Answers

Can a business use popular music in its videos and ads?

Ascent Vision · Published October 25, 2026

Usually not without a license. Meta's Music Guidelines say using music for commercial or non-personal purposes is prohibited unless you have the appropriate licenses, and TikTok says businesses cannot use its general music library for commercial use. Use the libraries the platforms offer instead: TikTok's Commercial Music Library, YouTube's Audio Library and Meta's Sound Collection. In cases of doubt, the U.S. Copyright Office recommends getting permission. This is a plain summary, not legal advice.

Why a song you can add may not be yours to use

Many apps let any account add popular songs, but the platforms draw a line between personal and business use. Meta's Music Guidelines, which apply to content with music on any Meta product, say you remain solely responsible for the music in what you post, that use for "commercial or non-personal purposes" is prohibited without appropriate licenses, and that content with music owned by someone else may be blocked, muted or removed if the use is not properly authorized.

TikTok's help page on account types says Verified Business Accounts do not get its general music library, because those songs are restricted to personal entertainment use.

The libraries the platforms offer

Watch for "royalty-free" elsewhere

YouTube's Audio Library page says only music and sound effects from the Audio Library are known to YouTube to be copyright-safe, and that YouTube is not responsible for "royalty-free" music from other channels or libraries. TikTok's Commercial Music Library article says that if you use other users' original sounds or other licensed sounds, you should check that you have a proper license. As general advice, keep a note of where each track came from and its license.

What a copyright claim does

YouTube's page on copyright claims says a claim can be generated automatically when an upload matches its Content ID system, and that depending on the owner's settings it can block the video, run ads on it, or track its views. It says Shorts of one to three minutes with an active claim are blocked, that claims usually do not affect your channel, and that you can remove the claimed song or dispute a claim you believe is wrong. Meta's guidelines also say you may be able to dispute an action on your content.

What the Copyright Office says

The U.S. Copyright Office's FAQ says the way to get permission is to ask the copyright owner, that there is no legal rule allowing a set number of musical notes or a percentage of a work, and that whether fair use applies depends on all the circumstances. It says that in cases of doubt, it recommends getting permission. The related answer on using photos from the internet covers the same questions for images. Playing music aloud in a shop or waiting room is a separate question that this answer does not cover. This is a plain summary, not legal advice.

Sources

1. Meta, "Music Guidelines" (effective March 26, 2024)
2. Meta, "Meta Sound Collection"
3. TikTok Business Help Center, "About the Commercial Music Library" (updated July 2025)
4. TikTok Support, "Account types on TikTok"
5. YouTube Help, "Use music and sound effects from the Audio Library"
6. YouTube Help, "Copyright claim basics"
7. U.S. Copyright Office, "Can I Use Someone Else's Work? Can Someone Else Use Mine?" (FAQ)

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