When it comes to finding the right background music for your video projects, podcasts, or social media content, the terms “open domain music” and “royalty-free music” often come up. At first glance, they might sound similar — both imply that you can use music without paying ongoing fees — but there are some important differences.

In this article, we'll break down what these terms really mean, and help you choose the right type of music for your creative work.

🎼 What Is Open Domain Music?

Open domain music is another way of referring to public domain music. This means that the music is no longer protected by copyright, and is therefore free to use by anyone, for any purpose.

Key characteristics:

• No copyright restrictions

• No payment or license required

• Often includes classical works by composers like Bach, Beethoven, or Mozart

• Usage rights apply to the composition, not necessarily to all recordings of it

🕰️ How Do You Know If Music Is in the Public Domain?

Whether music is in the public domain depends mainly on how old it is and the country’s copyright laws. In many countries (including the U.S. and most of Europe), music typically enters the public domain:

• 70 years after the death of the composer (in some countries, it's 50 or even 75 years)

• If the composer died before 1955, their compositions are very likely in the public domain today

• Some artists may also voluntarily release their works into the public domain (via Creative Commons Zero – CC0)

💡 A great way to check is by using sites like IMSLP.org, musopen.org, or searching for “public domain music list + country”.

But be careful: Even if the composition is public domain, a recording of it (for example, by a modern orchestra) may still be copyrighted.

🎧 What Is Royalty-Free Music?

Royalty-free music is still protected by copyright, but the licensing terms are simplified. You pay once (or sometimes not at all, if it’s free) and then you're allowed to use the music in multiple ways — without paying royalties for each use.

Key characteristics:

• One-time payment or free with license

• You don’t owe ongoing fees to the creator

• Often created specifically for use in media like YouTube videos, podcasts, ads, games, and more

• Comes with a clear license agreement, outlining what’s allowed

This type of music is perfect for creators who need peace of mind — especially when publishing monetized content on platforms like YouTube or Instagram.

🆚 Open Domain vs. Royalty-Free – Quick Comparison

Feature                                                                                                             Open Domain Music                                  Royalty-Free

MusicCopyright protection                                                                ❌ No                                                                   ✅ Yes

Cost                                                                                                                   ✅ Free                                                               ✅ One-time payment / Free

Usage license                                                                                               ❌ None needed                                           ✅ Comes with usage terms

Modern sound quality                                                                            ❌ Often old recordings                          ✅ Professionally produced

Ideal for commercial use                                                                       ⚠️ Sometimes limited                               ✅ Fully suitable for monetized media

🧐 Which One Should You Use?

It depends on your needs:

• Choose open domain music if you're working on historical content, classical projects, or just want to avoid any kind of license — and you're okay with older or basic recordings.

• Choose royalty-free music if you want modern, professional-quality tracks, clear usage rights, and no legal headaches.

🎵 Looking for Royalty-Free Electronic Music?