Can I Use That Song? What You Need to Know About Music Licensing for Social Media

Music makes everything better, especially on social media. It sets the tone, boosts engagement, and can turn a decent reel into something worth watching twice. But if you’re creating content for a business or brand, using the wrong music can get your video muted, flagged, or taken down altogether. And unfortunately, platforms don’t make it easy to know what’s actually allowed.

Here’s what you need to know to keep your content sounding great and legally safe.

Why You Can’t Just Use Any Song

Most of the music you hear on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube is copyrighted, including everything from chart-topping hits to indie tracks. If you’re posting on behalf of a business, even casually, it’s considered commercial use, and that means you need the proper licensing.

“But I See Other Businesses Using Popular Songs…”

You’re not imagining it. Many business accounts use trending music, and some of those posts stick around without getting flagged. But that doesn’t mean it’s allowed.

Here’s why it’s risky:

• Meta (Facebook/Instagram) has music licensing deals, but most are intended for personal or creator content, not commercial use.
• Business accounts need commercial licenses, and most trending songs aren’t covered.
• Enforcement is inconsistent, which means some businesses may get away with it, for a while.

So even if you see a Harry Styles or Taylor Swift track available in your Reels library, it doesn’t mean it’s safe to use in a business post.

Safe Options for Using Music in Business Reels

1. Use Royalty-Free Music with a Commercial License
   This is the most reliable option. Platforms like:

• Epidemic Sound
• Artlist
• Soundstripe
• Storyblocks

…offer large music libraries with licenses specifically for business and client work. You can download tracks and upload them into editing tools like Canva, or Premiere.

Pro tip: Many of these sites offer “sound-alike” tracks, original songs made to capture the energy of trending hits without the copyright risk.

2. Use Meta’s Commercial Music Library
   Meta offers a separate library of music that’s cleared for commercial use, available through Creator Studio or Business Manager. It’s limited, but every track in it is safe for business content. Meta Commercial Music Library

What to Avoid

Popular songs commonly used in Reels or TikToks, even if they appear in the app’s music library. These tracks are often trending because they’re widely used by personal accounts, but that doesn’t mean they’re licensed for business use.

Music pulled from platforms like Spotify, YouTube, or TikTok. Even short clips are still copyrighted unless you have explicit permission or a commercial license.

Any song without clear licensing info. If a platform or music service doesn’t explicitly state that a track is safe for commercial use, it’s best to assume it’s not.

Why Taking the Shortcut Isn’t Worth It

Some businesses get creative to include popular music, editing songs into videos outside the app, or switching to a personal account just to access more tracks. But these are risky workarounds.

Here’s what can happen:

• Your video could be muted, taken down, or flagged with a copyright notice.
• Repeat violations can hurt your account’s visibility, or worse, lead to restrictions.
• Most importantly, it can make your brand seem unprofessional or careless.

At the end of the day, the risk isn’t worth it. Using properly licensed music means you can post confidently, without worrying about takedowns or damaging your brand’s reputation.