There are numerous online sources where we can get musical compositions released under the Creative Commons license. we can use them freely in any of your projects, as long as we provide proper credit and follow the attribution rules mentioned in the terms of the license.
Get Creative Commons Music for Free
[ad type=”banner”]YouTube Audio Library
YouTube is the world’s largest and most popular video sharing website. YouTube Audio Library which provides hundreds of Creative Commons licensed audio tracks that we can freely download and use in any of your projects, in unity with the terms listed of attributions listed with the tracks.
The search filter the results on the basis of numerous parameters, such as duration, type, mood, and even instrument. Apart from the music, there are a lot of sound effects also available. Simply find the one you’re looking for and hit the Download arrow icon. Additionally, we can search YouTube for “Creative Commons Music,” and we will get dozens of channels, individual uploads etc. having creative commons licensed music, that you can use in your work. Some of the most popular channels include Creative Commons Free Music Library, and Best of Creative Commons.
2. SoundCloud
SoundCloud has a huge collection of original musical compositions, including everything from audio tracks, full albums, podcasts, and much more. Musical works are released with Creative Commons license, thereby making SoundCloud a substantial source of Creative Commons music. Generally, all Creative Commons licensed musical compositions uploaded on SoundCloud are downloadable, and we can find license and attribution details along with them. A simple search for “Creative Commons Music” will generally provide enough results to set rolling.
[ad type=”banner”]3. Free Music Archive
Free Music Archive is an interactive collection of officially downloadable music, created and maintained by curators from everywhere in the world. Free Music Archive hosts musical compositions spread across a huge spectrum of types such as Electronic, Historic, Spoken, Pop, and Jazz. All we need to do to get started is a free account. we can use Free Music Archive’s powerful search to get the musical content. The search results can be filtered based on a variety of parameters like song title, genre, duration, and of course, the specific type of Creative Commons license. Each song page lists its Creative Commons license and attribution details on the bottom right corner and we can download either individual tracks, or entire album(s) .
[ad type=”banner”]4. Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is possibly one of the biggest digital collections of free books, software applications, movies, and music. It consists of pre-curated collections that make searching its huge repository of digital content a bit easier. For example, we can begin with the “Community Audio” collection, which includes hundreds of thousands of users uploaded audio pieces, covering genres and types such as experimental hip-hop, jazz, spoken word. When we click on any audio/music composition, its details page lists information such as description, Creative Commons attribution license, and publishing date. In addition, the various download options are listed on the right.
5. ccMixter
Focusing deeply on the “remix” type of music, ccMixter is primarily geared towards artists who can upload their musical works and collaborate with other artists to create remixes and mashups of their creations. Uploaded on ccMixter are available under the Creative Commons license, and thus can be freely downloaded, modified and used by users in their projects, so long as proper attribution as mentioned in the license information is provided. we can use the dig.ccMixter sub-section of the website to find the Creative Commons music and the advanced search options let we filter the search results on the basis of parameters like genre, instrument, and style. Respectively track’s information page lists its Creative Commons license details, and we can download tracks with one click.
[ad type=”banner”]6. Vimeo
Vimeo is still a really popular video sharing website, with a dedicated user base and Vimeo also has a rather sizeable collection of musical compositions under the Creative Commons license.
Finding such content is simple, and generally all we have to do is do a quick search for “Creative Commons Music.” From Animation to Travel, and from Sports to Food, music content on a diverse variety of topics is available. Additionally, we can filter the results based on parameters like upload date, duration, and the specific type of Creative Commons license. The attribution and usage information for content is mentioned in the detailed text that accompanies it.
7. Bandcamp
Mostly, Bandcamp is planned as a platform for developing artists for publishing and promoting their musical works. As such, the availability of Creative Commons music on Bandcamp is a little sparse. but, it allows the artists to upload their musical compositions under the Creative Commons license, and provide the necessary license sub-type and attribution details.
we can use the site wide search functionality to search for musical content, based on parameters like genres, and Creative Commons license. Generally, each artist’s uploads such as albums, songs etc., list their licensing details at the bottom of their individual information pages. So, we can look for that, and if the license details allow the usage of the content, download it and use it with the requisite attributions.
8. Musopen
Its library boasts a rich collection of musical recordings, as well as sheet music and textbooks, including the works of world famous music composers such as Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart. If we looking for classical and orchestral music, Musopen is definitely value looking at. we can either directly search Musopen’s catalog, or browse specifically based on parameters like name of composer, musical instrument, and even time period. Most of the music is royalty free, and the Creative Commons license type of each musical piece is listed against it. All we need to download the music is a free account, but it is restricted to 5 downloads per day. but, we can always go for a paid level account to get unlimited, high quality downloads.
9. Jamendo
Jamendo is perfect for those who discovering indie artists and their music. It also has some nifty community based sharing features thrown into the mix, and we can create your own curated playlists, as well as listen to streaming radio. From background music, to instrumental tracks, to full albums, Jamendo has a broad range of musical content. And as much as Creative Commons music is concerned, all the Creative Commons musical compositions listed on Jamendo are generally free to download for personal use. But, if we need to use them for any commercial projects, we need to acquire a Jamendo license. There are multiple licensing plans available, based on how we plan to use the musical compositions available on Jamendo.
[ad type=”banner”]10. Freeplay Music
Featuring over 15000 musical pieces, Freeplay Music’s huge catalog contains stuff covering genres and themes such as modern hip-hop, lounge, terror, despair, suspense, and then some more. Additionally, we can filter the catalog based on parameters like artist/composer, style, tempo, feeling, and instruments. Getting content from Freeplay Music requires to create a free account. Once we have found the musical piece, simply hit Add to Cart and choose the license type from the drop-down menu. Finally, we can download the music and use it based on the terms of the selected license.
[ad type=”banner”]