Making a good podcast is hard work. But before you even get to podcast music there is the researching, planning, recording and editing. It often takes longer than you might think.
Assuming you’ve captured good quality audio there is then the challenge of making all that audio, recorded on different devices and in different places sound cohesive.
But assuming you’ve nailed all of that, the next question is podcast music. Arguably the most important piece is the podcast intro music. The opening of your podcast is where you set the tone and convince the listener to spend their time listening.
It’s where you create interest, engage the listener emotionally and create a sonic character or identity that helps set your podcast apart.
Where would I use podcast music?
Podcast Intro Music
The intro is incredibly important. This is where you set the tone, establish a sonic brand or identity and get the listener excited about the journey to come.
Podcast Segments
If your podcast is purely interview and conversation you may have musical stings (very short musical motifs) punctuating a call to action like “Follow and rate on iTunes”. It may even break up different segments of your podcast.
Podcast Narrative
If your podcast is more narrative then you may want music to add pathos to particular moments. Add excitement or tension to particular parts or maybe encourage the listener to cry at a particularly sad moment. Emotional engagement goes a long way to creating a memorable journey.
Podcast Outro
The outro – assuming your listener gets to the end and only 35% do, again you can use music to reinforce the identity and leave a more enduring memory of your podcast. If someone goes away humming your podcast theme then that bodes well for them for them coming back for more.
What music should I use?
- Choose music that fits your content – If you have a podcast about personal development, a cantankerous dubstep track is not going to fit the content. You will probably want music that taps into emotions such as hope. It will probably want to feel bright / optimistic / inspiring.
- Choose music that fits your brand – your brand/tone/character. Brand is about how you want to be perceived. Is your brand young and edgy or is it more grounded and academic? Classical vs contemporary or a mixture of both?
- Choose music that won’t date – Modern fashionable music tends to feel dated quickly. Depending on the podcast, on-trend music may be important but wherever possible choose music that has longevity and will not confine your podcast to a certain period of time.
Can I use any music on my Podcast?
If you are going to use music in your podcast then need to ensure that you have the right to do so.
Most music is copyright protected and you need permission from the copyright holder. You usually have to pay for permission.
Commercial music i.e. what you hear on TV and radio, will be prohibitively expensive. The best bet is to find royalty free music
Where can I find music for my Podcast?
If you want bespoke music then look no further. We have 13 years of experience in crafting the right music for any creative project.
If you want to pick the music yourself from a library Audiosocket have an incredible selection or royalty free music music which you can browse and use in your podcast. Plus you get a share of revenue earned on platforms like Youtube.
