How to Find SoundCloud Copyright Free Music

When artists create music, they usually aim to earn money through such music. That means it can be hard to find royalty-free music even in a user-friendly platform like Soundcloud. The music on the platform is usually copyrighted. If you want to use the musical tracks, you need permission from the content creators.  

Even where you want to use a remade beat, the artist still has copyright protection. However, you can still find royalty-free music on SoundCloud if you know how to do it. In this article, we will be sharing tips on finding such music.

What is SoundCloud?

SoundCloud is a Berlin-based platform that allows artists to share music, listen to it, and collaborate on productions. The idea is borrowed from YouTube, where creators share their videos. The only difference is that while YouTube is for video creators, SoundCloud is for music and audio creators.

What is Copyrighted Music?

Copyright laws aim to protect the original creative works of an artist. The law allows artists to decide how their music is used and distributed. While some artists distribute their work for free, others don't. Therefore, you should remember that using copyrighted work without permission is illegal. Thus, you need to be creative in using other people's work to promote your music and get more followers on SoundCloud.

How to Determine if SoundCloud Music is Copyrighted

The easiest way to tell whether SoundCloud music is copyrighted is to look at the license status using the sound navigation panel. Then, you can use the Creative Common License to filter the song search. 

If you are a content creator, you need to ensure that you have permission to use the music and that you aren't infringing on copyright laws. If you are supposed to get a license for the use of music, make sure you do that. You should also add all the elements, such as hashtags, on SoundCloud.

What is Royalty-Free Music?

Before searching for royalty-free music on Soundcloud, it's essential to understand what the term means and its impact on your music or video production. Whenever an artist creates music, video, or other content, they usually attach a copyright to it. Royalty is a fee usually attached to the work and paid each time the song is played or streamed.

If a track is royalty-free, it means there is no fee for using it. Sometimes, you might be rewired to pay for a royalty-free track, but in most cases, such a payment is usually a one-off payment.

How to Find Royalty-Free Music on SoundCloud

Is SoundCloud music royalty-free? While the music on SoundCloud isn't royalty-free, at times, it is possible to find royalty-free music. The artist on the platform uploads music using various license terms, such as the Creative Commons license, which will be discussed later in this article.

The Creative Commons entity provides intellectual property licensing guidelines. It was made specifically for intellectual products in the digital space. Since 2001, it has been helping content creators promote their Soundcloud music and share their work free of charge. Therefore, this license allows the use of copyright-free music on Soundcloud.

However, since not all music uses the license, you must use Soundcloud's search feature to find royalty-free music.

How to Search on SoundCloud

You can use the search button on SoundCloud to find royalty-free music on the platform. Here are the steps to follow when doing that:

1. Go to the homepage and search for the type of music you need to review. You can use phrases describing the genre, such as happy dance music or just dance music. 
2. Include the term “royalty-free” in the search for a list of tagged songs. You can then filter your results using the track icon.
3. On your left, you will see the option to Filter results. Choose Use Commercially to go to the usage menu.
4. You will have four options from which you can choose one. These are to listen to, modify, share, or use commercially. The option to modify commercially is for those who want to reuse the song by remixing it, adding their lyrics, or changing it through any other way. If you use the song to create a film and want to use it precisely as it is, you should choose to use it commercially.
5. Other filter options, such as Any Length, Keyword tags, and added Any Length, can modify the track to your needs.

Downloading Your Soundcloud Track

After the above steps, you can see all the tracks you can use commercially without royalties. Here are the steps to follow when downloading the track.

• To open the track you have chosen, choose it from the list.
• To save the track to your library, tap the Like button.
• You can now click on download to save the song to your PC later when editing.
• Ensure that you only download songs with the Creative Commons License.

Understanding the Different Types of Creative Commons Licenses

One of the ways that artists try to reach new audiences is by publishing their music using the Creative Commons License. However, to ensure they get recognized, creators who use their music must credit the work to them. To do that, they publish the work using the Creative Common License. The license has different categories that creators can use. These are:

Attribution

The attribution license involves creators stipulating the kind of attribution they want the videos' users to give them. It could be something like adding the artist's name and the track’s name at the end to credit the artist. This license aims to ensure that viewers can find the original creator.

Noncommercial

At times, artists can allow the use of their work but only for noncommercial purposes. That means you can use the work if you are not making money. You should be careful when using this license, as it does not allow you to make money even with other methods, such as YouTube monetization. Therefore, this license may prevent you from easily monetizing your work.

ShareAlike

The ShareAlike clause allows you to modify the work as much as possible. But the catch is that you are also supposed to allow your work to be shared in a similar way.

No Derivatives

This license type allows you to use the music as much as you want, but you should avoid changing it without the artist's approval. Certain conditions may apply, including not changing a verse or looping the chorus. That means this type of license prohibits users from changing the track in any given way.

Sometimes, the creator may add more restrictions, such as fair representation. This means you aren't allowed to use the work disrespectfully or harmfully. Therefore, checking the track's description before using it is essential.

Can You Use 30 seconds of a Copyrighted Soundcloud Music?

In some jurisdictions, creators can use copyrighted work for a few seconds, termed fair use. That often leads to questions about whether the fair use rule applies to SoundCloud and whether you can use the tracks for 30 seconds. However, the fair use rule doesn't apply to SoundCloud music, and using a 30-second track on the platform can still be considered copyright infringement.

An artist has the sole discretion of determining the rules for using their music. Even a small section of their work can, therefore, be considered copyright infringement and is consequently protected under copyright laws. There are a few circumstances when copyrighted music may be allowed, such as fair use. 

However, this isn't blanket permission, and fair use can only be determined on a case-by-case basis. Fair uses usually apply to different transformative cases, such as criticism, commentary, and parody. Therefore, consider other methods for promoting music on SoundCloud.

FAQs On Using Royalty Free Music On SoundCloud

Here are some frequently asked questions on the use of royalty-free music on SoundCloud.

Can I use SoundCloud music on YouTube?

If you want to download SoundCloud music to use in YouTube videos, you should only do so for tracks using the Creative Commons License. This is important even if you only use the track for background music or effects. If the music isn't royalty-free, you will be considered infringing on copyright when you use it in your videos.

If you aren't sure of the conditions of a license, it's advisable to contact the artist for clarification. When you do that, you can even ask permission to use their music for the background of your music.

Do SoundCloud songs have copyright issues?

Some SoundCloud music is copyrighted, while others aren't. SoundCloud music can fit into different license categories, so you should only use copyright-free music.

Are SoundCloud tracks copyrighted?

Some music on SoundCloud is usually copyrighted, while others aren't. If you would like to use the copyrighted music commercially, you need permission from the copyright holder.

Can SoundCloud block me from using my music?

At times, SoundCloud will block you from uploading your content because it matches other content you had uploaded earlier. While this can be frustrating, it happens especially for artists who are signed to specific recording labels or whose music is distributed by a digital distributor. To overcome this challenge, you need to provide the platform with confirmation that you have the right to the music.

Conclusion

Since it is an artist-driven platform, SoundCloud takes copyright laws seriously. It has several tools and rules to protect creators from copyright infringement. If you don't want to get into problems with the platform, it's essential to ensure you only use music you have copyrights to. If you are wondering how to get such music, our guide will help you. It will also help you understand how to use copyrighted music on the platform without problems. You can read our guide on researching SoundCloud hashtags.