If you have a YouTube channel monetised, using copyrighted music is a good way to get your channel taken away. But what about non-monetized channels? Is there a safe way to use music in this case?
In this blog post we will go over whether or not you can use copyrighted music on YouTube if you don’t monetize through Google AdSense along with other things you may need to know!
Answer To The question Can You Use Copyrighted music on Youtube if You Don’t Monetize:
It depends on the song but in most cases your video will get muted and you may get a copyright strike for using copyrighted material. For example, if you search the main theme song for “The Lion King” on YouTube, it will give you thousands of results for videos that have yet to be taken down by Disney’s copyright team.
There may be some exceptions to this rule and we will go over them down below.
What is copyright infringement and why is it a problem on YouTube?
Copyright infringement occurs when you use copyrighted material without having the proper rights to it. This not only applies to music but also photos, videos, games and more! If you are using content that belongs to someone else without their permission it is considered copyright infringement.
YouTube does not allow people with monetized accounts to upload content that they don’t have the rights to. If they find out that you have done so and monetized the video with ads, your account is in danger of getting shut down.
What are some creative ways to use copyrighted music without infringing on anyone’s rights?
Although it seems like you should stay away from copyrighted songs all together, there are some creative ways to use them without getting in trouble. See the different ways below:
Cover Songs
Not every song is the same when it comes to their copyright rules.
For example some songs may allow you to share their music and split the revenue however others may not.
Sometimes you will be able to make your own version of a song which is called a cover song. Some songs allow you to monetize when you make a cover song. You can search the song here and see.
There are a lot of people who make extra money by uploading a new cover song every single week.
One thing to keep in mind is that artists can change the way they want their copyright rules for certain songs to be. So it may be good one day and then they can change their minds and make it so you can’t monetize. So be sure to check often for this!
Reaction Videos
Making reaction videos could fall under the fair use rule, which means that if you add value and transform the content in some way by adding your own commentary it may be considered fair use.
Under fair use a lot of youtubers make reaction videos and don’t get in trouble. But, you need to keep in mind that the more copyrighted music there is in your video, the harder it will be to explain if you ever do get a copyright strike.
When you add your own commentary to a video, YouTube’s system will take that into consideration when it decides whether or not to remove the copyrighted music from your video.
If you do end up getting a copyright strike, you can file a dispute and explain that it falls under the fair use rules. Sometimes they will listen and other times you will end up having to take down your video.
What To Use Instead of Using Copyrighted Music?
There are a lot of songs that you can use from certain artists on YouTube and you can find them by using the search option above.
Another alternative is to use royalty free sites to get music for your videos.
What are some other ways to add background music to your videos without spending a lot of money on licensing fees?
Create Your Own Music:
If you are into making your own music then this is definitely an option for you! If you make your own songs it may be easier to explain to YouTube why you added the song in the video.
For example, many gamers make their own music when they play Minecraft or other games. You explain to YouTube that you made the track yourself and it falls under the fair use rule.
Conclusion:
We hope this blog post helped you understand how YouTube’s copyright rules work.
If you have any experience with this please leave a comment below.
We are curious to hear what you have to say.
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