Overview
Royalty-free music libraries are full of generic, forgettable tracks. The best music is on real platforms, made by real artists — and a lot of it is either already free to use, or one polite DM away from being licensed.
What You Need
- A SoundCloud account (free)
- A Freesound account (free)
- A clear, honest message if you're contacting an artist
Steps
Browse SoundCloud for music you actually like
Go to soundcloud.com and search by genre, mood, or a track you already like. Don't limit yourself to "royalty-free" tags — the full catalogue is available. The goal here is to find something that genuinely fits your project, not just something that's technically available.
Check if it's already Creative Commons
Many artists on SoundCloud publish under a Creative Commons licence. Look under the track description for a CC badge. If it says CC BY (Attribution), you can use it freely as long as you credit the artist. If it says CC BY-NC, you can use it for non-commercial work only. Always check the specific licence before using anything.
DM the artist if it isn't CC licensed
Most independent artists are approachable and genuinely pleased someone wants to use their music. Send a short, honest message: tell them what the project is, where it will be published, and that it's non-commercial (if it is). Many will say yes for free. Some will ask for a small fee or just a credit. Either way, you get a much better track than anything from a stock library.
Keep the DM brief. Artists get spam too. One short paragraph is enough: who you are, what the project is, where it'll be used, and what you're asking for.
Try Freesound for sound design and ambient music
Go to freesound.org. Everything on the site is Creative Commons — no negotiation needed. It's primarily used for sound effects and field recordings, but search for "ambient", "drone", "loop", or an instrument name and you'll find plenty of usable music beds. Filter by licence type in the search sidebar to find CC0 (public domain) tracks if you want zero attribution requirements.
Attribute correctly when required
Most Creative Commons licences require attribution. The recommended format is: Title / Artist / Source URL / Licence. For example: "Dusk Loop" by Maria Santos, freesound.org/people/mariasantos/sounds/12345, CC BY 4.0. Put this in your video description, credits roll, or podcast show notes — wherever makes sense for your format.
The full Creative Commons attribution guidance is at wiki.creativecommons.org.
Pro Tips
- Save tracks you like to a private playlist as you browse — good music is hard to find twice.
- When DMing an artist, mention a specific track by name. It shows you listened, not just searched.
- CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) means no attribution required at all — it's effectively public domain. Freesound has a good selection filtered by this licence.
- If an artist says yes via DM, ask them to confirm in writing (even a reply counts). Keep that message in case a platform ever disputes the licence.
- Freesound has a bulk downloader and an API if you ever want to build a personal library.