Royalty Free Music for Films and Filmmakers
Regardless of whether you need music for a student film or independent film, PremiumBeat’s vast library of royalty free music is here for you. Download your dream film score today.
Top Music for Film
Establish the World
Some of the most memorable uses of music in film have come from songs that establish the world of the film. Songs such as The Lord of the Ring’s “Concerning Hobbits” introduced us to the mythical world of the Shire, while Star Wars’ “The Imperial March” set the stage for the frightening might of the Galactic Empire. Wordlessly inform your audience of the sort of world you have created by adding PremiumBeat’s film music to your next project.
Express Characters' Inner Emotions
When it comes to film, background music can create a powerful mood. Pair a piece of music with an emotional scene in your film to help convey what your protagonist is feeling. Try playing somber music with contemplative strings as your character reckons with the end of a romantic relationship to express the grief or regret he or she may be experiencing. With so many musical moods in our library, you can easily find a track to match the emotion of any scene.
Make Your Movie Memorable
Film composers know that music is an essential ingredient in the creation of a memorable movie. A strong film score can play in the minds of viewers long after they have left the theater. Check out PremiumBeat’s royalty free music for filmmakers to find the songs that suit your film. Create your iconic soundtrack today.
About film music
What is music for a film called?
Music for films is often referred to as cinematic music. This sort of music is created to accompany a film. It may also be called a film score or soundtrack. Such music encompasses a wide variety of music styles, from somber music that establishes a melancholic mood to dramatic music that increases the tension of a scene. Epic music is often played during action-adventure or sci-fi films that involve fight or battle scenes as a way to enhance the intensity of the visuals.
Some film composers, such as Brian Eno, create ambient, atmospheric pieces to support the different sequences in a film. Music for film may also be referred to as diegetic or non-diegetic music. Diegetic music is music that is part of the world of the film, meaning the characters can hear it. It may be playing on a character’s radio, for example. Non-diegetic music is the music that only the audience can hear.
Some film composers, such as Brian Eno, create ambient, atmospheric pieces to support the different sequences in a film. Music for film may also be referred to as diegetic or non-diegetic music. Diegetic music is music that is part of the world of the film, meaning the characters can hear it. It may be playing on a character’s radio, for example. Non-diegetic music is the music that only the audience can hear.
How to use music in films?
When asking yourself how you might employ music in your next project, it helps to consider the psychology behind music in film. Studies have found that music activates the parts of the brain that affect attention, planning, and memory. By including music in your film, you increase the chances that your audience will remember your film after they leave the theater. Music can also stimulate the release of dopamine, often called “the feel-good hormone.”
When people engage in the activities that they find pleasurable, such as eating a rich meal, doing yoga, or taking a solid nap, this hormone is released. Trigger those feel-good feelings in your audience by including high-quality music to your establishing shot, during pivotal scenes, or as background music.
When people engage in the activities that they find pleasurable, such as eating a rich meal, doing yoga, or taking a solid nap, this hormone is released. Trigger those feel-good feelings in your audience by including high-quality music to your establishing shot, during pivotal scenes, or as background music.
How to choose music for a film?
Begin by considering what purpose you want the music in your film to serve. One option is to have your music wordlessly comment on a scene. If, for example, you want to show a character in contemplation, your music choice can inform the audience of the sort of mood they are in. Weepy violin music says something very different from uplifting piano.
If you are exploring music options for the establishing shot in which the world of your film is introduced, you will want to choose music that effectively sets the right tone. Quirky upbeat music would work well for a romantic comedy but would mislead your audience if played at the beginning of a tragedy. You can explore an array of film musical stylings in the PremiumBeat music library. Compile a list of your favorites as the tracks that powerfully affect you may well affect your audience.
If you are exploring music options for the establishing shot in which the world of your film is introduced, you will want to choose music that effectively sets the right tone. Quirky upbeat music would work well for a romantic comedy but would mislead your audience if played at the beginning of a tragedy. You can explore an array of film musical stylings in the PremiumBeat music library. Compile a list of your favorites as the tracks that powerfully affect you may well affect your audience.
What licenses do you need to use music in film?
The music licensing process to use copyrighted music in films involves a few steps. You need both the synchronization license and the master use license. The synchronization license grants the right to use the composition of a song (i.e. the score and lyrics) in conjunction with an audiovisual project. It is usually issued by a music publisher or composer. The master license, on the other hand, transfers the rights to the original recording of the song to the licensee. It is usually the record label that holds this copyright.
