How to Find Non-Copyrighted Music for Your Videos (2022 update) (2023)

FAQs

How do you check if a song is copyrighted 2022? ›

Public domain songs: The website PDInfo not only has information about copyright law; it also lists all the songs available in the public domain. Typically, these are songs composed or recorded in 1926 or before, as of January 2022.

Public Domain Songs

In general, published works like musical compositions enter the public domain, or lose their legal copyright protection, about 70 years after the author dies. Songs published in 1926 and before are considered in the public domain as of January 1st, 2022.

Put simply; you can legally use music in videos if you have permission from the person, people, or company who owns the rights. Since the publisher and the record label usually hold music rights, you'll have to get permission from both. From the publisher or composer, you'll get a synchronization (or sync license).

When you upload your own music to TikTok, use music that is paid for (royalty-free, Creative Commons, or licensed through a performing rights organization), or stitch together your video on top of another creator's video, these are all considered legal uses of sound on TikTok, and you will not be penalized.

You may have heard of "fair use," a copyright provision that permits you to use 10, 15 or 30 seconds of music without copyright obligation. That is, you understand that you can use a short section of a song without paying a fee.

Any use of copyrighted material without permission is, according to U.S. copyright law, copyright infringement. It does not matter if you use one second or the entire song, using copyrighted materials without the consent or permission of the copyright owner, constitutes copyright infringement.

For music you can legally use on Facebook without a copyright, you can use a service that contains a catalog of royalty-free or stock music. These services usually require a monthly or annual subscription, and you can then use the music as you need it. Some allow you to pay a one-time fee for specific tracks.

Generally, any song or musical work published in 1925 or before in the US is in the public domain. As of January 1, 2022, musical compositions from 1926 and earlier will be in the public domain.

Creators of original words, like music, hold copyright protection over those works, meaning that they have exclusive rights to perform or copy those tunes. If you infringe on those rights, taking their tunes without permission, you could face legal liability.

What if someone uses your song without permission? ›

If your work is used unlawfully, without your permission and not under a statutory limitation, it is your right to pursue legal action. However you do need to register your work with the Copyright Office before bringing an infringement lawsuit for your work in the United States.

The copyright owner can copyright a song or multiple songs on an audio recording. It takes six or more months to process a song copyright. A nonrefundable $35 filing fee for online applications and an $85 filing fee for paper applications as of this date. Fees can change so always check the U.S. Copyright website.

The claim may affect your views as the owner may restrict the video from appearing on certain websites, devices, or even various countries. However, some copyright owners choose more aggressive policies, which could result in your video being blocked or removed entirely. A copyright claim does not serve as a penalty.

Essentially, any background sounds protected by copyright that you include in your video, without obtaining permission, could make you liable for infringement.

Anyone can argue any thing in court. So the question becomes whether or not the law backs them up. In this case, if you use someone else's musical composition or sound recording you need a license. If you haven't obtained a license, even if what you're doing is for free or even a charity, then they can sue you.

Chapter 5 of American copyright law specifies statutory damages, or fees. According to the law, those cannot be lower than $750 or more than $30,000. However, if the court determines that your use of the music is somehow willful, the court could increase the damages to $150,000.

There are no limits on music in Stories, or traditional musical performances (example: filming a live artist or band performing their own music). The more full-length recorded tracks in your video, the more likely the video may be limited (example: muted or blocked). Shorter clips of music are recommended.

Put simply; you can legally use music in videos if you have permission from the person, people, or company who owns the rights. Since the publisher and the record label usually hold music rights, you'll have to get permission from both. From the publisher or composer, you'll get a synchronization (or sync license).

Is Soundcloud no copyright? ›

Are Soundcloud songs copyrighted? Some Soundcloud tracks are copyrighted while others are not. Music on Soundcloud can fit under a variety of licenses, so it's important that you cater your search results appropriately and inspect each song individually to make sure that you are utilizing truly copyright-free tracks.

Fair use is a legal doctrine that allows a user to use portions of copyrighted materials for the purpose of commentary, criticism, reporting, teaching, and research without the need for permission from, or payment to, a copyright owner.

This means, for example, that uploading a song created by someone else or creating a remix of someone else's work, even if you're only using a small part, may be infringing. In addition to penalties that may be placed on your SoundCloud account, there may be civil or criminal liability.