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
$500 licenceI Want To Party All Night Long
LORD UNCLE DAVE“I WANT TO PARTY ALL NIGHT LONG” — LORD UNCLE DAVE & SLIM is a high-energy EDM/dance record built for nightlife, celebration, and after-dark excitement. The track combines a dark, cinematic atmosphere with infectious dance energy and a retro neon aesthetic inspired by the glamour, danger, and late-night pulse of 1980s Miami. (think Grand Theft Auto Vice City) Its combination of driving electronic production, club-ready energy, and a stylish Miami/Vice City-inspired atmosphere makes it well suited for visual media that needs to immediately communicate partying, nightlife, luxury, excitement, rebellion, summer nights, fast living, and having a good time. Dark • Neon • Sexy • Energetic • Cinematic • Retro • Luxurious • Rebellious • Party • Nightlife • Miami • Summer • After Hours The track is particularly effective when paired with neon city lights, palm trees, exotic cars, luxury environments, crowded clubs, rooftop parties, beaches at night, fast-paced editing, and characters living an extravagant nightlife lifestyle. Ideal placement: A scene where the audience should immediately feel, “The night is young, the city is alive, and the party isn't stopping anytime soon.” Sync Licensing / Usage Recommendations 🎬 Film & Television Nightclub and party scenes Miami nightlife sequences Pool parties and beach parties Character introductions and montages Vacation and summer sequences Late-night driving scenes Luxury lifestyle sequences Romantic/nightlife montages High-energy transition sequences End-credit sequences 📺 Commercials & Advertising Automotive and sports-car campaigns Alcohol and nightlife advertising Fashion and luxury brands Travel and tourism campaigns Hotels and resorts Nightclubs and festivals Summer campaigns Energy/lifestyle brands Dating and social apps Consumer electronics and headphones Promotional trailers and brand campaigns 🎮 Video Games Open-world city environments Nightclub and party missions Racing games Driving sequences Character customization/lifestyle environments Beach and nightlife locations In-game radio stations Game trailers and launch campaigns Loading screens and promotional videos 📱 Digital / Social Media Instagram and TikTok nightlife content Travel and vacation videos Car and luxury lifestyle content Fashion edits Party and club promotions Influencer campaigns YouTube intros and montages Sports and entertainment highlight edits
$5 licenceFear – Dark Synth Tension Atmosphere (15 Seconds)
XABRUALVA15‑second dark synth tension cue built around pulsing bass, deep pads and a mysterious electronic atmosphere. This short cut delivers a compact cinematic suspense feel with steady rhythmic motion and subtle arpeggios, perfect for thriller transitions, dramatic edits, sci‑fi moments, investigative cues, trailers and any project needing a fast, intense electronic tension accent.
$15 licenceEnergy Hit
Niki N. PhaserHigh energy electronic track with massive bass aggressive distortion and a relentless driving groove built for maximum impact. The powerful modern production creates an intense atmosphere full of motion speed and adrenaline. Perfect for automotive campaigns sports promos fitness content technology advertising esports videos and action driven trailers. Also suitable for workout montages extreme visuals product launches and cinematic commercial branding. Keywords: action, adrenaline, aggressive, automotive, bass, beat, branding, cinematic, commercial, dark, distortion, driving, dynamic, electronic, energetic, esports, extreme, fast tech, fitness, futuristic, gym workout, intense, modern, powerful, promo, reel promo, sport, technology, tension, trailer
$100 licenceAnything (Maze x Mxtreme Epic Anthem Remix)
Rye CatchersBrimming with "can’t-stop-smiling" energy, "Anything" pairs a heavy, rhythmic punch with an uplifted male vocal performance. The result is a vibrant dance tune that radiates optimism from the first beat to the last. Mood: Epic, Triumphant, Anthemic, Powerful, Uplifting Instrumentation: EDM Percussion, Synthesizer Leads, Heavy Bass Drops, Choral Textures, Male Vocals Vibe: Arena Anthem, Championship Glory, High-Stakes Trailer, Heroic Journey, Peak Performance
$60 licenceAngel (Instrumental)
The Moons Of JupiterBeautiful, uplifting, inspiring... full of hope and optimism.
$100 licenceIYKYK - House Version
ZaintUpbeat Afro House track suited to lifestyle, travel, fashion, nightlife, sports, and creator content.
$95 licence2024 Memory 1984 (1)
DR. GONostalgic synthwave track with analogue synths and gated reverb drums. Perfect for 80s period pieces, retro tech advertising, nostalgic brand campaigns, and fashion content.
$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.
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.