Looking for the perfect music for your ads? We’ve got the ultimate buying guide right here! A 2023 SEMrush study says the global music licensing market will grow quickly. It’s growing especially fast for use in advertising. Ads that use viral sounds get 30% more interactions from users. Ads with custom soundtracks are 20% easier for people to remember. You get a best price guarantee and free installation included. You can compare premium licensing options to fake, unlicensed music. Our advice is backed by top U.S. sources like SEMrush and AudioJungle. You need to act fast if you want to make your ad better today.

Music licensing for ads

A 2023 SEMrush study shared a prediction about the global music license market. It says the market will hit [X] billion dollars by [Year]. It will grow an average of [X]% each year starting from [Start Year]. This big jump in music licensing comes from rising demand for it. The advertising industry wants this music more than most other fields. Brands use music in ads to make their messages feel stronger. It also helps them grab and hold the attention of people watching.

Special licensing considerations for viral sounds

These sounds can grab any audience’s attention right away. That makes them really great to use in ads. But you have to get a special license to use them.

Obtain permission

You need to get permission before using viral sounds in ads. Take TikTok, for example. Any viral sound on the app belongs to its rightful owner. Skipping this permission step can lead to legal trouble. You could also have to pay really big fines. To ask for permission, message the creator on their platform. You can also reach out through their official website. Apps like TikTok have clear guidelines for using user-made sounds. Most people who work in this field recommend following these rules.

Purchase licenses

You might need to buy a license to use a sound. How much it costs can vary a lot. How much you pay depends on both how popular the sound is and what you plan to use it for. If you use the sound in a TV ad, the price will be higher. Many popular music licensing websites sell viral sound packages. Compare prices across different licensing sites to get the best deal. Musicbed, Epidemic Sound, and other top services sell viral sounds at competitive prices.

Sync license and master use license

If you use a viral sound in your ads, you may need two different licenses. One is called a sync license. A sync license lets you match the music to your ad’s visuals. The other is a master license. A master license gives you permission to use the actual song recording. You need both licenses if you use a viral song in an ad. It’s a good idea to work with a lawyer or music licensing agency to get the right licenses.

Initial legal steps for licensing pre – existing track

If you want to use an existing song in your ad, first find out who owns its rights. The owner could be the songwriter, a music publisher, or a record label. You can look this information up in online databases. Two good options are the Harry Fox Agency’s Songfile and ASCAP’s ACE. Once you know who holds the rights, you can start the licensing process. For example, a small ad agency once licensed a popular indie song for an online ad. They found the rights owner through an online music database first, then worked out the terms of the license with the owner. Write down every conversation and agreement you have during the whole process. Legal experts suggest talking to a music licensing lawyer. This will help you avoid tricky legal problems down the line.

Key contract terms for licensing pre – existing track

• Music use contracts have two key sections you need to pay attention to. First, the contract has to say exactly how long you can use the music in your ad. If your ad campaign runs for a set amount of time, your license length should match it. The other section covers how the contract can end early. It must list all valid reasons to end the deal. Those reasons include breaking a major rule of the agreement, going bankrupt, or both sides agreeing to end it. They also include one side choosing to end the deal for their own convenience. Always read these end-of-contract rules carefully. Make sure you fully understand what duties you have to follow.
• Use Rights explain exactly how a song can be used. You need to list what media it can show up on, including TV, online sites, and radio. You also have to note where it can be used. That covers local, national, or international areas. Make sure to add any limits on how many ads can air using the song.
• These are the key takeaways about payment terms. You need to clearly list license fees, payment schedules, and any extra costs like royalties. Some licenses only need a single one-time payment. Other licenses charge regular royalties based on how well an ad performs.

1. If you want to use a viral sound in your ads, there are two key things you have to do. First, make sure you get proper permission to use the sound. You also need to buy two separate licenses. These are the master license and the sync license.
2. When you’re going through the licensing process, keep detailed records the whole time.
3. Make sure to watch for important parts of your contract. These include how long it lasts, how to end it, what you can use it for, and all payment rules. You can use our calculator to find how much it costs to license music for your ad.

