Can I use copyrighted music on a podcast?

Now the big question, especially for beginner and novice podcasters, is, “Can I use copyright-protected music in my podcast?” The simple answer to this question is, “Yes.” You can use copyright-protected music in your podcast, but you have to pay for the right to do so legally without risking a lawsuit.

Do you need permission to use a song in a podcast?

Read on to find out more… It’s one of the most frequently asked questions in the medium; “Can I use copyrighted music in my podcast?”. The short answer is “No”. But, as is usually the case in podcasting, there’s a little bit of “it depends”. It’s important to stress that we are not lawyers.

Can you monetize a podcast with copyrighted music?

Yes! It’s legal to play copyrighted music on a podcast so long as you’ve cleared the rights or are following Fair use. Ah. There lies the stickiness.

Can you license copyrighted music?

When it comes to licensing music, there are two distinct copyrighted works: the musical composition (the lyrics and musical score) and the sound recording (what you actually hear). Together, a master use license and a sync license will allow you to add your favorite songs to the films and video games you create.

Can you use commercial music in a podcast?

But can you use commercial music in your podcast? If you have cleared worldwide commercial rights from the artist, publishers, and any other rights holders, yes. If you have purchased and/or agreed it with a Royalty Free licence, yes.

Can I use Spotify music in my podcast?

Spotify is tying podcasts and music close together. The new format effectively makes Spotify the only podcast platform where hosts can include entire songs in their shows without having to worry about copyright.

Do I need to copyright my podcast?

As soon as you publish a podcast using your show name and logo, technically you have created your trademark. You don’t HAVE to trademark it for legal protection against unauthorized use. If the mark is original, it becomes intellectual property as soon as it is made.

What kind of music can you use on a podcast?

If you’ve done any research on using music in your podcast, you may have come across the term “podsafe.” Simply put, podsafe music is music that is safe to use on a podcast. It’s important to ensure that any music, whether it’s full songs or just background tracks, is safe to use on your podcast.

Can I sample music on my podcast?

It is technically possible. But a legal sampling of popular music can be extremely expensive. Sampling without permission can infringe copyright. While you probably won’t face serious legal and financial repercussions your episodes may be taken down and you risk your podcasting directories to remove you from listings.