What does Royalty-Free Music licensing mean?
Royalty-free music, not to be confused with Copyright-free music, is sometimes a misunderstood concept. Here are some key concepts.
You get a license agreement and audio files by purchasing a music license. It does not mean that you take ownership of these audio tracks. Instead, a contract allows you to use that music. On the other hand, the artist retains all rights to the music.
Purchasing a royalty-free music license also means you don't have to pay licensing fees (i.e., royalties) every time you use a piece of music. You can use it as often as you wish, for all audiences or copies of your project, according to the rights granted by the license purchased.
Licensing options
StoryMusic.io offers three royalty-free licensing options depending on the type and scale of your projects.
- Standard
- High-Resolution audio file (1)
- Mastered for streaming (2)
- One lite m4a "mobile" version
- Monetized YouTube, Vimeo…
- Social media/networking
- Podcasts
- Website background music
- Non-profit/private event
- Music-on-hold (3)
- In-store (4)
- Attribution not required
- Extended
- Everything from STANDARD
- Mastered for broadcast (5)
- Digital advertising
- Indie Film production
- Third-party/Client projects (6)
- Games, softwares (7)
(projected users up to 10k) - Commercial and public events
(Projected visitors up to 100K) - Local broadcasting, TV, radio, advertising
(Projected audience up to 1M)
- Premium
- Everything from EXTENDED
- OTT/VOD programs
- Theatrical Film production
- Games, softwares
(Unlimited users) - Commercial and public events
(Unlimited visitors) - National, international broadcasting, TV, radio, advertising
(Unlimited audience)
(1) Hi-Res 48kHz/24bits uncompressed AIFF audio files.
(2) Mastered for streaming (-14 LUFS). Optimal for YouTube and other streaming platforms.
(3) Limited to one organization or company.
(4) The Standard license is limited to one store, while the Extended is suitable for chain stores.
(5) Mastered for broadcast (meets loudness targets ≤ -23 LUFS) based on ITU BS.1770-4 standard.
(6) You may use your license for third-party/client productions.
(7) Not authorized as a part of a freeware/software library (e.g., in a video or audio editing app).
What do you get when you purchase a license?
You get one zip file that includes:- One (Standard license) or two versions (Extended and Premium) of AIFF audio files in Hi-Res uncompressed format. One optimized edition for streaming purposes, and the other complies with the broadcasting standards (ITU BS.1770).
- The audio stems or alternative arrangements (if applicable) are in the same Hi-Res format.
- A lite version of the main audio track in M4A format (44kHz/16bits), best suited for mobility and preview.
- The license agreement (PDF file) for the purchased music or audio tracks (to associate with your unique license ID, provided to each order).
- Loudness measurement and other valuable audio data.
The licenses do not allow you to:
- Transfer, share, or sub-lease the license to any other party.
- Sell or redistribute physical or digital copies of the music or audio tracks "as-is."
- Publish the music or audio tracks with terms or mentions that suggest that the music is in the "public domain" (e.g., "copyright-free music").
- Embed the music or audio tracks in any freeware/software library in part or whole.
- Make a song or a remix from the music or audio tracks.
- Associate the music or audio tracks with illegal or objectionable content.
- Claim the authorship or ownership of the music or audio tracks. Registering a title on YouTube's Content ID system may result in legal action.
Attribution/Credits
As a license owner, you are not required to credit the music, so you are free to mention it or not in your production.
Special FREE Royalty-Free licenses
Sometimes StoryMusic.io may offer a special Free Royalty-Free License on specific titles. You can download the related tracks (HQ m4a version) for free during these limited offers, then use them on your monetized YouTube channel or other social networks. In this case, attribution is formally required and must follow this pattern (Music: https://www.storymusic.io). You must also still observe the license terms specified in the Free License Agreement. These "Free Licenses" are limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use.
Territory
StoryMusic.io music licenses apply and cover use worldwide.
Life span
StoryMusic.io grants music licenses indefinitely (lifetime valid) unless you violate the terms of your license agreement.
More information
For more information, please visit the "Licensing" section on the FAQ page, or feel free to get in touch if you think you need some assistance in choosing a suitable license for your project.
