Whether it’s background audio for an upcoming project presentation, funky sound effects for a game you’re working on, or anything else, having high-quality music at your disposal is one of your essential requirements. However, in general, most songs are copyrighted and cannot be used without a license, often at the cost of paying large amounts of cash to the copyright holder. That’s quite a problem, isn’t it?
not much. There are many online sources where you can get songs (from full tracks to sound effects) released under Creative Commons licenses . You are free to use it in any project (commercial or non-commercial) as long as you give appropriate credit and follow the attribution rules outlined in the license terms. Intrigued? Check out these 15 websites where you can get Creative Commons music for free.
Get Creative Commons Music for Free
YouTube audio library
You might think YouTube is all about videos, but there’s much more to the world’s largest and most popular video-sharing website (though there are plenty of alternatives). A great example is the YouTube Audio Library . This library offers hundreds of Creative Commons-licensed audio tracks that you can freely download and use in your projects, subject to the attribution terms listed on the tracks.
Advanced search lets you filter results based on a number of parameters, including play time, genre, mood, and even instrumentation. Apart from music, many sound effects (such as human voices) are also available. Just find what you’re looking for and click Download . Arrow icon.
If that’s not enough, searching for “Creative Commons music” on YouTube will bring up dozens of channels, personal uploads, and more that contain Creative Commons-licensed music that you can use in your work. Some of the most popular channels include Creative Commons Free Music Library and Best of Creative Commons .
2. Soundcloud
Probably the largest web-based audio distribution and sharing platform, SoundCloud has a huge collection of original songs, including everything from audio tracks, full albums, podcasts, and more. And many of these musical works are released/uploaded under Creative Commons licenses, making SoundCloud a de facto source of Creative Commons music.
Generally, all Creative Commons licensed songs uploaded to SoundCloud are available for download, along with license and attribution details, making it very easy to use. A simple search for “Creative Commons Music” usually yields enough results to pique your interest. You can also check out the many great SoundCloud groups dedicated to curating Creative Commons-licensed music, such as Creative Commons and Crazy Language . And there’s one more thing.
3. Free music archive
I think the name says it all. Free Music Archive is an interactive collection of legally downloadable music created and maintained by curators around the world. Free Music Archive hosts songs (individual tracks, albums, etc.) across a wide range of genres, including electronic, historic, spoken, pop, and jazz.
All you need to get started is a free account. Once you’ve done that, you can use Free Music Archive’s powerful search to get the music content you’re looking for. Search results can be filtered based on various parameters such as album/song title, genre, time period, and of course the specific type of Creative Commons license. Each album/song page has Creative Commons license and attribution details in the bottom right corner, and you can download individual tracks or the entire album at once.
4. Internet Archive
With an archive of over 450 billion web pages, the Internet Archive is probably one of the largest digital collections of free books, software applications, movies, and music, despite many alternatives. That’s why we have pre-curated collections that make searching our vast repository of digital content a little easier.
For example, you can start with the “Community Audio” collection. It includes hundreds of thousands of user-uploaded audio works, covering genres and types such as experimental hip-hop, jazz, and spoken word. When you click on an audio/music work, its details page lists information such as its description, Creative Commons Attribution License, and publication date. Additionally, various download options are listed on the right.
5. cc mixer
Focused on “remix” type music (hence the name), ccMixter primarily focuses on artists who can upload their musical works and collaborate with other artists to create remixes and mashups of their works. Targeted.
But that’s not all. All of these remixes, mashups, etc. uploaded to ccMixter are available under a Creative Commons license, so users are free to download, download, etc. as long as proper attribution is provided in the license information. You can modify it and use it in your project. You can use the dig.ccMixter subsection of the website to find the Creative Commons music you’re looking for. Additionally, advanced search options allow you to filter search results based on parameters such as genre, instrument, and style. Each track’s information page lists Creative Commons license details and allows you to download the track with one click.
6. Vimeo
Although it may not be as big as the aforementioned YouTube, Vimeo is still a very popular video sharing website with a loyal user base. And hey, Vimeo also has a sizable collection of songs (and videos, of course) under a Creative Commons license.
Finding content like this is easy, usually just a quick search for “Creative Commons Music.” We have music (video) content on a variety of themes, from anime to travel, sports to gourmet. Additionally, you can filter results based on parameters such as upload date, duration, and specific types of Creative Commons licenses. Content attribution and usage information is provided in the accompanying detailed text. To get started, check out the Creative Commons subsection on Vimeo .
7. Band Camp
Bandcamp is primarily intended as a platform for emerging/independent artists to publish and promote their musical works. As a result, there is a little less Creative Commons music available on Bandcamp. However, artists can upload songs under a Creative Commons license and provide the required license subtype and attribution details.
You can use the site-wide search feature to find music content based on parameters such as genre and Creative Commons license. Each artist upload, such as an album or song, typically has (Creative Commons) license details listed at the bottom of the individual information page. So look for it, and if the license details allow you to use the content, download it and use it with the required attribution.
8. Musopen
What probably sets Musopen apart from other websites on this list is its focus on making music content available as an educational resource. Its library features an extensive collection of music recordings as well as sheet music and textbooks, including works by world-famous music composers such as Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart. If you’re looking for classical or orchestral music, Musopen is definitely worth a look.
You can search Musopen’s catalog directly or browse specifically based on parameters such as composer name, instrument name, or even time period. Most music is royalty-free, and the Creative Commons license type for each musical work is listed accordingly. All you need to download (and use) music is a free account, but you’re limited to five downloads per day. However, you can always purchase a paid level account to get unlimited high-quality downloads.
