The Long Arm… eh, Ear of the Law
Copyright was developed as a way to protect the rights of creators from plagiarism or from individuals earning money from another person’s work. If you craft a song, you own the rights to the recording or performance, the notes of the song, and the lyrics. It is illegal to use any of these without expressed permission. The author of a song can license their piece and receive royalties for it: a predetermined amount or a percentage of the profits. But only the copyright owner can decide if others can use it, and those who do so illegally can be sued.
There are, however, two exceptions: fair use and parody.
Fair use varies from country-to-country, but in the US, the material may be used without the copyright owner’s permission for works of commentary, criticism, research, teaching, or news reporting. See YouTube’s Fair Use Guide.
What about YouTube?
YouTube has, over the past few years, developed a tough reputation for enforcing copyright laws. Content creators have been penalized with ‘strikes’, for using music or footage for which they do not hold a license: even when they do so under ‘fair use’ or ‘parody’ laws. Strikes can result in severe penalties: limiting the right to upload videos, and eventually even leading to the cancellation of a creator’s entire channel.
As YouTube has a built-in audience of over a billion users, creators are left with nowhere to go. Therefore, it is essential for creators, from old-school YouTubers to new brands and agencies, to become familiar with licensing laws, copyright, and the solution to their problems: royalty-free music.
Royalty-Free Music: Avoid the Hassle
If you use licensed music without permission, you’re not just risking your YouTube channel; you’re risking a court case and thousands of dollars. And don’t presume you can credit the artist: Plagiarism is theft.
But there is one easy option, that is legal and affordable: royalty-free music. Purchase a royalty-free music license and pay a flat fee only once. This way, you will have access to thousands of tracks, with no hidden costs. You can even monetize videos with some of these tracks – vital to those who earn their living from the Tube. You’ll never have to worry about copyright claims or bank-breaking lawsuits, as the music library handles all of the copyright.
Many of the sites work from different models. While some sites charge a straight-up subscription fee, others charge per song or usage. Either way, it saves a lot of hassle dealing with legalities of the music industry. TuneReel has hundreds of royalty-free tracks that you can use. Check out our stock music catalog here.
Music can transform a video: it has the power to inspire, to make you feel. Just make sure what you feel isn’t the stress of a lawsuit. Now you’re familiar with the legalities of copyright. You can appreciate the value of royalty-free music, and the libraries of thousands, even millions of songs that are available for you to use. Find a site that suits you and begin browsing!
