Top 15 Sites to Get Royalty Free Music for Podcasts

Reviewed by Jack Freegard, Managing Director at TYX – Updated 17 December 2025

Free music for podcasts can still sound professional and remain legally compliant when it comes from reputable libraries and you follow the licence terms. In this guide, we cover the best sources, how to verify each track’s permissions, where to download higher-quality files when available, and how to build a repeatable workflow you can use across every episode.

How we chose these free music sources

We prioritised sites that publish clear, track-level licence terms and a usable download workflow. The list favours libraries with simple licensing where possible, but some sources include tracks with different Creative Commons conditions, so you still need to verify commercial use and attribution requirements per track.

We also leaned toward options that make it easy to document usage for repeatable production across episodes.

What is royalty-free music?

Royalty-free music is music licensed for reuse without paying ongoing royalties per play. You may pay once or download it for free under stated terms, but it is still copyrighted, and you must follow the licence conditions, such as attribution, monetisation limits, and where you can publish.

Our picks for the best royaly free music platforms:

Free Music Archive

A long-running hub of Creative Commons music, curated and community-driven. Best known for deep discovery and clear licence info, plus original, royalty free music. Strong for niche genres and archival finds used in documentary and education.

Note: All songs are free to access, but not all tracks can be used in podcasts or commercial projects; you must follow the specific CC/Public Domain licence shown on each track.

Price: Free under CC terms. Paid clearance via Tribe of Noise PRO from €45 per track with certificate and high‑quality file.

YouTube Audio Library

Google’s built-in library for creators inside YouTube Studio. Intended for use in videos and other creator content under YouTube’s terms; great for YouTube-first shows, but don’t assume off-YouTube podcast distribution is covered unless the track’s terms explicitly allow it.

‍Price: Free; some items require attribution per track notes.

Openverse (Audio)

‍A Creative Commons search engine that aggregates audio from multiple CC-friendly sources. Best for discovering CC0/CC-BY tracks and generating attribution quickly from the listing.

‍Price: Free; licence varies by track; verify CC type before use

Incompetech

Kevin MacLeod’s catalogue is used across film, games, and podcasts. est known for broad genre coverage and permissive CC licences. A go-to for iconic cues that are easy to credit or license for attribution-free use.

Price: Free with attribution. No‑attribution licence costs $30 for 1, $25 each for 2, $20 each for 3 or more.

Pixabay Music

Community‑contributed library of royalty free music with fast browsing. Best known for straightforward terms and frictionless downloads. Ideal for quick pulls when you need simple, platform-wide clearance.

Price: Free for commercial use under the Pixabay Content License, no attribution required.

Mixkit

Curated selection of beds and stings for quick edits. Best known for simple terms and no sign up. Handy for intros, transitions, and short beds with clean edits.

Price: Free under the Mixkit Music Free License.

ccMixter

Remix community sharing CC‑licensed songs and stems, supporting musicians worldwide. Best known for artist friendly licensing paths and stems. Active curation and licence filters help you shortlist pod-safe tracks fast.

Price: Free with CC attribution. ccPlus extended licences are available for a fee.

Audionautix

Jason Shaw’s original music is released for open reuse. Best known for wide style variety and pod‑safe beds. Great when you want consistent moods across episodes from one composer.

Price: Free under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

Purple Planet Music

Duo‑run library focused on storytelling cues for film and podcasts, with a diverse range of styles. Best known for offering both free MP3s and commercial upgrades. The catalogue leans toward narrative textures that sit well under speech.

Price: Free with credit. Broadcast licence typically costs $40 per item with high‑quality WAV and a licence document.

Musopen

Non‑profit archive

of classical works, recordings, and scores. Useful for public-domain repertoire, but verify the status of both the composition and the recording. Musopen notes it cannot guarantee uploaded content is in fact public domain.

‍Price: Free tier with daily limits; Member plan $55/year unlocks unlimited downloads and lossless audio.

TeknoAXE

High‑energy catalogue covering EDM, metal, and cinematic. Best known for YouTube-ready tracks and clear CC terms. Strong pick for punchy bumpers and high impact intros.

