Music in video ads: what's allowed in Reels and paid ads

A song you're allowed to put under a personal Reel isn't automatically cleared for advertising. As soon as a video is paid or runs as an ad, the music needs a license that covers exactly that use.

Music in Instagram ads: personal use isn't commercial use

Instagram, TikTok and YouTube offer large music libraries. But the rights to that music usually cover personal use within the app. If a video is produced for a brand, it's advertising – and many well-known songs aren't licensed for advertising. That's why business accounts often see a limited selection or no chart hits at all. If you put a popular song in a paid video anyway, you risk the audio being muted or the post being taken down. In the worst case, rights holders come forward with claims against the brand or the creator.

Using music in Reels commercially: the platform libraries

For commercial posts, the major platforms offer their own collections of music cleared for advertising on that platform. For organic posts on the channel, that's often the easiest route. The catch: this clearance usually applies only within that one platform. If the same video is later supposed to run on a website, in another app or as an ad through an ads manager, it may no longer be enough. If you want to reuse content, check in advance where the music license ends.

Royalty-free music for creators: read the fine print

“Royalty-free” rarely means “no license.” It usually means music you license once or through a subscription, after which you don't pay a fee per use. What's allowed is in the license terms: whether commercial use is included, whether paid ads are covered, whether the license can be passed on to a client and whether it still applies after the subscription ends. That last point surprises many creators. It makes sense to record for every job which track from which source was used under which license.

Usage rights and music have to match

If a brand buys extended usage rights – for paid ads, whitelisting or a full buyout, for example – the music in the video has to support that use. A clip with a platform sound that's only allowed on the creator's channel won't work as an ad. The safe solution is either to use music with a suitable license or to also deliver a version without music, which the brand then sets to music it has licensed itself. That should be in the brief, not come up only at approval. If the brand supplies music itself, it needs the necessary rights for it.

How creatordeal handles this

On creatordeal, the creator warrants in the creator agreement that they hold all rights needed for the work and the booked usage rights – explicitly including any music used. Licenses for third-party material must allow it to be passed on to the brand within the scope of the booked package; otherwise the material may not be used. Materials the brand provides, such as music or logos, are the brand's responsibility. creatordeal doesn't check delivered content for third-party rights. That's why music belongs in the brief: which style, which source and whether a version without audio is wanted.

What this article doesn't replace

This article offers general guidance and isn't legal advice. What a specific license allows is set out in its terms and can change; the platforms' rules are adjusted regularly as well. For larger campaigns, for music by well-known artists or when content is meant to run in several countries and channels, it's worth getting advice from a lawyer experienced in copyright. Performing rights organizations and music publishers can also tell you how to license music for advertising and what that license covers.

Questions

Frequently asked.

Key answers at a glance. Everything else is in the guides and in the FAQ.

Can I use trending sounds in a paid Reel?

Usually not without further ado. Many songs in the app libraries are cleared only for personal use; advertising requires music with a commercial license.

Is royalty-free music automatically allowed in ads?

No. “Royalty-free” usually just means there's no fee per use. Whether advertising, paid ads and passing it on to clients are covered is stated in the license terms.

Who is responsible for the music in a creator video?

Between the two of you, it depends on who picks the music: on creatordeal, the creator warrants the rights to any music they use; if the brand supplies music, the brand itself needs the rights to it. Toward the rights holders, however, anyone who publishes the video or runs it as an ad can be held liable.

Can I run a Reel with platform music as an ad?

Only if the music license covers it. It's safer to order a version without music and add music you've licensed yourself.

Should music be covered in the brief?

Yes. Style, source and whether a version without audio should be delivered belong in the brief – that way the content matches the booked usage rights.

Sort out music and rights in the brief

Book usage rights, add your music preferences to the brief – and request a version without audio if needed.

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