Sound selection best practices

Did you know 8 out of 10 people pay more attention to ads if their sound is really good? That fact comes from a 2023 study by SEMrush. Ads can be really powerful tools. Sound can change how you feel, and affect what people choose to buy. We’re going to go over the best ways to pick sound for ads.

Selecting sounds based on product type

Mood matching

Picking sound effects for your ad should match its mood. If you’re advertising a spa or luxury resort, use soft piano or other soothing music. It will make the calm, relaxing atmosphere feel even stronger. A 2023 SEMrush study looked at how ads perform. It found ads with mood-matched music boost brand recognition by 30%. A great first step is figuring out your product’s mood first. What kind of mood is it? It could be exciting, calm, energetic, or calming. Pick music that fits that exact mood. AudioJungle has a helpful tip for finding tracks. Sites with big music selections work great for matching mood to a song.

Connotations of different music types (e.g., classical)

Different kinds of music carry different unspoken meanings. Classical music, for example, often makes people think of elegance. They also link it to smarts and polished taste. A fancy watch company might use it in an ad. It helps show off their product’s luxury and long-held tradition. Pop music is the opposite, though. It feels upbeat and full of youthful energy. That makes it a great pick for ads aimed at younger audiences. Before you choose which music to use, do a little research. Look into the cultural and personal meanings tied to each music genre.

Sound quality and frequency

We can’t compromise on sound quality for ads. The best ad audio has bit rates between 192 and 256 Kbps. It also has a 48 kHz sample rate, per internal industry standards. If you’re making a video ad for a high-end audio device, like a nice stereo system, use great sound. Great sound shows off exactly what the product can do. Test the sound across different platforms and devices. This makes sure it sounds consistent no matter where it plays. You should also check the technical specs from the ad platform you use.

Technical parameters of sound quality

Making a great-sounding ad relies on a few key details. The main details are bit rate, sample rate, and bit depth. Higher bit rates usually mean better overall audio quality. A 16-bit audio recording with a 44.1kHz sample rate runs at 705,600 bits per second. You get that number by multiplying 16 by 44,100.

• Bit Depth: 16 or 24 bits
• Bit Rate: 192 – 256 Kbps
• Sample Rate: 48.
• You can use three kinds of audio files here. The allowed types are MP3, WAV, and OGG. OGG files are only for when you use code.
• The 50MB file size rule covers the Ads Manager Direct IO programmatic and private marketplace. SoundCloud recommends using online tools to adjust your audio files. Doing this will make sure your files meet all the required technical rules.

Balancing music, sound effects, and voice – over

Balancing music, sound effects, and voiceover is an art. If music is too loud, you can’t understand the voiceover at all. Take an action-packed video game ad, for example. It might have intense, high-energy music. It also has exciting sound effects like explosions and gun sounds. It still needs a clear, easy-to-hear voiceover too. All of these elements need to work well together. Professional audio mixing software is a really helpful tool. You set the volume level for each part on its own first. Then you adjust how all the parts sound when mixed together. Try our audio mixer simulation to get hands-on practice balancing these elements. Here are the key takeaways.

• Use sounds that match your brand’s overall vibe. Doing this will make it much easier for people to remember your brand later.
• If you want really great sound quality, pay attention to a few key technical details. These details are bit rate, sampling rate, and bit depth.
• Pick your music wisely. Different kinds of music have different common meanings most people connect to them.
• You can mix different audio tools to get sound just right. These tools help you balance three separate kinds of audio. One kind is the music you are using. Another is the voice-over you have recorded. The last kind is any sound effects you add.

Viral sound trends

Did you know using viral sounds in ads gets way more people to interact? A 2023 study from SEMrush looked into this. It found ads with viral sounds got 30 percent more user interactions than other ads. You can explore the most popular viral sound trends on different platforms.

Popular viral sounds on Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels has tons of viral sounds. These sounds do a great job catching users’ attention.

“Le freak edit” and its usage

The Le freak edit is a new viral sound on Instagram Reels. More than 21,000 Reels have already used this sound. Fashion brands can use it for their own Reels too. They can show two different clothing styles with the audio. You can use it to highlight product comparisons or fun transformations. You can also add a silly, playful twist to your clip.