If you want to print copies of your film’s score or lyrics, such as on the back cover of a CD or in the subtitles of a YouTube video, then you will also need a print license. Rather than worry about all these different types of licenses, you can simply get your royalty free music from PremiumBeat. Our flexible license options are here to support student films and independent feature films alike. Just add the music you want to your cart, head to check out, and pay a one-time fee for the license that meets your needs. Download your tracks and edit them into your film.
If you want to print copies of your film’s score or lyrics, such as on the back cover of a CD or in the subtitles of a YouTube video, then you will also need a print license. Rather than worry about all these different types of licenses, you can simply get your royalty free music from PremiumBeat. Our flexible license options are here to support student films and independent feature films alike. Just add the music you want to your cart, head to check out, and pay a one-time fee for the license that meets your needs. Download your tracks and edit them into your film.
Where can I find free background music for movies?
You can quickly and easily find free background music for movies in the PremiumBeat library. Our advanced search engine has a number of filters you can use to specify the exact sort of song you want to hear. To begin, go to the search engine and look to the filters on the left side of the page. Scroll down to “Advanced” and select “Free Tracks” from the dropdown menu. All of the resulting music can be downloaded for free. Take a listen to the available tracks and when you find the ones you love, add them to your cart and head to check out. You will be prompted to log in or create an account. Upon completion of this task, you can download your music.
What are the best film music libraries?
The best film music libraries offer royalty free music that has been created by professionals. These libraries are home to a wide variety of genres and moods so that filmmakers can find exactly what they are looking for. PremiumBeat is one such royalty free library. You can use the advanced filters of our search engine to find the best music for films in moments. Search by Genres, Mood, Instruments, BPM (Beats Per Minute), and more. Once you have found the best tracks for your film, add them to your cart, and head to check out. Our simple music licensing process allows you to select your ideal license, pay a one-time fee, and download your tracks in a few quick clicks.
Looking for specific film music?
Take a deep-dive into our film score collection and filter tracks by instruments.
How to use film music:
Film music for YouTube
Regardless of whether you are working on short films or independent films, if you intend to share your projects on YouTube, you must ensure you obtain the correct music license first. YouTube’s Content ID software checks every uploaded video against a vast database to make sure no copyright infringement is occurring. Videos found to be in violation of copyright laws, meaning they are using music they do not have the rights to, are generally muted or taken down. To avoid this, get your YouTube film music from PremiumBeat. We have simplified the music licensing process for you so all you need to do is select the license that meets the needs of your project and pay a one-time fee to download your track and add it to your Youtube video.
Film music for intros
Stock music libraries such as PremiumBeat offer a wide range of music ideal for film intros. With diverse genres to explore, you can easily find the perfect track to kick off your film. Adding music to your film’s initial establishing shot is an excellent way to keep viewers engaged and set the tone of what is to come. For a strong piece of music that will introduce your audience to your film, head to the PremiumBeat search engine. Explore tracks that match your film’s genre, or search for songs that feature the specific instruments or pacing you would like to hear. Any track you download from PremiumBeat also comes with shorter segments of the song in 15-, 30-, and 60-second short clips, making it that much easier to edit into your film.
Film music for trailers
Epic music generally performs well in film trailers but the specific genre of your trailer will ultimately affect the track you choose. A trailer for a comedic film, for example, would be better off with quirky, lighthearted music than somber and intense tracks. You can easily find music to match the genre and mood of your trailer by heading to the PremiumBeat search engine. Look at the filters on the left side of the page. Click “Genres” and scroll down to “Production / Film Scores” to find tracks best suited for films in the Action, Dramedy, Horror genre and beyond. You can also select “Trailer” music from the “Production / Film Scores” category to check out tracks specifically created with trailers in mind.
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Simple licensing process
For a hassle-free music licensing process, check out PremiumBeat’s flexible license options. Our Standard license is perfect for web-based or non-commercially distributed projects, while our Premium license is ideal for revenue-generating content. Pay a one-time fee and download your track in moments.
Professional content
Looking for an original score for your film? Every song you hear on PremiumBeat is 100% original and has been created by professionals. We carefully curate our content so that you can rest assured you are only hearing the best we have to offer.
Wide range of genres and moods
With the advanced filters of the PremiumBeat search engine at your fingertips, you can find your ideal film music in no time. From classical music to somber music and many genres and moods in between, PremiumBeat has the diverse offerings you need to create a compelling film score.