YouTube Creator Music is a catalogue of mainstream songs inside YouTube Studio that you can use in long-form videos without losing monetisation. Each track either has a no-cost licence, so you keep your full share of the video's revenue, or is eligible for revenue sharing, so you split it with the rights holders. It's only open to US creators in the YouTube Partner Program for now.
Music is the fastest way to get a copyright claim on YouTube, and Creator Music is YouTube's answer to that. It's useful, but the rules are tighter than most creators expect, especially around Shorts and how much of your revenue a song costs you. Everything below comes from YouTube's own Creator Music help pages.
Who can use Creator Music
YouTube says Creator Music is available to US creators in the YouTube Partner Program. Expansion to partner creators outside the US is pending, with no date given. If you're not in the programme, you won't see it yet. My guide to the YouTube Partner Program covers how to join.
Not eligible? The YouTube Audio Library in Studio is open to far more creators, and my guide to the YouTube Studio Audio Library explains how to find and credit tracks there.
The two ways to use a track
| Option | What you pay | What happens to your revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Get a licence | Nothing | You keep the same share you'd earn on a video with no music |
| Share revenue | Nothing up front | You split the video's revenue with the track's rights holders |
The rights holders decide which option a track offers, and they can change those terms whenever they like. Some tracks in the catalogue offer neither, and using one of those can still bring a Content ID claim or a copyright removal request.
The August 2026 change to paid licences
Creator Music used to sell paid licences too. YouTube's help page says it's phasing them out from August 2026 and moving to no-cost tracks and revenue-sharing tracks only. Creators had until 10 August 2026 to buy and use paid licences. Paid licences already in a video stay valid until they expire, and YouTube says any bought but not used by that date are refunded automatically. So if you've read older guides that talk about buying a licence, that part no longer applies.
How much revenue sharing costs you
This is the number creators rarely check before they upload. With a revenue-sharing track, your usual creator share of a long-form video is divided by the number of tracks that need a share, and then a small deduction comes off for other music rights such as performing rights.
- One revenue-sharing track: YouTube's example gives you half of your usual share, minus that deduction.
- Two revenue-sharing tracks and one licensed track: YouTube's example gives you a third of your usual share, minus the deduction.
In other words, one song can cut what a video earns roughly in half. If the video is a long tutorial and the song plays for a few seconds, a no-cost licensed track or Audio Library music is the better deal.
The rules that catch people out
- Long-form only. Licensed and revenue-sharing tracks can't be used in Shorts or live streams, and licensed tracks earn on the watch page only.
- One licence, one video. A Creator Music licence covers a single video. Only Audio Library licences work across many videos.
- Licences can move, but only before you publish. You can move a licence to another video on the same channel if it hasn't been used in a published video yet.
- YouTube only. You can't use a Creator Music licence on another platform or another channel.
- No downloads for revenue-sharing tracks. You can download previews of some licensable tracks, but you'll need to source revenue-sharing tracks outside Creator Music.
- Terms can change after you upload. If a rights holder later turns off monetisation for a track, your video's monetisation goes with it.
How to use Creator Music
- Sign in to YouTube Studio in a web browser. YouTube says Creator Music features work through a browser.
- From the left menu, select Creator Music.
- Browse the Discover page, filter by genre or mood, or search for a track or artist. You can also make AI instrumentals with Dream Track.
- Open the track's usage details to see whether it offers a licence or revenue sharing, and in which countries.
- Get the licence, or use the revenue-sharing track in your video, then upload.
- After publishing, check Studio, then Content, and look for Sharing in the Notices column to confirm revenue sharing is on.
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My verdict
If you're a US partner, Creator Music is the safest way to use a song people recognise, and the no-cost licences are the gem: you keep your full share. Treat revenue-sharing tracks with care, because one track can take half of what that video earns. And if you make Shorts, this isn't your tool, as none of these tracks can be used there.
I keep every related walkthrough in the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
What is YouTube Creator Music?
It's a catalogue of mainstream music in YouTube Studio that partner creators can use in long-form videos without losing monetisation, through a no-cost licence or revenue sharing.
Is YouTube Creator Music free?
Yes. YouTube is phasing out paid licences from August 2026, leaving no-cost licences and revenue-sharing tracks, so you don't pay anything up front.
Can I use Creator Music in YouTube Shorts?
No. YouTube says licensed and revenue-sharing tracks from Creator Music can only be used in long-form videos, not Shorts or live streams.
Who can use YouTube Creator Music?
US creators in the YouTube Partner Program. YouTube says expansion to partner creators outside the US is pending.