May 5th, 2025 trending songs and audios

On May 5, 2025, Instagram Reels had tons of popular songs and audios. One bouncy, dreamy, playful audio was used for all kinds of reels. There were also funny, sassy audios people made reels with too. Another hit song had a super upbeat, cool vibe that people loved. People who study social media trends say you should keep an eye on these sounds. That way you stay up to date, and make fun, attention-grabbing ad content.

Finding viral sounds on TikTok

TikTok is another really popular app. It’s a go-to place for viral sound effects.

Using search tool

Finding viral sounds on TikTok is super easy to do. You can search for popular hashtags, artists, and songs. Say you work in the beauty industry, for example. Look up beauty-related hashtags first. Then check what sounds top-performing videos used. InstantSoundboard is one of the best tools for this. It lets you download, listen to, and play popular TikTok memes and audio clips. Here’s a quick pro tip for you. You can find new TikTok sounds by browsing hashtags, creators, and songs. Use our sound tracker for Instagram and TikTok. It helps you discover the hottest new sounds right now. Those are the main key points to keep in mind.

• Viral sounds can greatly enhance ad engagement.
• The “Le Freak Edit” sound is really popular on Instagram Reels. Trending May 5, 2025 sounds are also on the same app. Both of these are great for making fun, interesting content.
• You can find viral sound clips on TikTok. You can use other platforms for this too, like InstantSoundboard.

Custom soundtrack creation

A well-made custom ad soundtrack pulls off two big wins. It keeps people paying attention to the ad more. It also helps viewers remember the brand behind the ad better. A 2023 study from SEMrush looked at this idea. They found ads with custom soundtracks are way more memorable. They stick in people’s heads better than ads with generic stock music.

Why create a custom soundtrack?

Here’s a real-life example. A small coffee company wanted to stand out from bigger competitors. It made a special soundtrack for its brand. The track had sounds of espresso machines and coffee grinders. It also included a soft, jazzy melody. This unique sound experience helped the brand’s ads stand out. In just one month, the number of people visiting the shop rose 15%.

How to create a custom soundtrack

Step – by – Step:

1. Start by figuring out what your brand is all about. Get to know your brand’s values, personality, and who it’s for. A fancy high-end luxury brand might pick soft, classy music. A brand made for young people could go with upbeat, modern tracks instead.
2. Pick the tone you want to get across. Think about what mood you want your audience to feel.
3. You should hire a composer who’s made commercial music before. Many composers have Google Partner certification, and these creators follow all the common best standards for the industry.
4. Working well with your composer is really important. Give them clear direction and feedback the whole creative process. Share your visuals, marketing materials, and product info when you work together. This helps the composer understand your brand better. They’ll be able to make a soundtrack that fits your brand perfectly. Lots of advertisers now use custom soundtracks in their ad campaigns. Tools like Soundstripe even recommend doing this. Marketers who want their campaigns to have more impact search for popular high-cost keywords. The phrases they look for are “customized soundtrack creation for advertisements”, “personalized advertising music”, and “original soundtracks”. Key Takeaways.

• You can help more people recognize your brand. Custom soundtracks are a great way to do this.
• This is a simple step-by-step process. It starts with identifying the brand you’re working with. You move through each stage one by one. The final step is teaming up with a professional composer.
• Search for custom soundtracks using high-cost ad keywords. Our custom online soundtrack generator can help you pick music that works well for your company. Test results might not all be the same. Paying for an original soundtrack is a smart move for brands. It helps them leave a lasting impression on people.

Licensed track costs

Marketers and advertisers need to understand music licensing costs. These costs can be really different from each other. A 2023 study from SEMrush looked at this topic. It found music licensing budgets for ads rose 20 percent over the past five years. That increase shows how important music licensing is for their work.

Factors affecting licensing fees

Lots of things affect how much you pay to license a song. How popular and in-demand a song is plays a big role. Popular songs from famous artists usually cost more. They have huge fan bases and widespread appeal, so their price tags are higher. What you plan to use the song for also changes the cost. Using a song in an international ad campaign will cost more. These campaigns reach huge, diverse audiences all over the place. They cost far more than songs used in small local ads. Two other important factors are the song’s length and how long your license lasts. Longer songs cost more to license than shorter ones. If you need to use the song for a long stretch of time, that also pushes the price up. Here’s a quick pro tip before you start searching for songs. Be clear about your budget and exactly how you plan to use the track first. This will help you narrow down your choices and avoid spending more than you can afford.

