Royalty-Free Intro Music

1. Royalty-Free vs. Copyright-Free: What's the Difference?

This is the #1 confusion for new podcasters.

• Royalty-Free: You pay once (or get it for free) and can use it forever without paying "royalties" every time someone listens. This library is 100% Royalty-Free.
• Copyright-Free (Public Domain): No one owns it (e.g., Beethoven's 5th Symphony).
• The Danger Zone: Commercial music (e.g., Taylor Swift). Never use popular songs in your podcast unless you want your show removed from Spotify and Apple.

2. How to Match Music to Your Podcast Genre

• True Crime / History: Look for "Ambient," "Drone," or "Tension." You want low-tempo tracks that sit underneath a serious voiceover.
• Tech / Business: Look for "Corporate," "Upbeat," or "Electronic." You need a steady beat that implies momentum and innovation.
• Comedy / Lifestyle: Look for "Acoustic," "Funky," or "Jazz." These tracks feel human, warm, and inviting.

Tip: Use the Mood Filter in the tool above to narrow this down instantly.

3. The Perfect Intro Length (The 15-Second Rule)

Data shows that long intros kill retention.

• 0-5 Seconds: The "Hook" (Music starts, high energy).
• 5-15 Seconds: The "Pitch" (Host introduces the show name and topic).
• 15+ Seconds: The "Fade" (Music fades out, episode begins).

Pro Tip: If a track is 3 minutes long, don't use the whole thing. Use our Podcast Script Outliner to plan exactly when your music should fade out.

4. Technical Guide: Mixing Music with Voice

You don't need to be an audio engineer to sound pro.

• Volume Levels: Your voice should be at -16 LUFS. Your background music should be around -24 LUFS (or roughly 10dB quieter than your voice).
• Ducking: This is when the music automatically gets quieter when you speak. Most editing software (Descript, Audacity) does this automatically now.
• Noise Floor: If your voice recording has hiss, the music won't hide it. Use our Background Noise Reducer to clean your voice track before you mix it with music.

5. YouTube Safety (Content ID)

If you post your podcast to YouTube, be careful. Even "Royalty-Free" music can sometimes trigger a "Content ID Claim."

The Fix: Always keep a PDF or screenshot of your license (even if it was free). If YouTube flags you, you can dispute the claim by uploading that proof.

Our Library: We curate tracks that are generally safe for YouTube monetization, but we always recommend checking the specific license link provided with each download.