Free Music Archive: free music downloads, but check each track's licence
Free Music Archive says it offers free access to open licensed, original music by independent artists. Free to download does not mean free to use any way you like.
Quick facts
- What it does: a website where you can listen to and download original music by independent artists, mostly under Creative Commons licences.
- Price: free to listen and download. No account needed, per its FAQ. Use of a track depends on that track's licence.
- Platforms: website, works in a browser.
- Best for: finding background music for videos, podcasts or school projects, when you are ready to read licence terms and credit the artist.
What it is
Free Music Archive (FMA) says it "offers free access to open licensed, original music by independent artists around the world" and that you can download songs "for personal use or featured tracks in media projects". It is powered by Tribe of Noise together with Creative Commons licences, per its About page.
Is it free?
Yes to listen and download, per the FAQ. It says "You don't need to create an account, you can listen to music without paying". It also says "FREE doesn't mean you are free to use, alter or build upon all songs without any conditions". Most music is under a Creative Commons licence, so the music is still copyrighted and conditions apply. No price appears on the pages we read, so there is nothing to convert to rupees.
What the licences mean, per its FAQ
- CC BY: credit the artist. Commercial use is allowed.
- CC BY-SA: credit the artist. If you remix, you must share your work under the same licence.
- CC BY-ND: credit the artist. If you change it, you may not share the changed version.
- CC BY-NC, BY-NC-SA, BY-NC-ND: credit the artist, and no commercial use.
- CC0 or public domain: use it without asking permission, commercial or not.
- The FAQ says putting a song into a video counts as a derivative work under Creative Commons licences.
- The licence is shown on the left side of each track page. A licence filter and a duration filter help you search.
Good to know, per FMA
- The FAQ gives a short credit format: title, artist, "From the Free Music Archive", and the licence, for example "Tra-la-la by Podington Bear, From the Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC".
- The FAQ says some artists use YouTube's Content ID, which does not conflict with a Creative Commons licence. If your video is flagged, FMA says it cannot address claims itself and you should contact the artist.
- The FAQ says what counts as "commercial" is not always clear. It advises contacting the creator if you are unsure, or choosing a licence that allows commercial use.
Our advice
- Pick the licence filter first, then the song. If you post on a monetised channel or sell something, avoid NC tracks.
- Save the track page link and licence name when you download, so you can credit correctly later.
- We did not listen to or test any track.
Privacy and data
- The privacy policy (last updated 11 October 2022) says Tribe of Noise BV operates the site and is the data controller. We did not read every section, so we make no claim on what data it collects beyond that.
- The site loads Google Tag Manager, per its page source.
India
- No region limit appears on the pages we read. We did not test it from India.
Frequently asked questions
Is Free Music Archive free?
Yes to listen and download, with no account needed, per its FAQ. Each track's licence sets how you may use it.
Can I use it in a monetised YouTube video?
Only with tracks whose licence allows commercial use, and with credit. Its FAQ warns that Content ID claims can still happen.
Do I have to credit the artist?
For any licence with BY, yes, per its FAQ.
Sources: About, FAQ, Privacy policy. Checked 20 October 2026.