Your brand’s guide to safely using music on social media

Today, we’ll discuss: 

1. Music fuels social content, so what’s wrong with using it?
2. Why licensing music for social media is so confusing 
3. Your guide to the major social media platforms’ music licensing terms
4. What happens when licensing music for social media goes wrong?
5. Are platforms responsible for social media music licensing?
6. How to stay safe when licensing music for social media
7. Recapping: Why your brand needs to license music safely for social media
8. Why a direct license with Epidemic Sound is your best bet

1. Music fuels social content, so what’s wrong with using it?

Cast your mind back to 2004. The Summer Olympics were back in Athens, Facebook had just launched, and the Numa Numa video was everywhere. Just one man and his webcam, joyously lip-syncing to a Eurodance banger that took the world by storm.

Those were the early days of viral internet content. YouTube didn’t even exist, nor did technology like Content ID — it was the Wild West. We’re guessing that Gary Brolsma, the man behind the Numa Numa video, didn’t license the necessary rights for O-Zone’s Dragostea din tei. He probably just pressed record, did his thing, and posted it.

But nowadays? Social-first content is the standard, whether we’re talking about a viral video, corporate ad, movie trailer, or something else entirely. Every device, every platform, every touchpoint is optimized for bite-sized content.

According to HubSpot’s 2025 State of Marketing report, short-form video and visual storytelling are overtaking text-heavy content formats. Moreover, short-form video is the format delivering the strongest ROI in 2025. Behind it, you’ll find images, live-streamed video, podcasts/audio, and user-generated content.

The one thing connecting pretty much all of those formats? Music. It’s the fuel for TikTok trends, iconic ads, and everything in between — music makes moments that matter.

But music licensing for social media can get a little confusing, especially when commercial content is concerned.

There’s no one universal standard across platforms, meaning what’s OK for YouTube or TikTok might not be the same for Instagram or X/Twitter.

Add that to the pile of misconceptions that come bundled with social media use — “If it’s on TikTok, it’s fine to use!” — and brands face real risks: takedowns, demonetization, lawsuits, reputational damage, and more. Numa Numa guy’s all fun and games, but that video doesn’t go quite as hard if it’s muted for copyright violation.

2. Why licensing music for social media is so confusing

Brands often misunderstand ‌licensing terms for social media because music is everywhere. Most platforms have established generous licensing deals with major labels and rights holders, allowing users to soundtrack their content with world-famous music. 

There’s a catch, though. More often than not, this license only extends to personal, organic use. Branded content including paid campaigns, influencer collabs, and reposts typically require separate commercial licensing agreements.

Some platforms may have their own music catalogs dedicated to commercial use, but they’re often based on a smaller pool of tracks. These catalogs also vary between platforms, making it more difficult to publish commercial content across multiple touchpoints.

Any time a brand dabbles with amplified posts, cross-posting, repurposed influencer content, or viral tracks, they risk overstepping the boundaries of the music’s license. Double-checking the limits of every license is time-consuming, while acquiring the rights to music can be costly. Whichever way you slice it, staying on the right side of copyright law is tough.

3. Your guide to the major social media platforms’ music licensing terms

Now that we’ve established why music licensing is so crucial for businesses, let’s break down the major social media platforms’ different music licensing terms and offerings.

1. TikTok-safe music for brands

What’s available on TikTok? 

• TikTok’s General Music Library: We’re sure you’ve seen TikTok’s General Music Library — it’s huge. Packed with trending music, iconic hits, and undiscovered gems, it’s a treasure trove for music lovers. However, most of these tracks are only available to individual users producing organic content. 
• TikTok Commercial Music Library (CML): The CML is a curated catalog of rights-cleared music and sound effects. It’s available to verified businesses, and is OK to use in paid media and branded content. 

What are the limitations?

• The General Music Library isn’t licensed for commercial use. Most of the popular music and trending sounds on TikTok are unavailable for brand campaigns, influencer collabs, paid promotions, and more.
• Using this type of music often requires a separate license. Even if a track’s gone viral on TikTok, you may still need to contact the rights holder and secure a commercial license to use it for your branded boost or campaign.
• The CML is limited. The CML excludes major-label music and many viral sounds, and is smaller than TikTok’s General Music Library.
• The CML varies per region. Some countries may have full access to the CML, while others might have reduced access. The CML’s availability depends on established licensing deals within a specific territory. For example, a track available for a brand based in the U.S. may not be available to businesses based in South Africa or Bulgaria.

Need more brand-safe music for TikTok? Epidemic Sound’s catalog is packed with more than 50,000 tracks and 200,000 Hollywood-grade sound effects, and is fully licensed for commercial use.

2. Instagram- and Facebook-safe music (Meta) for brands

What’s available via Meta?

