
Can I use Epidemic Sound’s music for free?
Can I use Epidemic Sound's music for free? While it’s free to listen to our music, downloading and using Epidemic Sound’s music requires an active subscription or a single track license. We do not provide music or sound effects for free.
When can I cancel my Epidemic Sound subscription?
You can cancel anytime and you’re free to monetize your videos featuring Epidemic Sound music without getting claimed. Why use royalty-free music?
Do I need to add my platform accounts to Epidemic Sound?
Let’s talk about licensing, claiming, and why it’s important to add your platform accounts to your Epidemic Sound subscription. If you use copyrighted music in content without the right to do so, the owner of the rights to that piece of music can claim the uploaded content.
Who is the owner of Epidemic Sound?
It is a Swedish company that distributes royalty-free soundtracks, and it is called Epidemic Sound. The company was founded in 2009 by Peer ström, David It is a Swedish company that distributes royalty-free soundtracks, and it is called Epidemic Sound. The company was founded in 2009 by Peer ström, David Skip to content Menu Home How-To Blog

Is Epidemic Sound copyrighted?
Use Epidemic Sound music without worrying about copyright claims. Our catalog is not copyright free because we support our music creators and provide you with original music to safely use in your content. There are over 35,000 original tracks and 90,000 sound effects to choose from, updated constantly.
Is Epidemic Sound copyright free music?
As such, Epidemic Sound users are completely covered from any and all copyright claims. In addition, the platform helps budding creative to not only monetize their work but also protect it from illegal use.
Can you use epidemic sounds for YouTube?
Epidemic Sound uploads all tracks to YouTube's Content ID. This means we can monitor the use of our music on the platform and protect our subscribers from copyright claims against use of Epidemic music.
Can I use Epidemic Sound on YouTube and monetize?
With an Epidemic Sound Subscription, your channels are safelisted – you can monetize content featuring any and all of our tracks. Just add your channels, be it YouTube or something else, when signing up. If you'd like to add more channels later, you can do so via your 'Account' page.
Can you use Epidemic Sound for commercial?
With Epidemic Sound, it's easy! Our Commercial subscription and Enterprise solution both offer Music licensing for commercial use. For freelancers, advertising agencies and businesses, our Commercial Plan is the perfect fit, while large companies benefit from the Enterprise Plan.
What happens if I use Epidemic Sound without paying?
We do not provide music or sound effects for free. When creating an account you will get three downloads to try in pre-productions before deciding if you'd like to go ahead and purchase our services. You will always need to purchase a subscription or a license in order to publish content using Epidemic Sound's music.
Can you use 30 seconds of a copyrighted song?
This is one of the most common misconceptions. Unfortunately, this is not true and there is no bright line rule that says a use is an acceptable use as long as you only use 5, 15, or 30 seconds of a song. Any use of copyrighted material without permission is, according to U.S. copyright law, copyright infringement.
Can I use Epidemic Sound for YouTube shorts?
If you're looking for the perfect soundtrack for your YouTube Shorts videos, why not try our 30-day free trial? Just sign up for one of our plans, connect your Epidemic Sound subscription to your YouTube account, and you're all set!
Can I use Epidemic Sound for personal use?
With Personal you can use our music in content on your own YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, TikTok and podcast platforms. You can clear one channel per social media platform, but it's ok to edit the channels during your subscription if you have to.
Can I use Epidemic Sound on YouTube during free trial?
What does it not allow? Although you are able to download as many tracks as you like during the trial, the downloaded tracks can only be used in content published during the subscribed period and does not cover music used after the trial has ended.
Can I use Epidemic Sound for YouTube shorts?
If you're looking for the perfect soundtrack for your YouTube Shorts videos, why not try our 30-day free trial? Just sign up for one of our plans, connect your Epidemic Sound subscription to your YouTube account, and you're all set!
Try for free
Explore our music and try it out for 30 days – free of charge, no strings attached. During your free trial you can download and publish as many tracks you like in both videos or podcasts.
Pick a subscription
A subscription is most beneficial if you publish videos regularly. All subscriptions give you full access to 35,000 tracks and 90,000 sound effects. Unlimited downloads and use.