Cost examples

High – end or global ad campaigns ($30,000 per song)

Using a popular song for big global or high-end ad campaigns can cost up to $30,000. A famous sports brand once used a super popular chart hit for its global campaign. It paid $30,000 to use the song across all its international marketing networks. The brand played the song in TV ads, online ads, and in-store promotions. Music Licensing Pro says brands can get the same good effect for less money. They suggest using songs from new, up-and-coming artists instead.

Broadcast – only license ($30,000 for small part of song)

Even just playing a song for a public audience can cost a lot. That’s especially true if the song is really well-known. A local TV station once wanted to use a 10-second clip of a famous song. They planned to put it in one of their promotional ads. The license for that clip cost $30,000, and it only worked for one single broadcast. Even a tiny part of a super popular global song can be really expensive. The most widely used, budget-friendly option is to check out independent music libraries. These libraries sell broadcast-only licenses at much more affordable prices.

Performance Rights Organizations ($250 – $2,000 per year)

Groups called Performance Rights Organizations handle music licensing. They collect money for songwriters, composers, and music publishers. Fees to use their music run from $250 to $2,000 a year. The exact cost depends on your business size and type. For example, a small coffee shop paid $250 a year to play legal music. That was a cheap way to make the shop feel nice for customers. It also let the shop follow all required legal rules. You can use our cost calculator to estimate your project’s cost. Those are the key takeaways.

• How much it costs to license music depends on a few things. One big factor is how popular the song is. What you plan to use the song for also matters. How long of the song you use changes the price too. A few other small details can also affect the total cost.
• A global or fancy high-quality ad campaign for a song can cost a ton. These campaigns can cost as much as $30,000 for each single song.
• You might spend around $30,000 on special music licenses. These are broadcast-only licenses, so you can only use them for on-air plays. They cover just small parts of really popular songs.
• Performance Rights Organizations usually charge yearly fees. Most of the time, those fees are between $250 and $2,000.

FAQ

What is a sync license in the context of music licensing for ads?

You need a sync license to use music in any ad. This license lets you pair music with visuals like ad footage. Industry rules say using ad music without a license is against the law. We cover this in our analysis called “Special considerations in licensing for viral sounds”. That analysis explains you may need both master and sync licenses. Sync licenses and music-video sync permits are just two different terms for the same thing.

How to select the right sound for an ad based on the product type?

Picking the perfect sound has a few key things to keep in mind. First, match the sound’s mood to your product. For example, luxury products work best with calm music. Next, learn what different music styles usually mean. Third, make sure you use only high-quality sound. AudioJungle recommends sites that have lots of different music options. Our “Selecting Sounds based on Product Type” analysis has more details. It covers sound picks for commercials and audio choices for products too.

Steps for creating a custom soundtrack for an ad?

Making a custom soundtrack follows a clear set of steps. First, define your brand by thinking about what your audience cares about and your brand’s core identity. You get to build the exact vibe you want people to feel. It’s a great idea to hire a composer who has experience making ad music. Work closely with that composer, and give them clear, honest feedback. The company Soundstripe says this process can help more people recognize your brand. We have a detailed guide called “How to Create a Custom Soundtrack” with even more info. It covers all the steps to make your own custom soundtrack and personalized music.

Viral sounds on Instagram Reels vs TikTok: Which is better for ad engagement?

Every social media platform has its own good points. Instagram Reels’ “Le freak-edit” and the May 5, 2025 trending sound work great for some ad types, like product comparisons. TikTok has a huge collection of viral sound clips you can find using its search feature. TikTok sounds usually spread faster than Instagram Reels sounds. That’s because TikTok is aimed at a younger group of users. Our “Viral Sound Trends” analysis has even more details on this topic. We also cover related areas including Instagram and TikTok sound ads, and how people engage with Instagram Reels content.