Royalty-Free or Custom: Choosing Music for a Commercial
For most commercials, the choice comes down to three routes. You can use royalty-free music from a library, license an existing track directly from the composer, or have music written for the spot. Royalty-free is the quickest and usually the cheapest. A direct licence gives you more say over edits and terms. Custom music fits your picture exactly but takes the most time.
I write music for adverts and license my own catalogue, so I've seen all three routes from the inside. Each one is the right answer for some projects. Here's a fair look at how they compare, so you can pick the one that suits your brief.
What does royalty-free music for commercials mean?
Royalty-free means you pay once and don't owe any more fees for each use. Wikipedia's entry on royalty-free describes it as material you can use without paying royalties per use, per copy sold or per time period. It also makes the point that royalty-free doesn't mean the music is free.
Two things often catch people out:
- The licence still has limits. A royalty-free licence can still restrict media, audience size or territory. Some exclude broadcast TV unless you buy an upgrade.
- Writers may still earn performance royalties. When an ad is broadcast, the writer can still be paid through a collection society. In the UK, PRS for Music says broadcasters who use its members' music need their own licence. That's usually handled by the broadcaster and doesn't come out of your fee.
Option 1: Royalty-free library music
A music library is a large catalogue of ready-made tracks. You search by mood, genre or tempo, pick a track and license it on the spot. Some libraries charge per track. Others sell a subscription.
Where library music works well
- Tight deadlines, when you need music today.
- Small budgets and online-only ads.
- Lots of content, such as social cut-downs and quick product videos.
- Teams that want a published price with no back and forth.
The trade-offs
Popular library tracks get used a lot. The same piece you pick for a launch might also be in a rival's video, or under a hundred social posts. That's the nature of a non-exclusive licence. You also usually get the track as it is. If the big moment lands two seconds after your logo, you'll be cutting the picture to fit the music.
Check the licence terms closely. Standard terms vary a lot between libraries, especially for broadcast, paid media and how long you can use the track.
Option 2: A direct licence for an existing track
A direct licence means you license a finished track straight from the person who owns it, often the composer. You agree the terms together, based on how you'll use it.
To use music in an advert, you need rights to both the song and the recording. The Musicians Institute library guide explains that a sync licence covers the composition and a master licence covers the recording. When the composer wrote and produced the track, you can often get both in one licence.
Where a direct licence works well
- You've found a track you love and want it to fit your edit.
- You need specific cut-downs, such as a 15 or a 6 second version.
- Your mixer needs stems to make room for a voiceover.
- The ad runs across TV, online and cinema and you want one clear licence for all of it.
- You'd like to ask about exclusivity in your product category.
The trade-offs
A composer's catalogue is smaller than a big library's, so there's less to search. There's also a short conversation before you're cleared. You send the brief, get a quote and sign a licence. For most ads that takes days rather than weeks. Still, it's slower than clicking "buy".
This is how I license my own catalogue. My music for advertising page has finished, cleared tracks across several genres. Multiple lengths and stems are available.
Option 3: Custom music for the commercial
Custom music is written from scratch for your advert. The composer works to your brief, your picture and your timings. The music rises where the story rises and lands on the logo.
Where custom music works well
- Brand campaigns where the music carries the idea.
- Ads with precise timing, such as a hit on every cut.
- Sonic branding, where a short audio logo needs to work for years.
- Brands that want music no one else can use.
The trade-offs
Custom takes longer. There's a brief, drafts, changes and final delivery. It usually costs more than licensing a finished track, because someone is writing it just for you. Rights also need care. Agree up front who owns the music, how long you can use it and whether the composer can use it anywhere else.
If that's what your spot needs, take a look at custom composition.
Royalty-free vs direct licence vs custom: a quick comparison
Speed
Library music is fastest, often the same day. A direct licence usually takes a few days. Custom takes the longest, depending on the brief.
Cost
Library music tends to be cheapest, with a published price. A direct licence is quoted for your use. Custom usually costs the most. For a sense of scale on library music, the PRS for Music 2025 production music rate card lists UK online-only adverts (not including video on demand) at £300 per 30 seconds, excluding VAT.
Fit to picture
Library tracks come as they are. A direct licence can include new edits and stems. Custom is made to fit.
How unique it is
Library tracks are shared widely. Directly licensed tracks are shared less, and exclusivity may be possible. Custom can be yours alone.
Who you deal with
With a library, you deal with a website and a support team. With a direct licence or custom work, you deal with the composer.
Can you mix all three routes in one campaign?
Yes, and plenty of campaigns do. The hero TV spot might use a custom track or a directly licensed one. The social cut-downs and behind-the-scenes videos might use library music. That way the budget goes where people will hear it most.
The one thing to watch is consistency. If your main ad has a strong sound, cheap library tracks on social can feel like a different brand. A simple fix is to license one track directly and ask for extra lengths and stems. Your editors can then build every version from the same music, from the 60 second spot down to a 6 second bumper.
Another option is to start with a finished track and ask the composer for small changes. A new ending, a shorter intro or a version without drums can make an existing track feel made for you, without the time a full custom piece takes.
How to choose the right music for your commercial
Start with the brief. Answer these questions and the right route is usually clear:
- Where will the ad run? TV, online, cinema, radio or social. Broadcast needs a licence that clearly covers it.
- When does it go live? If it's tomorrow, a library is your friend.
- How important is the music? If it carries the ad, consider custom or a track you can shape.
- Do you need edits or stems? If so, a direct licence or custom makes life easier.
- Would it matter if a rival used the same track? If yes, ask about exclusivity or go custom.
Whatever you pick, get the media, territory and term in writing before the ad goes out. That one habit avoids most licensing headaches.
FAQs
Is royalty-free music free to use in commercials?
No. You pay once for a licence, and then you don't pay per use. The licence may still limit where and how long you can use the music, so check it covers your ad.
Can I use royalty-free music on TV?
Sometimes. Some royalty-free licences cover broadcast, and some need an upgrade or exclude it. Read the media section of the licence before the ad airs.
Is custom music always more expensive?
Usually, because the work is done just for you. The cost depends on the length, the number of versions, the rights you need and the timeline. A finished track with a direct licence is often a good middle ground.
Can I get exclusive rights to a track?
With library music, rarely. With a direct licence, you can often ask for exclusivity in a category or territory for a fee. With custom music, you can agree full exclusivity in the contract.
What's the difference between royalty-free and rights-managed music?
Royalty-free music is priced once for a broad set of uses. Rights-managed music is priced for each specific use, based on media, territory and term. A direct licence from a composer works more like rights-managed.
This is guidance, not legal advice. For a big campaign, have a media lawyer check the licence.