Connect your channels
After signing up, you'll be able to connect your social media channels. All connected channels will be cleared, which means you can publish content with our music without worrying about copyright.
What happens when you add Epidemic Sound to your subscription?
When active Epidemic Sound subscribers upload content with our music in it on a channel added to their subscription, that account will be cleared in our system and the subscriber will not get hit with claims. That’s why we ask you to add and connect your accounts (when signing up or under "Me"-"Account"-"Subscriptions" when logged in) on the platforms we support to your subscription.
What platforms does Epidemic Sound support?
The platforms we support are YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitch and Podcast. You get to add one account (channel/profile/page/RSS) per platform. That way, the content you publish on your registered platform accounts featuring Epidemic Sound music, whilst you have an active subscription, will be cleared from claims forever.
What happens if you copyright music?
If you use copyrighted music in content without the right to do so, the owner of the rights to that piece of music can claim the uploaded content. When claiming on YouTube, there are three actions for the claimant to choose from, hence three things that can happen to your video:
How to claim copyright on YouTube?
If you use copyrighted music in content without the right to do so, the owner of the rights to that piece of music can claim the uploaded content. When claiming on YouTube, there are three actions for the claimant to choose from, hence three things that can happen to your video: 1 Block (blocks the content from being seen or heard) 2 Track (lets the claimant track viewer activity) 3 Monetize (lets the claimant run adverts against the video and generate revenue)
What is royalty-free music?
Royalty-free music means you don’t have to keep paying royalties to the rights-holder. You pay for it once, or regularly if you’re looking at a subscription, and that’s it – it’s yours to use!
How can I download royalty-free music?
At Epidemic Sound, we want to give you more than just royalty-free music. We offer all rights included, globally cleared music: tracks you can use for whatever you want, whenever you want.
What is royalty-free music?
Royalty-free music, not to be confused with copyright-free, is music that you can use without having to pay royalties. You pay for it once, or on a recurring basis if you subscribe to a royalty-free music service. Royalty-free doesn’t have to mean that the music creators don’t receive royalty payouts. For example, at Epidemic Sound, all royalties we collect from music streaming platforms are split 50/50 with the music creator, even if they no longer work with us. Read more about how we work with artists here.
Do royalty free music companies own all rights?
Royalty-free music companies typically don’t own all rights themselves. They may own the rights to some of the music in their catalog, but not to every track. They operate as a middle-man, clearing the rights with the rights holders, to then be able to license the music to customers.
Is direct licensing royalty free?
Direct licensing companies offer royalty- free music, but they go further than that.
Is royalty-free music free?
No, royalty-free music is NOT free. The word “free” in royalty -free refers to you not having to pay royalties every time you use a piece of music. Royalty-free music comes at a cost. Epidemic Sound offers a monthly or yearly subscription that gives you unlimited access to every track and sound effect in the catalog. You can cancel anytime and you’re free to monetize your videos featuring Epidemic Sound music without getting claimed.
What is a scam?
So your definition of a scam is that a legitimate service provider will not let you have all what you want for free.
Is Epidemic Sound copyrighted?
Now Epidemic Sound has claimed copyright on all my YT videos with their music, music that I downloaded while the subscription was active!

Copyright-Free Music Isn’T What You Think It Is
Are Free Songs copyright-free?
- People often say ‘copyright-free’ when they mean ‘licensed under Creative Commons.’ Artists can license work under Creative Commons if they explicitly want their music to be consumed for free and used for various purposes. For example, the Grammy-winning band Nine Inch Nails did this in 2007, giving fans the freedom to create content soundtracked by the group’s then-new album, G…
What Is Royalty-Free Music?
- Royalty-free music means you don’t have to keep paying royalties to the rights-holder. Is royalty free music copyrighted? Yes, it is. But you pay for it once, or regularly if you’re looking at a subscription, and that’s it – it’s yours to use!
How Can I Download Royalty-Free Music?
- At Epidemic Sound, we want to give you more than just royalty-free music. We offer all rights included, globally cleared music: tracks you can use for whatever you want, whenever you want. Once you’re signed up, all you have to do is follow these simple steps. And that’s it! Sign up, find the songs you want, and download them. While you might not b...