Starting a new podcast and need music for your intro and outro or ads? Or are you looking for some new music to keep things fresh? In this article, you’ll discover where to get free music for podcasts so that you can boost your production values on a budget!
In 2023 there are millions of podcasts out there. And possibly hundreds on your niche/topic alone. This is why it’s so important to stand out from the crowd so that you can capture the attention of new listeners, and ensure they stick around. Putting together a high-quality intro and outro is one way of enhancing your branding and giving off a professional vibe.
However, finding the right music for your podcast can be a challenge, especially if you don’t have a budget. Fortunately, there are websites where you can download royalty-free music that you’re allowed to use in your podcast* without the risk or ongoing fees.
*This article does not offer any guarantees to the copyright status or usage of any music downloaded from any 3rd party website. Some audio, while free, may disallow commercial use, use on certain platforms or require attribution. Nothing here is legal advice. Please check the up-to-date terms and conditions on the website and for any particular piece of audio.
Here is our curated list of six websites where you can get free music for podcasts. We’ve also added a couple of bonus low-cost (non-subscription) options at the end for those with a small budget.
6 Websites to Get Free Music For Podcasts
1. Pixabay
Pixabay is a popular stock media platform that offers not only royalty-free images and videos but also music tracks that are free to use. The platform’s audio library is a great resource for podcasters, and all tracks are available under the Pixabay License, which allows for free and unlimited use.
Just be aware that tracks with ‘Content ID’ enabled may prevent you from monetising episodes on YouTube. Make sure you check the information on each song and up-to-date terms on the website.
2. YouTube Audio Library
YouTube offers a vast collection of free, high-quality music tracks that you can use in your podcast. The tracks are organized by genre, mood, instrument, and duration, making it easy to find the perfect track for your show.
You can access YouTube Audio Library via your YouTube Studio or on the Audio Library channel.
The license type is listed next to each song. Some may require you to attribute the musician in your descriptions.
3. Free Music Archive
The Free Music Archive is a platform that offers a large collection of music that you can use in your podcast for free. The music on this site is licensed under Creative Commons and other open licenses.
Each song will detail the type of license and how you can use that particular song. So be sure to check the licence on each song.
4. Incompetech
Incompetech is a website run by composer Kevin MacLeod that offers a wide range of royalty-free music tracks. All of the tracks on this site are free to use although at the time of writing, free use requires attribution in your show notes. You can choose to buy the track instead at a low, one-off fee.
5. Freesound
Freesound is a database of sounds with various licenses that you can download to use in your projects. It’s most useful for sound effects. There is a large user base that submits sounds that they’ve recorded.
You can also find music on the site, though. Try searching for something relevant to the style you’re after like “corporate music” to find a few options. You can also filter the results to ‘Creative Commons 0’ only, to ensure that no attribution is needed.
6. Musopen
Musopen is a non-profit organisation that provides access to music in the public domain. The site offers a vast collection of classical music tracks that are free to use. They’re mostly aimed at educational use but could be used for a podcast.
These are just a few of the sources where you can get free music for podcasts that’s royalty-free.
It is worth noting though, that the free music on these sites is likely to have been used in more projects already than paid music. Simply because it’s more accessible, and much of it has been around for a long time.
Because of this, we’ve also added some paid recommendations for royalty-free podcast music below. We’ve stuck to non-subscription options as this article is focused on podcasters with a small or no budget.
Low-Cost Music For Podcasts
1. Audio Jungle
Audio Jungle by Envato has a huge selection of premium music tracks that you can buy for a single, reasonable payment. There are various licences available that allow for different usage. Once you’ve found the right song, be sure to also check which licence is right for you.
2. Pond5
Pond5’s offering is similar to Audio Jungle’s, with prices starting from $5 per song. They have various license options depending on your needs.
Note: Bensound is often listed in online blogs as a website to get free music for podcasts. However, at the time of writing, we’ve noticed that Bensound specifies in their FAQ that their music cannot be used for “Audio only projects”. Therefore, Bensound currently seems to be unsuitable for podcasters.
When choosing music for your show, be sure to consider the mood, tempo, and overall vibe of your podcast to ensure the music fits with your content and brand. With the right sonic branding, you can retain more listeners and grow your show faster.
