How To Tell If a Song Is Copyrighted on Youtube

Music is everything in Youtube when you are a content creator. A perfect music brings video to next level. But as you know, Youtube is very finicky about copyrighted materials. So you have to be very careful when you pick your music for your video. If you are not careful, your Youtube account can be flagged, and worst case, it can be banned. I am sure that isn’t something you want to happen. So how do you know if you can use the song or not? How can you tell if a song is copyrighted? Luckily enough, Youtube has enormous catalog of music you can search from, and it will tell you if you can use the music or not.  It’s very simple. Here is how:

1. Login to Your Channel and Go to Video Manager

2. Under Create, Go to Music Policies

3. Search for music you want to use

In the first example, I searched for “Bruno Mars Count on me”.  I wanted to see what the Youtube copyright rule is for Bruno Mars’ song, “Count on Me”.

In this example, the rule says you can use the song in your video and it is acceptable worldwide.  But you cannot monetize the video using this song.  That means, you cannot put ads on your video if you use this song.

Not only that, if you are a musician who wants to cover this song in your video, it has it’s own rule.  In this example, you can cover this song, and you can monetize.

Next example, I search for “We Used To Be Friends” by The Dandy Warhols.

Here you see that you can use this song in your video unless you are in Germany.  In Germany, Youtube will mute the song so the viewers can’t hear the song.  So if you are based in Germany, you probably shouldn’t use this song in your video.  Obviously, you cannot monetize using this song.

It is simple and easy as this.  Just search for the song you want to use before you upload your video. Just remember that, the copyright rule isn’t set in stone.  It can change on you.  I know that’s sucks, but that’s the price you pay for using someone else’s music.