What is business music licensing and how does it work?

TL;DR: Business music licensing is, simply put, music licensing built for businesses. You’ll need approved music to soundtrack your commercial content, which you can obtain through a license. This helps avoid copyright claims and unauthorized use. It might seem complex, but with the right music partner, you’ll be able to find the perfect solution.

What is business music licensing?

Most music is copyrighted, meaning it’s illegal to use without the right license. Business music licensing is the process through which a music license for commercial use is secured. This is different from a personal music license, which can be granted to both amateur and monetizing content creators. A commercial music license grants businesses permission to use copyrighted music in commercial campaigns, advertising, influencer content, public venues, and more.

If you want to learn more about music licensing in general, check out our guide here.

How does music licensing for businesses work?

To simplify the process, here’s a quick guide to ensure your business gets the license coverage it needs and stays on the right side of the law:

Your 5-step checklist for soundtracking your commercial content safely

1. Assess your needs: identify all the places you intend to use music — from social media ads and in-app use to your official podcast, physical locations, and broadcast/OTT streaming use.
2. Understand the rights required: determine if you need sync rights (for video), mechanical rights (for copies), and/or public performance rights (which is required for anything made publicly available, like broadcasting or playing in a space).
3. Choose your licensing path: decide whether to license directly from rights holders, use a direct-licensing music provider like Epidemic Sound, or commission an original score.
4. Secure a comprehensive license: ensure your license covers all your intended uses, territories (preferably global), and platforms to avoid future complications, and offer flexibility if your needs change.
5. Keep records: maintain a record of your licenses to easily prove you have the rights to the music you’re using, should a claim ever arise.

What happens if a business uses music without the right license?

If a business uses music without the right license, they can face penalties such as takedowns, demonetization, retroactive fees, lawsuits, and more.

This is an area where many struggle; in fact, surveys have shown that music licensing and copyright is one of the biggest challenges for businesses in 2025, as 33% identify it as of the biggest pain points in the content creation process (source).

What types of business licenses are there?

As a business, you have a few different options for using music in your commercial content or space, depending on your specific needs and budget.

Aside from using music released in the U.S. before 1929, which falls under what’s called public domain music, there are a few different alternatives to choose from. Let’s go through them below.

Major-label music

Using major-label music requires identifying the rights holders, requesting permission, and negotiating fees — a process that can be lengthy and costly. You’ll need to secure multiple rights (sync, public performance, reproduction, and alteration) and specify exactly how, where, and when the music will be used.

Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) typically manage the songwriter’s rights, while major labels control the recording rights. Without both, your business risks copyright infringement. Licensing a well-known track can cost anywhere from $10,000 to over $500,000.

Commissioning bespoke/original music from a composer

Alternatively, you can commission original music straight from the composer. This process is usually done under a “work-for-hire” agreement, where the business pays a one-time fee and owns all copyrights to the music, eliminating future royalty payments. The cost might vary based on the composer’s experience and the music’s complexity, ranging from a few hundred dollars for a simple track to tens of thousands for an orchestral piece.

Social media platform music

Some social media platforms, like Instagram and TikTok, offer licensed music options for commercial content — but these aren’t the same as the widely accessible consumer catalogs. To use platform music for commercial purposes like branded content or influencer collaborations, it must be properly licensed, and each platform has its own rules. What’s approved on YouTube might not be allowed on Instagram or X, and terms can change frequently. Since these catalogs are often limited with differing usage rights, the safest route is to license music from a dedicated provider like Epidemic Sound.

Read more about the risks of using music on social media here.

Using a music provider

Finally, there’s the option of working with a music provider. Many “royalty-free” providers grant licenses for both the recordings and the underlying compositions, but often exclude public performance rights, which are essential if your content will be publicly available. Performing rights organizations (PROs) collect royalties in different countries, and without clearing these rights, you could still face unexpected fees.

Some providers offer “PRO-free” or “non-PRO” tracks, bypassing local PROs such as ASCAP, BMI, PRS, or PPL. While convenient, these catalogs are usually limited in size and scope.

Always read the fine print of any “royalty-free” music agreement to ensure your content is fully cleared and avoid costly surprises.

Music licensing for podcasts and audio-only content

While much of the focus is on video, the rules for music licensing apply just as strictly to audio-only productions like branded podcasts, audio ads, and audiobooks. Using unlicensed music in a podcast can lead to it being removed from major platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. A comprehensive business license should explicitly cover audio-only use, ensuring your brand’s voice is heard without legal friction.

AI and music licensing

Finding the perfect track can take time, but AI can speed up the process. Tracks adapted or generated with AI must be fully cleared for commercial use, covering all rights to keep your content legally safe while ensuring artists are fairly compensated.

Epidemic Sound’s suite of AI tools, like Assistant and Adapt, help you streamline your search and tailor music to fit your content, so you can spend less time searching and more time creating. They are designed to enhance human creativity, not replace it. Adapt uses music from our catalog and licensed tracks, with artists paid whenever their music is downloaded. All adapted tracks remain fully licensed under the same terms as the originals, making them completely safe for businesses to use.

Why is Epidemic Sound the right option for your business?

Creating content at scale is challenging. Securing the right music, managing licenses, and covering all rights can slow down production and create legal risk.

Epidemic Sound solves this with a direct licensing model covering our full catalog — over 50,000 tracks and 200,000 sound effects — including all public performance rights. Every track is created by our signed artists with our in-house production team, so you get fully cleared music without negotiating with multiple rights holders or dealing with PROs.

Our licenses give you full flexibility: use the music across all platforms, formats, and markets — from online to offline — forever. With all rights included, your content remains legally safe globally, with no extra work, fees, or reporting required.

We also ensure artists are paid fairly with upfront fees, a 50/50 streaming royalty split, and quarterly Soundtrack Bonuses, keeping the music ecosystem sustainable while your brand stays covered.

All rights included globally. Forever cleared. No extra work, no extra fees. Just total creative freedom.

What types of business licenses do Epidemic Sound offer?

There are different types of music licenses for different types of businesses — one size certainly doesn’t fit all. We offer tailor-made solutions for each use case. Learn more about them below.

Enterprise solution

This is a flexible option for enterprises looking to tailor their license to fit their needs, whatever they might be. Our direct licensing model means you’re cleared to use our music globally, regardless of media, territory, or content format — both online and offline. You’ll get a dedicated Customer Success Manager, who’ll offer training and support to keep your brand up to date with the latest developments.

On top of all this, we offer top-of-the-game music curation services, a line of innovative AI soundtracking and voiceover tools, and more. Read more about Epidemic Sound’s music licensing for businesses here.

Learn more about our Enterprise solution here.

Business plan

Is your small to midsize business looking for an affordable, hassle-free soundtracking partner? Our Business plan includes a broad range of use cases, including social media, digital ads, and more. We’ve got you covered.

Learn more about our Business plan here.

In-store

More than 40,000 businesses worldwide use our fully licensed music to enhance their physical footprint. From retail chains and restaurants to gyms and spas, we’ve got the right sound for your space.

Save thousands of dollars with our best-in-class, fully licensed in-store music. Public performance rights? No need to worry about that — it’s all included.

Learn more about our In-store solution here.

Pro plan

If you’re a freelancer or professional content creator creating video content for commercial use online, the Epidemic Sound Pro plan might be for you. Digital ads and client work licensing is included, and you can monetize up to three channels per platform.

Learn more about the Pro Plan here.