Copyright-Free Music for Streaming: DMCA-Safe Options for Twitch (2026)

Copyright-Free Music for Streaming: DMCA-Safe Options for Twitch, YouTube and Kick

The safest music for streaming is music you own or have an explicit license for. For most streamers, that means StreamBeats (free), NCS (free with credit), Pretzel (free and paid tiers), Epidemic Sound (paid) or Monstercat Gold (paid). Soundtrack by Twitch shut down in July 2023, so it is no longer an option. Check each license for VOD and YouTube use before you hit go live.

What music can you legally play on Twitch?

Twitch's music guidelines allow two kinds of music on stream:

• Music you created and own all rights to, including the recording, the performance and the underlying composition
• Copyrighted music you have licensed from all relevant rights holders

Everything else is a risk. The guidelines specifically prohibit radio-style broadcasts of recorded music without a live visual performance, and DJ sets of pre-recorded music unless you are in Twitch's DJ Program or hold the rights.

Twitch scans VODs and Clips for copyrighted audio and follows DMCA requirements. When a rights holder sends a valid takedown, the content is removed and you can receive a strike under Twitch's repeat infringer policy. Enough strikes can end your channel.

"Royalty-free" does not automatically mean "safe on Twitch". It means you don't pay per use. The license still has to cover livestreaming, and ideally recorded VODs and highlights too.

What happened to Soundtrack by Twitch?

Soundtrack by Twitch launched in September 2020 as a rights-cleared music tool for streamers. Twitch closed it on July 17, 2023, citing limited use, and withdrew the related API endpoints, as announced on the Twitch developer forums.

Any old guide or setup that relies on Soundtrack is out of date. If you still have its OBS source in your scene collection, delete it and move to one of the services below.

Soundtrack also had a well-known limitation: its music was separated from VODs, so recordings came out silent under that audio track. When you replace it, look for a service whose license covers VODs and uploads as well as the live broadcast.

Best copyright-free music services for streamers compared

Prices checked September 2026 against each official site. Terms change, so read the current license before relying on it.

StreamBeats: is it really free for Twitch and YouTube?

Yes. StreamBeats, created by Harris Heller, offers a library of playlists across more than a dozen genres. Its license page describes a free, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free and perpetual license to use tracks in content on Twitch, YouTube, podcasts and similar platforms. Attribution is encouraged but not required.

StreamBeats says it works with Audible Magic (used by Twitch) and Content ID (used by YouTube) to keep its tracks from triggering claims, and you can monetize YouTube videos that use its music.

What you cannot do:

• Redistribute tracks on their own or re-upload them to music platforms
• Run a music-only radio stream
• Remix, sample or create derivative works
• Use the music in defamatory, pornographic or illegal content

For most streamers this is the default recommendation: zero cost, clear license, covers live, VOD and uploads. The downside is catalog size and variety. If you stream for hours daily, your viewers will start recognizing tracks.

NCS: what are the rules for streamers?

NoCopyrightSounds (NCS) publishes electronic music that independent creators can use for free on YouTube and Twitch, as long as they follow its usage policy.

The main rule is credit. For Twitch streams, NCS asks you to put a credit line in your stream description. For videos, you copy the credit section from the NCS upload into your own description. Follow that and you can monetize.

Other points from the policy:

• Don't use "NCS" or "NoCopyrightSounds" in your title or logo; those are trademarks
• Don't post tracks before NCS officially releases them
• The free policy covers independent creators; commercial and brand uses need separate licensing

NCS is a good fit for high-energy gameplay. The catalog skews toward EDM, so it won't suit a chill art stream.

Pretzel: Free vs Premium vs Pro

Pretzel is a desktop player built for streamers, with music cleared for Twitch. According to its pricing page, paid plans start at $9.99 per month and yearly billing saves 50%. Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, and there is also a free option with a smaller catalog and a cleared Twitch channel.

• Free: a limited library and radio stations, cleared for Twitch
• Premium: full player features such as playlists and advanced search; Pretzel says 70% of Premium revenue goes to artists
• Pro: everything in Premium plus over 50,000 downloadable tracks cleared for YouTube content

A detail worth knowing: under Pro, tracks you publish to YouTube during your subscription stay cleared. Using downloaded tracks in new videos after you cancel can lead to claims.

Epidemic Sound: is it worth paying for?

Epidemic Sound is the biggest paid option most streamers consider. Its Creator plan costs $9.99 per month billed yearly or $17.99 billed monthly, per its pricing page. Epidemic says its catalog is over 55,000 tracks, plus sound effects, all directly licensed.

The Creator plan lets you connect one account per platform, including Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, plus one podcast feed. You must safelist, meaning connect, those channels to your Epidemic account before publishing. Music on connected channels is cleared for livestreams and uploads, and you can monetize.

Pay for Epidemic if you also produce edited YouTube videos, shorts and TikToks, because one subscription covers all of them. If you only stream live on Twitch, the free options above cover you.

Does Epidemic Sound have an affiliate program?

Yes. Epidemic's Community Program gives every user a referral link. Referrals earn credits toward your subscription, with value depending on the referred customer's pricing and currency. Bring in 12 new paying users and you can become an Ambassador, which adds a free subscription and a 50/50 revenue share per new user for their first 12 paying months. For how this fits with other deals, see our list of the best affiliate programs for streamers.

Monstercat Gold and YouTube Audio Library

Monstercat Gold is a paid subscription from the electronic label Monstercat that licenses its catalog for streams and videos. Streamers turn on Creator Mode in their Monstercat account settings so the player skips tracks that aren't licensable. Pricing varies by region and billing period, so check the official Monstercat Gold page for the current rate.

YouTube Audio Library is free inside YouTube Studio. YouTube's help page describes the music as copyright-safe for YouTube; some tracks use Creative Commons and require attribution in your description. YouTube only guarantees safety on its own platform and says it cannot give guidance on use elsewhere, so don't rely on it for Twitch or Kick.

What about Kick and YouTube Live?

The same logic applies everywhere: play only music you own or license. Check Kick's own terms, since copyright law applies there just as it does on Twitch. If you restream to YouTube, remember Content ID works on the archived stream, and a claim can mute or demonetize the VOD.

For platform-specific monetization rules, see YouTube live monetization and Kick monetization explained.

How to set up stream music safely

1. Pick one primary source with a license that covers live, VOD and uploads.
2. Use it through its own player or OBS source, not a random YouTube playlist.
3. On Twitch, route music to a separate audio track and use OBS's VOD track setting if you want a music-free archive as a backup.
4. Add required credits to your channel panels or stream description.
5. Keep game soundtracks in mind. In-game music can also trigger claims; many games have a streamer mode that mutes licensed tracks.

Good mic and mixer routing makes step 3 much easier. Our guide to audio mixers for streamers covers hardware that separates music from voice.

FAQ

Is royalty-free music safe for Twitch?

Only if the license covers livestreaming on Twitch. Royalty-free means no per-use fee; it doesn't mean every platform and use is included.

Can I play Spotify on Twitch?

No. A Spotify subscription is a personal listening license. It doesn't give you broadcast rights, and Twitch's guidelines require that you own or license the music you stream.

Is StreamBeats free for monetized YouTube videos?

Yes. StreamBeats' license allows use on YouTube, and it states you can monetize videos using its music.

Does Soundtrack by Twitch still work?

No. Twitch shut it down on July 17, 2023.

Which music service covers VODs?

StreamBeats, NCS (with credit), Pretzel, Epidemic Sound and Monstercat Gold all license use beyond the live broadcast, subject to their terms. Check each license for uploads to other platforms.