YouTube Creator Music gives eligible creators a way to use selected commercial music in monetized long-form videos through either licensing or revenue sharing.
The feature is still not globally available. YouTube’s current help documentation says Creator Music is available to creators in the United States who are in the YouTube Partner Program, with expansion outside the U.S. still pending.
Two main ways to use Creator Music
Depending on the track, Creator Music can offer one of two main usage models:
- License the track: use eligible music under the displayed license terms and keep the normal creator revenue share for the video.
- Share revenue: use an eligible track without an upfront license and split video revenue with the music rights holders.
Usage terms are set track by track, so creators should never assume every song in the catalog has the same rules.
No-cost licenses
Some tracks can be licensed at no cost. When the license is correctly acquired and the video follows the track’s usage terms, the creator can keep the normal monetization share that would apply to the video without that music.
Revenue-sharing tracks
Some tracks do not require an upfront payment but instead reduce the creator’s share because revenue is split with the music rights holders.
YouTube explains that the standard 55% long-form ad-revenue share can be adjusted based on the number of revenue-sharing tracks and additional music-rights clearance costs.
Example: one revenue-sharing track
YouTube’s own example shows that one eligible revenue-sharing track can reduce the creator’s starting share from 55% to 27.5% before any additional rights-clearance adjustment. The final creator share can therefore be lower than a normal long-form video without Creator Music revenue-sharing tracks.
Creator Music is for long-form video
YouTube’s current rules say Creator Music licensing and revenue sharing are designed for long-form videos. They do not apply to Shorts or live streams.
Shorts use a separate music and revenue-sharing system, while live content has separate licensing limitations.
Not every track is licensable
Some songs in Creator Music may not be available for either licensing or revenue sharing. Using those tracks can still create a Content ID claim or copyright removal risk.
Always check the usage icon and track terms before editing the music into a final video.
Usage terms can change
YouTube notes that music rights holders can change usage terms. A track can have territory restrictions, monetization changes or updated rights conditions after a creator first discovers it.
For that reason, save a record of the usage terms and license status when you publish.
Creator Music vs Audio Library
Creator Music is not the same as the YouTube Audio Library. The Audio Library provides music and sound effects intended to be copyright-safe for YouTube use, while Creator Music includes a broader catalog with licensing and revenue-sharing models.
See our Copyright-Free Music for YouTube guide for the Audio Library workflow.
Creator Music vs Content ID claims
Using Creator Music correctly can simplify rights clearance, but it does not mean every music-related issue disappears automatically. Videos can still have other third-party claims or monetization problems unrelated to the licensed track.
For claim disputes, see our YouTube Content ID Claims guide.
Creator checklist
- Confirm Creator Music is available to your channel.
- Check whether the track uses a license or revenue-sharing model.
- Read territory and usage restrictions.
- Confirm the video is long-form, not a Short or live stream.
- Keep a record of the track and license terms.
- Review the Checks stage after upload.
- Verify the final revenue-sharing status in YouTube Studio after publication.
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