• Meta’s licensed music catalog: There’s plenty of music available on Facebook and Instagram, but it’s specifically licensed for personal, non-commercial use. If you’re using a business account, you probably won’t have access to Meta’s broader music catalog. Instead, you’ll likely need to use the Meta Sound Collection.
• Meta Sound Collection: This catalog comprises more than 14,000 royalty-free tracks and sound effects. Available for use across Reels and Stories, the Meta Sound Collection is cleared for commercial use. 

What are the limitations?

• The main music catalog isn’t licensed for commercial use. Much like TikTok, you can’t use the larger music catalog for commercial posts and campaigns.
• Using this type of music usually requires a separate license. Even if a track’s trending all over Facebook and Instagram, you’ll likely need to ask the rights holder for a commercial license.
• The Meta Sound Collection is limited: Similar to TikTok’s personal vs. commercial catalogs, the Meta Sound Collection is smaller than the personal-use catalog.

3. YouTube-safe music for brands

What’s available on YouTube?

• YouTube Audio Library: Like the other options we’ve outlined, the YouTube Audio Library is filled with royalty-free music and sound effects. These are cleared for commercial use, and won’t be flagged by YouTube’s Content ID system.

What are the limitations?

• The YouTube Audio Library is limited: The YouTube Audio Library is great for easy access and safe monetization, but the catalog itself isn’t very big.
• Otherwise, you’ll have to license your own music: If you want to use a track outside of the YouTube Audio Library, you’ll need to license the music yourself.
• This can create complexity: YouTube’s Content ID system scans videos for copyrighted content, including music. Even if you appear to hold the necessary rights, using a popular track may trigger a Content ID claim. This gives rights holders the option to monetize or block the offending content.

4. Brand-friendly music for other platforms (LinkedIn and X/Twitter)

What’s available on other platforms?

• Honestly…not a lot: Platforms like LinkedIn and X/Twitter don’t have built-in music catalogs for businesses or creators. Those who choose to soundtrack their content on these platforms need to source and license their own music.

What are the limitations?

• There are no handrails: No platform-owned catalogs or embedded tools — you alone are responsible for music use. If it falls foul of copyright rules, there’s no real buffer between you and the rights holder. 

4. What happens when music licensing for social media goes wrong?

If Numa Numa guy’s content gets flagged for copyright infringement, it’s not great for him. When blown up to a business-wide scale, it becomes more troublesome.

Some platform-specific fingerprinting systems, like YouTube’s Content ID, are automatic. In Content ID’s case, it flags offending content to the rights holder. If a brand doesn’t have the correct license, the rights holder can either block the content or request a slice of the ad revenue. 

If a brand doesn’t want to go down that road, they can always remove or replace the track in question. While this solves the immediate issue, it introduces more what-ifs — where do they find a new track, and will it have the same impact? If they’re running a multichannel campaign, what else needs to be changed?

This problem can be solved with Epidemic Sound. Our catalog’s bursting with more than 50,000 premium tracks, each of them cleared for commercial use and approved by Content ID. This means that, as long as you’re signed up to the right plan, your soundtracked content will be safe not just for YouTube, but for any social media platform.

5. Are platforms responsible for social media music licensing?

Even if a platform doesn’t have a system like Content ID, misuse still has consequences. In 2023, the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) sought damages against X/Twitter to the tune of $250 million. The plaintiff claimed that the social media giant had “knowingly facilitated, and profited from” roughly 1,700 unlicensed tracks.

Although the above case doesn’t directly implicate the platform’s users, it exists because X/Twitter doesn’t have a robust licensing framework. Users had published X/Twitter content — around 300,000 posts’ worth — without obtaining the correct rights.

Conversely, Associated Production Music (APM) alleged that pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson used 30 unlicensed tracks across 79 social media posts. Some of these posts were on YouTube, suggesting that even with Content ID, brands can still fall foul of the law if they don’t have the right license in place.

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And sometimes, music just disappears from platforms because the license isn’t renewed. This means that any content containing these tracks will be removed or muted. While this isn’t anyone’s “fault,” the message is clear: platform catalogs are not a guarantee. They’re not forever, their terms may change, and your paid-for content could be impacted as a result.

6. How to stay safe when licensing music for social media

Music licensing is tricky. When you add the ever-changing, elastic nature of social media into the mix, it’s easy to lose your footing. Let’s run through some best-practice tips to keep your business safe when licensing music for social media.

Build soundtracking into your creative process

Music isn’t an afterthought — leaving track selection, placement, and legalities to the last minute can complicate things. What if the track you need isn’t available on your chosen platform or territory?

To avoid this, build music into your project during pre-production. If you have a clear idea, there’s no harm in working it into a first-draft script, storyboard, or shot list. This will reduce the risk of including an out-of-place or unusable asset.

Plotting musical choices early prevents last-minute needle-drops or rushed decisions. Minimize that risk with a dedicated music partner like Epidemic Sound. We can help your brand build a razor-sharp sonic strategy, guide you through the music selection process, and more. 

