoy!
A few months ago, the BBC decided to make their collection of nearly 30,000 sound effects available. Though it’s not music per se, it’s still a gold mine for dressing up your podcast.
To sort, you can choose a category from the drop-down menu or type a keyword in the search bar.
You can use these podcast sound effects free of charge for your personal productions. If, however, you wish to commercialize your productions though, you’ll need to buy a license.
Audioblocks from Storyblocks offers an extensive sound library with more than 125,000 different types of content.
It’s hard not to find what you need! Subscribing gives you access to music tracks, sound effects and loops.
You can even filter musical content according to the desired mood (aggressive, soothing, troubling…), genre, type of instrument, tempo and total duration of the track.
Everything is, of course, 100% royalty-free, with no restrictions on use (personal or commercial).
Rates depend on the length of your commitment (monthly or yearly) and the number of downloads desired (five songs per month or unlimited access).
Depending on the subscription you choose, you’ll pay from $8.25/month to $15/month.
This platform offers a vast catalog and is very useful for those who want to dress up their podcasts.
You can download as many tracks as you wish from their assortment of 800,000+ musical tracks and sound effects, and pay $1-$2 per song.
If you choose a subscription, you can have access to images, videos and WordPress themes (if you ever need them for other projects).
Universal Music offers an extensive music library. Though it primarily features music for movies and TV or radio programs, podcasters may also find the service useful.
On their own initiative, artists provide royalty-free content that can be accessed on a subscription basis.
As with other platforms, you can filter the results by theme (there’s even a radio theme), by mood or genre.
Regarding rates, you’ll need to contact them directly to find an offer that meets your needs.
Have you found your selection? To learn how to integrate music into your podcast, read our article on it!
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