This article is general information, not legal advice. Music rights are complicated and vary by country. For a contract you are about to sign, consider asking a qualified lawyer to read it.
Three ways to get music
A small team that needs a soundtrack usually has three realistic options, each with different costs, risks and freedoms.
Licensed music is an existing piece of music that someone else owns, which you get permission to use. That could be a track from an independent musician, or from a larger catalog.
Library music (also called stock or production music) is music made specifically to be licensed to many customers, usually under standard terms and often at a fixed, published price or subscription.
Commissioned music is written for your game by a composer you hire. You agree on what you want, a fee and who owns what.
No option is best for everyone. The right one depends on the budget, the schedule and how much the music matters to the game’s identity.
Two rights, not one
Music rights are confusing in part because one piece of recorded music usually involves two separate sets of rights.
- The composition is the written music: the melody, harmony and structure. It is typically owned by the composer or a publisher.
- The recording (sometimes called the master) is a particular performance of that composition. It is typically owned by the performer, a label or the person who paid for the recording.
If you want to use an existing recording, you may need permission for both. If you hire a composer to write and record original work for you, one agreement can cover both, but the contract needs to say so. This is the single most common source of confusion, so it is worth asking directly: “Who owns the composition and who owns the recording, and what exactly am I getting permission to do?”
Licensed tracks
Using existing music can give you a finished, professional sound quickly. It may also be the only way to get a particular style or a recognizable song. The downsides are practical. A license is often limited by platform, territory, duration or number of copies. A track you can use in a trailer may not be cleared for the game itself. The terms may also not allow you to edit the track, which matters because games often need loops, shorter versions or layered stems that fit the way adaptive game music works.
Be especially careful with well-known music. Rights for famous songs can be expensive and slow to arrange, and they are usually beyond a small team’s budget. Taking a track from the internet without a clear license is risky even if you credit the artist.
Library music
Library music is the easiest to buy. Prices and terms are usually published, and many libraries offer a single license for a game or a subscription for ongoing use. The trade-offs are:
- Non-exclusive. Other projects can use the same tracks, so your game’s music may sound familiar.
- Fit. Library tracks are made to be general, so they may not match your scenes closely.
- Flexibility. Some libraries supply stems or loopable versions; others give only a finished stereo file.
- Clear terms. The standard license should state what uses are covered. Read it for limits on commercial use, console release, advertising and sublicensing.
Library music is a sensible fit for prototypes, game jams and small projects where the music is supportive rather than defining.
Commissioning a composer
Commissioning is the most flexible route. A composer can write to your scenes, deliver loops and layered versions, and revise things that do not work. The cost is more money and time, and the process depends on clear communication. For a first-time buyer, a reference list of existing pieces that capture the right mood is often more helpful than an abstract description.
Costs vary widely and depend on the composer, the length of the score and the usage rights, so avoid relying on rule-of-thumb prices you have not confirmed with the person you are hiring. Include music early in your development budget rather than treating it as a late extra.
What to check in a contract
Whatever route you choose, get the agreement in writing. Points that are commonly worth checking:
- What is licensed or transferred. Is it a license to use, or a transfer of ownership? These are different outcomes.
- Exclusivity. Can the composer or owner license the same music to others?
- Scope. Which platforms, regions and formats are covered? Does it include trailers, ads, soundtrack releases and sequels or ports?
- Duration. Is the license permanent, or does it expire?
- Deliverables. Finished tracks, loops, stems, project files, shorter versions?
- Revisions. How many rounds of changes are included, and what is charged for more?
- Credit. How will the composer be credited, and where?
- Payment terms. Amounts, milestones and what happens if the project is canceled.
- Warranty. Does the other party confirm that the music is original or properly cleared and that they have the right to license it?
- Changes. Are you permitted to edit, loop, cut and layer the music to fit the game?
If a clause is unclear, ask for it to be rewritten in plain words. Clear wording protects both sides.
Practical advice for small teams
Decide early how much the music needs to do. A quiet puzzle game may need little; a story-driven game may rely on music for identity. Plan the project scope to include audio from the start, and keep a record of every track’s source and license in your design documents or a simple spreadsheet. If you ever need to prove you are allowed to use a track, that record is your evidence.