Price: Free under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

Uppbeat

Creator‑focused library with podcast categories and safelisting tools. Best known for a generous free tier and clean licensing that avoids claims. Safelist your YouTube channel to reduce Content ID claims when publishing to YouTube.

Price: Free plan: 3 downloads/month. Paid plans unlock a wider catalogue and features.

Silverman Sound Studios

One‑composer library of polished material across styles. Best known for straightforward CC BY use or a simple upgrade to remove credit. Clear cue sheets and track pages simplify attribution and record keeping.

Price: Free with attribution. Pro license available for attribution‑free use.

SoundCloud CC search

Use platform filters to find songs released under Creative Commons. Best known for direct artist uploads and niche finds. Sorting by licence and BPM helps you match tone quickly.

Price: Free when the uploader’s CC licence permits your use. Verify each item’s licence.

Unminus

A minimal, modern library releasing music for completely free reuse. Best known for CC0‑like terms and no attribution requirement. The aesthetic skews clean and contemporary, which suits talk heavy formats. Unminus uses its own licence (not CC0) and allows commercial use without attribution, but it restricts selling unaltered copies of tracks

Price: Free for commercial use with broad rights.

Music licensing and copyright for podcasting

Licences control how you can use music in podcasts. Most libraries provide royalty free music, which means you pay once or use it at no cost under set terms for your project, then you do not owe ongoing licence fees for that project.

Performance royalties for public performance or broadcast may still apply depending on territory and context.

Creative Commons: CC BY allows use with attribution. CC BY‑SA requires remixes to share alike. BY‑NC prohibits uses primarily intended for commercial advantage, which will not fit many monetised podcasts. CC0 means public domain. When unsure, pick another cue from the same music library.

Recording vs composition rights: For any track, confirm you have rights to use both the sound recording (the “master”) and the underlying musical work (the “composition/publishing”). Many reputable libraries bundle these permissions for their catalog, but you must verify scope (podcast, YouTube, paid ads, broadcast), territory, and duration on the track/licence page

Scope: Confirm that podcasts, YouTube, and Facebook are covered. Some libraries sell tiers. If you need broadcast or brand campaigns later, upgrade or buy a PremiumBeat license for that scope.

Attribution: If required, include artists, title, source, and licence in your show notes. Keep this with your project files alongside the invoice or receipts. Maintain a rights log for a world audience.

Territory and duration: Prefer perpetual rights that work across the world. This keeps future podcast episodes safe when you expand.

How do I choose music that fits my voice?

Prioritise intelligibility over vibe. Audition a small set of options against your opening and mid roll to confirm the track supports the host, maintains pace, and does not mask key words.

As a starting point, lighter acoustic or ambient beds tend to work well under interviews, while culture and entertainment formats can carry more rhythmic beds, provided the low end and transients do not compete with speech. Build a few reusable playlists for intro, ad reads, and credits so your sound stays consistent across episodes and your team can move quickly.

Workflow for consistent results

Use filters such as mood, BPM, and genre to shortlist a handful of cues per segment, then create clean loop points and edit to exact timings so music never clashes with names, numbers, or CTA moments.

Mix with dialogue as the anchor by ducking the music bus and keeping loudness aligned to common podcast targets, around −16 LUFS stereo or −19 LUFS mono, with a true peak ceiling of about −1 dBTP for dialogue-led shows. Keep rights and assets organised by archiving stems, attribution text, invoices or licences, and your master WAV in a dedicated folder structure so every episode remains defensible and repeatable.

Wrapping up

Choosing the right background music can elevate your podcast, but it is critical to source it legally and with quality in mind.

By focusing on trusted libraries, checking each track’s licence terms, and downloading lossless audio where available, you can build a repeatable workflow that keeps your podcast episodes professional and consistent worldwide.

Elevate your podcast at TYX Studios

Take your podcast to the next level with TYX Recording Studios. Record in our Podcast Studio for broadcast clarity, shape a signature theme from royalty-free music with our Podcast Production team.

Every session gives you access to industry-leading equipment, acoustically treated rooms, and engineers who know how to clear licences and craft intros, beds, and stings that fit your show.

your network, we will help you integrate music legally, mix consistently, and deliver the highest-Whether you are launching your first series or scaling a network, we will help you integrate music legally, mix consistently, and deliver the highest quality masters.