Finding high-quality music for your projects can be a daunting task, especially when you have a limited budget. Fortunately, there are many resources available that offer free music for use in a variety of projects.
Here we will take a deep dive into the best tips and resources for finding high-quality free music for your projects, whether you’re a filmmaker, a video creator, a podcaster, or a gamer.
1. YouTube Audio Library
The YouTube Audio Library is an excellent source of free music that can be used in any video, whether it’s uploaded on YouTube or not. The library contains a wide range of free music tracks, ranging from classical to hip hop to upbeat electronic to ambient and more.
Moreover, it offers filters to help you find exactly what you’re looking for, including genre, mood, instrument, and duration. Plus, you can see the license directly from the platform, so you know what you can and can’t do with the music.
2. AudioJungle
AudioJungle is a marketplace for music, sound effects, and other audio resources. Although most of the options on the platform are available for purchase, there are a limited but robust selection of free music tracks available for download.
The quality of the music on AudioJungle is generally very high, and the website is easy to navigate, with great filters to find the right piece. Once you find a suitable track, you can download the licenses requiring attribution or not.
3. Free Music Archive
Free Music Archive is another excellent resource for high-quality free music. It’s an online library of royalty-free music that includes a broad range of genres, including jazz, electronic, rock, and more.
What differentiates Free Music Archive from other platforms is the Curators section, where you can find specialized collections of music curated by experts in each genre. The platform provides a wealth of information about each artist, including their bios, links to their websites, and other useful information.
4. SoundCloud
SoundCloud is a social streaming platform that allows artists to upload their music and listeners to listen and discover new music. It’s an excellent resource for finding original and creative music for different projects.
To find free music on SoundCloud, enter keywords in the search bar, and then filter the results by “free download.” You can download the tracks directly from the website or using third-party browser extensions.
Note that not all the music available on SoundCloud is free to use. Always double-check the license and permission from the artists to avoid any copyright issues.
5. Bensound
Bensound is a website of royalty-free music that was created by French composer Benjamin Tissot. The platform offers a wide variety of high-quality music tracks that range from introspective to cheerful, and all of them are free to use under Creative Commons licensing.
The navigation on the website is intuitive, and each track has a clear licensing statement describing how you are allowed to use it.
6. Epidemic Sound
Epidemic Sound is a music library for creators that offer a wide range of high-quality music that can be used in videos, podcasts, and online content. Although most of the tracks are available by subscription, there is a selection of royalty-free and free music tracks available for download.
These tracks are available under the Non-Commercial or Creative Commons Attribution licenses, but the quality is exceptional. As soon as you find a suitable piece, just check if you can use it commercially or not before downloading.
7. Incompetech
Incompetech is a website operated by composer Kevin MacLeod that offers a wide selection of royalty-free music tracks that are free to use. The library contains various genres, including classical, rock, and electronic.
What stands out about Incompetech is the intuitive navigation of the website and the powerful search engine, which makes it easy to find the correct piece of music for your project. Plus, the platform offers different attribution options, so you can credit the author in the way you want.
8. Jamendo
Jamendo is a website that offers more than 4,000 music tracks under a Creative Commons license. The platform has different filters to help you find the perfect track depending on the project you’re working on.
The platform offers a wide selection of music genres, including rock, pop, electronic, jazz, and more. Moreover, you can find reviews and ratings from other users to ensure the quality of the piece.
9. Musopen
Musopen is a website that focuses on classical music, offering an extensive selection of public domain works that are free to use. Although the collection is mainly classical, it’s an excellent resource if you’re looking for background music for documentary filmmaking or podcasting.
The website is easy to navigate, and you can search for music by the composer or by instrument. Plus, you can stream the music directly from the platform or download it according to your needs.
10. CCMixter
CCMixter is a curated community of musicians and audio creators that offer original music licensed under Creative Commons. The platform is an excellent resource for finding eclectic and original music.
The library contains a wide range of genres, including rock, electronic, acoustic, and more. What makes CCMixter different is that all of the music is licensed for commercial use, provided that the users follow the rules of each license.
Final Thoughts
Finding high-quality free music for your projects can be frustrating. However, the internet is full of resources with talented artists that share their work freely or under a Creative Commons license.
Remember to always double-check the licenses, read the fine print, and credit the authors accordingly. With these tips and resources, you’re ready to find the perfect piece for your project.