Music for YouTube ads
YouTube is where unlicensed music gets caught fastest. Content ID scans everything, and a claim on a paid ad costs you the flight, not just the video.
For a YouTube ad you need a licence covering paid digital advertising in your territories, for both the recording and the composition — plus something in writing you can submit if Content ID flags the upload. YouTube explains the claim process in its own Content ID help pages, and our YouTube sync licence guide covers what to send them.
Melody licences start at $5. One fee covers the recording and the song, worldwide, for that piece of creative, with a PDF certificate issued the moment you pay.
Hear it on your own video first
Upload your cut, drop a track onto it and watch the real thing before you spend anything. No account needed, and your video stays on your device until you license.
- Licences from $5, covering the recording and the song worldwide
- Certificate issued the moment you pay, ready for any platform dispute
Tracks that work in the first five seconds
$5 licenceCorporate Synthwave Journey (Underscore / No Solo)
XABRUALVAA comprehensive instrumental music pack featuring a vibrant 1980s retro-futuristic synthwave aesthetic. Driven by pulsing synthesizers and an upbeat, nostalgic momentum, this track blends modern corporate inspiration with classic synth tones. This multi-version pack is designed for ultimate flexibility in commercial projects, social media content, and digital marketing: Main Mix & Solo Version: Perfect for full-length corporate videos, tech presentations, retro-themed branding, and cinematic background streams. 15s, 30s, and 60s Cuts: Pre-edited loops and short formats tailored for fast-paced platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and digital advertising spots. No Solo / Underscore Version: Clean mix designed to sit comfortably underneath voiceovers, dialogues, or commercial narrations without frequency clashes.
$45 licence
$100 licenceOn The Road
Hazzy Jo“On The Road” is an uplifting, energetic track centered around movement, freedom, adventure, and forward momentum. Recommended for travel and road-trip content, tourism, lifestyle campaigns, sports and fitness, automotive, fashion, outdoor adventures, personal growth, new beginnings, and feel-good brand advertising. Its positive driving energy works well for journeys, exploration, achievement, and moments of chasing new opportunities.
$50 licenceStep By Step
AmelinaAn uplifting, high-energy pop track with a confident, positive vibe and a clear “keep going” message. Ideal for brands that want music that feels modern, youthful, and motivating without being aggressive or edgy. Great for: social ads and short-form videos, back-to-school content, sports/fitness and training edits, youth lifestyle, product launches, app/education promos, “before & after” and progress montages, team moments, celebrations, and feel-good storytelling. Brand safety: family-friendly and broadly suitable for mainstream campaigns. Works especially well for youth, education, wellness, lifestyle, and positive-messaging brands.
$60 licenceAngel
The Moons Of JupiterPositive, upbeat, uplifting, dreamy, optimistic and romantic. Modern feel but with an 80s kind of sound. Would work wonderfully in a film.
$10 licenceSpirit Of The Times
Gabrielle OrnateSpirit of the Times calls you to shake off your worries and get up and dance; a message that is especially relevant at a time when people's spirits need lifting.
$5 licenceFlavor Of Love
Herman BookerPop/soul love song, sentimental and romantic, youtube and radio friendly.
$10 licenceYaksha (20s Version)
Gecko BeachShortened version of the full track. Energetic and driving electronic beat featuring dark atmospheric textures, sharp rhythm, and a cinematic punch. Perfect for trailers, promos, high energy intros, main titles, or as a tense background underscore. Ideal for modern tech, cyberpunk, dystopian, gaming, action sequences, military scenes and digital media content. Features seamless cut in potential for cues, transitions, and end credits.
How Content ID actually treats ads
Content ID fingerprints the audio on upload and matches it against reference files supplied by rights-holders. A match on a monetised or promoted video triggers a claim, and the claim can redirect revenue or block the video outright.
It is automated and it does not know whether you paid for a licence. The fix is not avoiding detection, it is being able to answer it: a certificate naming the track, the ISRC and your company.
What your licence needs to say
For pre-roll, bumper, in-feed and Shorts ads, check the licence covers:
- Paid digital advertising, explicitly — not just 'online use'
- Every territory the campaign will serve in
- Both master and publishing
- All cutdowns: 6s bumper, 15s, 30s and the long cut, as one creative
- A term that outlasts the flight, so an extension does not need re-clearance
Choosing music that survives a skip button
The first five seconds decide the ad. Tracks that open on a hook rather than build for twenty bars consistently perform better in skippable placements, and edits are much easier to cut against.
Try the track on your own video before you commit — the shape of the music against your first frames matters more than the genre label.
Frequently asked questions
What music can I use in a YouTube ad?
Any music you hold a licence for that names paid digital advertising in your territories, covering both the recording and the composition. YouTube's own Audio Library is licensed for content, not for every advertising use, so read its terms before putting spend behind the video.
Will licensed music still get a Content ID claim?
It can. Rights-holders reference their own catalogue, so a match can fire even when your use is authorised. You dispute it with the licence certificate, which names the recording, the ISRC and you as the licensee.
Does a YouTube ad need a different licence to an organic upload?
Usually yes. Advertising is a distinct use with wider reach and more legal exposure, and many licences that permit organic uploads exclude paid media. Melody licences cover paid social and digital by default.
Can one licence cover all my cutdowns?
On Melody, yes — one creative concept includes every duration, aspect ratio and language version of it. A genuinely different campaign needs its own licence.
Ready to try it against your own footage?
Pick a track, drop it on your edit and see it before you decide. Licensing takes a couple of minutes when you are happy.
- Licences from $5, covering the recording and the song worldwide
- Certificate issued the moment you pay, ready for any platform dispute
Keep reading
YouTube sync licences
The rights detail, in full.
Music for ads
The wider buyer guide.
Copyright-free vs licensed
Why 'no copyright' does not stop a claim.
Music for Instagram ads
Reels, Stories and paid social.