Skip to content

CreativeCommons music explained

Short answer: Creative Commons (CC) licenses let artists share music for free with clear rules. CC0 and CC BY allow almost any use, including monetized videos. Licenses with NC (non-commercial) are not safe for monetized or business videos, and ND (no derivatives) means you may not edit the track.

The licenses at a glance

  • CC0: public domain. Use it for anything, no credit needed.
  • CC BY: use it for anything, including commercial use, as long as you credit the artist.
  • CC BY-SA: like CC BY, but if you share an adapted version, it must use the same license.
  • CC BY-NC: credit required and no commercial use. Avoid it for monetized videos.
  • CC BY-ND: credit required and no changes, so no cutting or remixing.
  • CC BY-NC-SA, CC BY-NC-ND: combinations of the rules above.

How to credit CC music

Give the title, the author, the source and the license, with links where you can. How to credit music on YouTube

Where to find CC music

Incompetech (Kevin MacLeod) and Audionautix share their full catalogues under CC BY. Browse free music for YouTube videos

FAQ

Can I monetize a video with CC BY music?

Yes, CC BY allows commercial use, as long as you give proper credit.

Is CC BY-NC OK for YouTube?

Monetized YouTube videos are usually seen as commercial, so avoid NC music there.

Can a CC track still get a Content ID claim?

Yes, when someone registered it. Dispute the claim and point to the CC license.