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Consider a multi-platform plan

If you can’t license the same track across all platforms, you’ll need to account for the shortfall. Outline all of your social platforms from the start, and consider sourcing music that matches the vibe across all platforms. 

If you have a track in mind but it’s not available everywhere, try Epidemic Sound’s advanced search features. Just paste a Spotify link into our search bar, and you’ll find tons of similar-sounding tracks in our player.

Which means: yes, of course. If you really want to, you can search for tracks that sound like O-Zone’s Dragostea din tei.

Get all of your collaborators on board

Working with influencers? Teaming up with another brand? Whatever the context, any collaboration needs to ‌cover music use for all involved.

Some brands assume that influencer content is cleared with a personal license. That’s not really the case, though. If an influencer collaborates with a brand, it is commercial — a personal license won’t cut it. In this instance, both parties might break copyright law.

A brand could work with one, ten, or more than a hundred influencers. Double-checking all these partners’ licensing agreements is time-consuming, and can lead to human error — it’s a lot of i’s to dot and t’s to cross. Regardless, it’s still the brand’s responsibility to ensure their influencer content is above board. 

With Epidemic Sound, you can create your own branded playlists, invite collaborators, and clear their content for them. Stay safe and on-brand.

Double-check any trend-based content

Jumping on social media trends can be timely, funny, and great for customer sentiment. If the trend is heavily music-based, though, the track in question may not be available for commercial use.

This is more common than one might think, especially for organic content — think of all the TikTok dance trends featuring major-label songs. Even if the track has set the internet on fire, it can’t be used in commercial content without the correct license.

That doesn’t mean your brand can’t capitalize on a trend, though. Let’s take the hopecore trend, which really gained steam in 2024 and 2025. That was based on a feeling, a vibe — it wasn’t just one track. This meant Epidemic Sound’s clients could select tracks from our tailor-made hopecore playlist, ready to soundtrack their content at the drop of a hat.

Read the fine-print…then read it again

The terms and conditions for both social media platforms and music providers can differ wildly. Before you start work on anything, go through everything — preferably alongside a legal professional. That way, you’ll know your limitations from day one. 

7. Recapping: Why your brand needs to license music safely for social media

At the end of the day, brands are responsible for ensuring music used in their content is properly licensed. It doesn’t fall to the influencer or the social media platform — they may be involved, but if you want your content licensed worry-free, you’ll have to put in the legwork. 

Some platforms, like YouTube, have more robust copyright enforcement tools. Other platforms, like LinkedIn or X/Twitter, don’t have that same framework. Either way, your brand is still liable if you’ve not secured the correct license. 

Using unlicensed music in commercial social media content like ads, boosted posts, and influencer collabs can result in:

• DMCA takedown requests
• Account flagging
• Audio and content removal
• Demonetization
• Legal claims from rights holders
• Reputational damage

That’s a pretty damning list. Here’s a quick checklist to help you stay on the right side of the rules.

Checklist for using music in branded social media content

• Are you using music in a branded post, paid campaign, or other commercial push?
• Are you reposting or boosting influencer content that features music?
• Is an influencer creating a sponsored or branded post on your behalf, and does it include music?
• Are you using a track across multiple platforms?
• Is your campaign publishing in multiple territories?
• Is the music you’ve chosen from a catalog that caters to all of the above?

If your answer to the last question is “no,” you might struggle to find legal peace of mind. You’ll need something a little more robust — an agreement that caters to your needs and flexes when required. 

You need a direct license. You need Epidemic Sound.

8. Why a direct license with Epidemic Sound is your best bet

An Epidemic Sound subscription goes beyond royalty-free music, offering you a direct license. We own all the rights to our catalog of more than 50,000 premium tracks, removing the headache of traditional music licensing.

Our no-nonsense license covers content on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and more. Need clearance for influencers and third parties, too? We’ve got your back.

Regardless of platform and media switch-ups in the future, your content is safe. What you publish during an active subscription is licensed forever, even if you choose to leave Epidemic Sound. 

Bespoke, watertight, and future-proofed, our license is the perfect solution for your business.

Our Enterprise plan offers everything a brand needs to soundtrack their work on social media. Our dedicated digital rights management team works tirelessly to ensure our licensed users don’t encounter issues when publishing content online. We’ll walk you through the licensing process, providing you and your team with the tools you need to use music safely.

Everyone from Levi’s to Warner Bros. Discovery, The Telegraph to the Miami Dolphins, trusts us to be their soundtracking platform. Don’t risk your business with a risky license — enjoy full coverage and soundtrack your brand, your way, with Epidemic Sound.

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Related posts: 

• What brands can learn from creators to succeed on social
• 7 things an attorney recommends brands to consider when using music in content
• Tell great stories with sound: 5 top tips from the experts