[FAQ]

I’ve always used the free YouTube Audio Library for background music in my videos, but I’ve recently noticed the “Creator Music” platform within YouTube Studio and I’m a bit confused about how it’s different.

Could someone give me a clear explanation of the two as of mid-2025? Is Creator Music meant to be a replacement for the Audio Library, or do they serve completely different purposes? I’m trying to figure out which one is the best option for sourcing my video soundtracks now.

Thanks!

[Jeff Bullas]

The YouTube Audio Library and Creator Music are two distinct platforms provided by YouTube for sourcing soundtracks for your videos. They serve very different purposes and operate on completely different models.

First, the YouTube Audio Library is the platform’s long-standing collection of completely free-to-use production music and sound effects. You can use any track from this library in your monetised videos without having to worry about copyright claims or losing ad revenue. The only condition is that some tracks may require you to provide attribution in your video description. It primarily consists of stock-style music suitable for backgrounds, not popular commercial songs.

Second, Creator Music is a newer catalogue designed to give creators a legitimate way to use popular, commercial music from well-known artists in their videos. It is not a free library. Instead, it offers two main options for using a track. For some songs, you have the option to pay an upfront licensing fee. Once you pay this fee, you can use the music in your video and keep all of the subsequent ad revenue yourself. For other songs, you may be able to use them at no upfront cost, but you must agree to a revenue sharing arrangement with the music rights holders. This means you and the artist’s record label will each receive a percentage of the ad revenue generated by your video.

The core difference is this: The Audio Library provides free production music that will never impact your ability to monetise your video. Creator Music provides access to popular, copyrighted songs in exchange for either an upfront payment or a share of your video’s future earnings.

If you simply need good quality background music for your video and want to ensure you keep 100% of your ad revenue without any complications, you should continue to use the Audio Library.

If you believe that using a specific, well-known popular song will significantly enhance your video and lead to many more views, and you are willing to either pay for a license or share the ad revenue, then Creator Music is the platform to use for that purpose.

It is also worth noting that the availability of specific tracks and the terms within Creator Music can vary by region, so you should always check the details for your location within your YouTube Studio.

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