YouTube live streaming has become one of the most popular ways for creators to interact with their audience in real time. Whether you’re gaming, hosting a Q&A, or sharing live performances, going live on YouTube lets you connect with your viewers in a dynamic, personal way. But to really level up your live stream, background music can make a huge difference. It sets the vibe, fills any awkward silences, and helps keep your audience engaged from start to finish. However, there’s one thing you need to keep in mind when adding music to your stream: copyright and royalties.
How music copyright affects your YouTube Live Stream
If you use copyrighted music without permission, your stream could be hit with a copyright claim, leading to issues like muted audio, demonetization, or even your stream being blocked altogether. YouTube’s automated copyright detection system, Content ID, scans live streams in real time, so even using a few seconds of unlicensed music can trigger a claim. This not only impacts your stream’s visibility but also affects your ability to monetize. To avoid these complications, it’s important to either use royalty-free music or get explicit permission from the copyright holder. By understanding and respecting music copyright, you can keep your live stream running smoothly while also protecting your content and revenue.
Music copyrights on normal YouTube video vs YouTube Live Stream
The main difference between using copyrighted music in a regular YouTube video versus a YouTube live stream comes down to timing and enforcement. With regular uploaded videos, YouTube scans the content after it’s published, flagging any copyrighted material through its Content ID system. This gives creators a chance to edit or dispute claims before their video gains traction. In contrast, for YouTube live streams, the system scans in real-time, which means if you’re using copyrighted music during your live broadcast, your stream could be interrupted or even taken down while you’re live. The stakes are higher for live streams because there’s less room for fixing issues once they happen, making it critical to use properly licensed or royalty-free music from the start.
Also, unlike pre-recorded videos, live streams can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, which means you’ll need a solid selection of background music to keep things engaging. Depending on the length of your stream, having a variety of tracks ready ensures you don’t run into awkward silences or repetitive loops that can bore viewers. It’s a good idea to curate a playlist that covers the full duration of your stream, mixing different genres or moods that match your content.
Can you use a track from Spotify or your personal music library (CD, MP3) as background music on your YouTube Live Stream?
No, you cannot use any track from Spotify or your personal music library on a YouTube live stream unless you have proper licensing. Streaming copyrighted music from platforms like Spotify or your personal collection without permission can lead to serious copyright issues. While Spotify is great for personal listening, its licenses do not cover public use, such as in live streams. If you play copyrighted music during your stream without securing the rights, YouTube’s Content ID system can flag your stream, resulting in muted audio, demonetization, or even your stream being taken down. To avoid these issues, it’s essential to use royalty-free music or tracks specifically licensed for live streaming. This ensures your content stays compliant with copyright laws and keeps your stream uninterrupted.
What is the process of having the YouTube channel ready to go for a safe Live Stream in terms of music use?
Unless you are producing your own music, which means you have the necessary copyright permissions to use the tracks on your live stream, you need to make sure you use licensed music to avoid having your stream taken down. As mentioned before, music copyright checks on live streams happen during the stream itself, in contrast to individual uploaded videos, where the checks occur after the initial upload, giving the uploader time to dispute claims if the music is appropriately licensed.
That means that even if you have bought the rights to the music and your channel is not whitelisted by the copyright owners, there’s still a chance your live stream could get interrupted or possibly taken down. The reason is that YouTube doesn’t know if you’ve actually purchased the rights to the music, which, in the case of normal video uploads, you can prove during the dispute process after the upload.
If you want to ensure that your live stream will not be flagged by YouTube during the broadcast, you need to have your entire YouTube channel whitelisted.
What is YouTube channel whitelisting in terms of music copyrights?
Having your YouTube channel whitelisted means that, even if YouTube’s Content ID system detects the use of copyrighted music on your channel, it will not raise a copyright claim. This applies to your entire channel, including all videos and future live streams. In other words, if your channel is whitelisted, you can start your live stream with confidence, knowing you won’t face any copyright claims for music use.
Who can whitelist your YouTube channel?
Only music copyright owners can whitelist channels. For example, if you are a lifetime member of our royalty-free music library, MusicSesame, you can request to have your channel whitelisted. Our team will whitelist your entire channel, allowing you to use all of our tracks in your live streams without worrying about your streams getting flagged. This ensures that your live broadcasts remain safe from copyright claims while using our music.