The Best Background Music for Travel Videos: Royalty-Free & Legal

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Best Songs for Travel Videos

It is important to match your travel video or project to the music and vice versa. These are some of the best songs for travel videos:

‘Dancing in the Streets of Barcelona’ by Ed Sheeran
‘Paris’ by the Chainsmokers
‘Have Love Will Travel’ by the Sonics
‘Travelin’ Man’ by Ricky Nelson
‘Wake Me Up’ by Avicii
‘Car Song’ by Woody Guthrie
‘Freedom (Instrumental)’ by Bamtone
‘Bluegrass Foggy Mountain’ by Butch Roberts
‘Travel’ by Kapitol
‘Fly Away’ by Chantelle Berry

This is only a general list. While one song can be great for one travel video, it might not fit another. It is important to choose music that complements the video and does not take away or become a distraction from it.

Also, many of these songs are copyright protected, so you will need to find a royalty-free version or seek permission from the holder of the copyrights to use them legally.

How to Find What Music Best Fits My Travel Video

Music can help to tie your travel video together and elicit an emotional response in your viewer. It is important to consider what it is that you want your audience to feel. Once you identify that, music can help to set the mood, tone, and atmosphere for your video.

Music can influence consumer behavior and make people more inclined to buy what you are selling. When the music matches the product, views often increase.

Music for travel videos should be in the background and not take away from the video itself. You will need to choose music that helps your video to flow and is not jarring or distracting from the video content.

Music can help the audience to connect with your video, and the music should match the theme. For instance, if you are highlighting a ghost tour, thrilling music can be ideal. If it is a bright, sunny beach destination, the music should be more uplifting and happier.

Why Do I Need to Use Legally Downloaded Music for My Travel Video?

If you are going to post your travel video on social media, use it for commercial purposes, or stream it for people to see, you will need to use music that you have a legal right to play. If you do not have permission to use the music in the background of your video, you risk having it blocked or taken down, or facing legal issues.

Commercial music is protected by copyright laws, which means that you have to get permission from the copyright holders to use it without legal ramifications.

Most music requires at least two different copyright licenses: a master use license, which is for the actual sound recording, and a composition license, which protects the underlying musical composition.

Obtaining copyright licenses can be daunting, as you need to track down the holder of the copyrights directly. This can include the artist, composer, record label, or music producer.

Alternatives to copyright protected music include royalty-free music. With this type of music, a purchaser only needs to pay for the music license one time and no royalty fees are collected.

There are many providers of royalty-free music on the market that pay this fee for you. Often, you can pay a one-time fee, or a monthly or annual subscription fee, to access and use the music legally. Several of these sites and providers also offer this music for free as long as you credit the artist.

What Are My Options for Legal Music for My Travel Video?

There are options for using music legally in your travel video without tracking down copyright holders directly.

Royalty-free music: This is music that is hosted by a service that pays the licensing fees. You do not incur royalties every time you use the music. Generally, you will pay a one-time fee to use this music or pay for a subscription for unlimited access to the music libraries.
Public domain music: This is music published prior to 1927. It is copyright-free as the copyright has expired. This music can be used legally for free without a license.
Creative Commons licensed music: This music is free to use legally as long as you credit the artist or creator.
Personally created music: If you compose or create your own music, you own the rights to it and can use it as you wish.

Where to Download It?

Outside of copyrighted music, there are many service providers that host royalty-free and copyright-free music that you can download and use in your travel videos legally.

Free Services:

Public Domain 4U: This is a collection of free music in the public domain.
incompetech: This is royalty-free music that can be used for free if you credit the creator.
Bensound: Eligible music can be downloaded and used for free if you credit Bensound.
Dig ccMixter: This is Creative Commons music that can be used for free when you credit the musician.

Paid Services

Artlist: This is a library of royalty-free music for unlimited use with a paid subscription.
Soundstripe: With a paid subscription, you can gain unlimited access to the music library.
Storyblocks: This is a large library of royalty-free music you can have unlimited access to with a paid subscription.
Premium Beat by Shutterstock: With a one-time fee, you can purchase tracks from a large library.

Costs

Many of the service providers of royalty-free music will offer a free trial, so you can decide if the service will be worth the cost. From there, most work on either a monthly or an annual subscription.

A monthly subscription can cost between $10 and $20 on average. Often, if you choose the annual subscription and pay in full, you will pay a little less than this per month.

Other services will ask for a one-time fee for tracks, which can vary greatly in price, costing from as low as $1 per track all the way up to a few hundred dollars per track.

Tips for Choosing the Right Music for My Travel Video

When choosing music for your travel video, it is important to understand what you are trying to accomplish with your video. What do you want your viewer to feel, see, or do as a result of your video? Music can engage a viewer and help them feel as if they are in the place you are showing them.

The following tips can help you choose the best music for your video:

Understand and define the purpose of your video.
Choose music that fits the scenery and helps to set the mood.
Use music that remains in the background and does not detract from your visual components.
Find music that helps to set the pace and moves viewers through your video.
Use music to set the tone and atmosphere for your video.
Consider music from a specific location or cultural music if that is what your video is highlighting.

FAQs

How do I find music for travel videos?

Music for travel videos can be found through a variety of service providers. You can choose from royalty-free or paid options.

Where can I get free background music for videos?

Look for music in the public domain, in Creative Commons, or music that only requires artist credit.

Can I use any music I want for my videos?

In short, no. You will need to ensure you have permission to use music in your video.

What happens if my music is copyrighted?

If the music you want to use is copyright protected, you will need to obtain the license to use it. The alternative is to find the same or similar music in a royalty-free library.

Why is music in travel videos important?

Music can help to create a more immersive experience for the viewer. It can increase viewership and the connection with your audience.