9. Jamendo
Jamendo, which bills itself as an “indie music community,” is perfect for anyone who loves discovering indie artists and their music. It also includes nifty community-based sharing features, allowing you to create your own curated playlists, listen to streaming radio, and more.
From background music to instrumental tracks to full albums, Jamendo has a wide range of music content. And as far as Creative Commons music is concerned, all Creative Commons music works listed on Jamendo are generally free to download for personal use. However, if you want to use it for a commercial project, you will need to obtain a Jamendo license. There are multiple licensing plans available based on how you want to use the songs available on Jamendo.
10. Free Play Music
Want some great free music to use in your next YouTube project? Freeplay Music is what you need. Featuring over 15,000 songs, Freeplay Music’s vast catalog spans genres and themes such as modern hip-hop, lounge, terror, despair, suspense, and more. You can also filter the catalog based on parameters such as artist/composer, style, tempo, feel, instrument, etc.
To obtain content from Freeplay Music, you must create a free account. Once you’ve found the music you’re looking for, click Add to Cart and select your license type from the drop-down menu. There are many specifics to the types of licenses, but many (e.g. personal use of YouTube, in-class use) are free of charge and last for a whopping 99 years. Finally, you can download the music and use it under the terms of your chosen license. kind!
11. Free Sound
What if you’re not looking for something like a complete background track or special sound effects like special instruments? Freesound has you covered. It’s a collaborative database of thousands of music samples, sound effects, audio recordings, and more, all available for reuse under a Creative Commons license.
Searching for music on Freesound is incredibly easy and even more fun. For example, if you type “bird like” in the search bar, search results will appear with audio effects that match bird calls. Advanced search options allow you to further filter results based on parameters such as time period and tags. Each song’s details page lists the Creative Commons license type and information such as duration, bitrate, and file type. Just create a free account and you’ll be able to download.
12. Ben Sound
If you’re looking for music for your next commercial, animated short, etc., be sure to check out Bensound . From acoustic/folk to film, electronica to world/and more, Bensound has it all. And considering this is one man’s work, it’s even more amazing.
It’s very easy to browse Bensound and find your favorite songs. The homepage itself lists royalty-free music works from various genres, sorted by popularity (default setting), and can be previewed/downloaded with one click. You can use the genre tabs at the top for a more detailed search. As detailed in the Creative Commons license, in order to download music for free, you must credit the creator of the music (and site) when using it in your project. However, if you want additional features, such as features that don’t provide credits or downloads in additional formats, you can also purchase a Pro license. Click here for more information.
13. Eyebeat
If you’re an aspiring DJ, you’ll love iBeat . With a diverse collection of sound loops, beats, and other special sound effects, iBeat has a lot going for it.
Almost all songs listed on iBeat are available under a Creative Commons license, and license attribution/usage details can be found on the song’s information page. On the left side of the homepage, there are subsections such as Shots, Loops, etc. that allow you to easily browse specific musical works. You can also see editor’s picks, the latest uploads, and more. Once you find the music you’re looking for, simply click the Download link on the left to download your music in multiple formats (if available) such as MP3 and WAV . It couldn’t be easier!
14. Incompetech
Slightly funny name aside, Incompetech is a great resource for anyone looking for royalty-free music. Almost all musical works listed on Incompetech are free to download and use in your projects, provided you provide proper attribution as detailed in the content’s Creative Commons license.
Searching Incompetech’s database is easy. Use the full search feature to fine-tune search parameters such as tempo, genre, and length, or view pre-curated collections if you’re looking for something specific, like weird or dark music. You can also. The world, and even the atmosphere of film music, is different. Be sure to read the details page for each musical work, as it contains additional licensing and attribution terms that you must follow when using it in your projects.
15. Ectoplasm
Aimed specifically at psytrance, techno and downtempo genres/types of music, Ektoplazm is a treasure trove of such original music content as well as additional information related to it. Curated and managed by a highly active team of DJs, producers, and independent labels, Ektoplazm is your one-stop shop for all things psytrance and electronic.
On the left sidebar of the website, you can browse music based on different substyles such as Darkpsy, Techtrance, Ambient, etc. And the fact that all this original music is available for free download is absolutely amazing. Both individual songs and entire albums are available for download in multiple formats ( MP3 , WAV , FLAC ) and released under a non-commercial Creative Commons license.
Bonus: Creative Commons Music on Reddit
The Creative Commons music content you can find in the sources above is enough to last you a lifetime, but if you still want more, visit the Creative Commons music thread on Reddit . This is an almost daily updated source of Creative Commons music where independent artists post (link to) their own musical works and are free to use them in their own work, with proper attribution and credit, of course. You can. Go ahead and check it out!
See also: 14 legal and free music download websites
Ready to find great free music?
It’s true that you have to spend some money (or a lot of money) to use or listen to most commercially available musical works. But as the websites mentioned above demonstrate, there’s a ton of great free Creative Commons music that you can use in your own projects or just sit back and listen to. Want independent music from up-and-coming artists? Check out Jamendo or SoundCloud. Looking for great sheet music and classical masterpieces? Musopen is your friend. If you’re looking for funky sound effects and trance music, Freesound and Ektoplazm are the perfect choice. Check them all out and see which ones are the most interesting. Do you know of any other sources of Creative Commons music that could be included in the list above? Don’t forget to mention them in the comments below.
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