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Using Copyrighted and Library Content
Library Research Guide
Creative Commons Licensing
Introduction
This page will introduce you to how to incorporate music in your videos by using music that has Creative Commons Licenses (CCL). This is the second subpage and second step to using music in videos in a legal and ethical manner..
"Some Rights Reserved"
Traditional copyright means that all rights are reserved (or all the exclusive rights of copyright holders). Watch this video for an explanation of those exclusive rights. Creative Commons forfeits many of those rights and is some rights reserved.
CCL acts as an easy way for composers and song writers to indicate that they want others to use their music, so long as they comply with the terms of the CCL.
There are six CCLs, and there is also a seventh "license" for individuals to waive all rights under copyright. This waiving of all rights is called the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication and may also display its corresponding icon:
- Public Domain Dedication (CC0)Individuals who dedicate their music to the public domain have waived all their rights to the work worldwide under copyright law. This means that these musical works assigned this license are free to copy, modify, distribute, and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.
Music labeled with a CCL is free (no need to purchase) and also free to reuse and share in your own work. The license acts as a way for the copyright holder to communicate to others what they can and cannot do with their copyrighted content.
The copyright holder still retains their copyright, though. They simply ask that others comply with the terms of the license. For example, all the licenses require attribution, which is as simple as providing a citation and/or reference list to the creator(s) of the work.
- Creative Commons Terms ExplainedExplains the terms of use for Creative Commons Licenses.
- Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0The most open and simple CCL. The only term of use is that users give attribution to the creators of the work.
Find CCL Music
Search the Commons
With the Search the Commons tool, you can find openly available music that has either been dedicated to the public domain or has a Creative Commons License (CCL) attached.
- Search the CommonsWith this resource, select a music platform, such as SoundCloud or Jamendo, to find music with CCLs. The search results will provide results with CC0s and CCLs.
- AudioPad on YouTubeRequires a Google account.
AudioPad describes their YouTube channel as the "home of royalty-free music on YouTube." Many of the songs are licensed under Creative Commons Licenses, but some are only royalty-free. They make it clear in the description of the video what rights and permissions you have with each song. The intro video on this landing page will explain more thoroughly how to legally use music in the collection.
Pay attention to labels and language for each music file that you find. You want to look for language that indicates it is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
- "Song" - CCL Song ExampleThis is an example of a CCL song in which the composer has stated that this music is licensed under a "Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported" Creative Commons License. The license appears at the bottom of the About section.
Other Resources
- CCL Music CommunitiesLists exemplary music communities that utilize Creative Commons tools, typically by enabling users to upload content under one of the free licenses.
- Free Music ArchiveAn interactive library of high-quality, legal audio downloads, the majority of which is CC-licensed. Be sure to check the license to ensure you are complying with its terms. (See the example below for more information).
The Free Music Archive provides free music to its users and the public. The license attached to each song or piece of music, typically a CCL, is displayed on the right-hand side.
Here is an example of what will display:
- CC BY-NC-SA LicenseThe above example has a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA) license attached. Read the license summary for more information about what users can do with this piece of music.
CCL vs. Royalty-Free
If any of the platforms or websites you use state that the song or piece is "royalty-free," that does not necessarily mean it has a CCL. CCL and royalty-free are not the same. Read the Royalty-Free page for more information.
