Some of my tracks are free to use in your content under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 license (CC BY-ND 4.0). Here's everything you need to know.
CC BY-ND stands for Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives. In plain terms, it means you can use the track freely in your content as long as you give credit to Øraeth and don't alter the music itself.
"Attribution" means you credit me, Øraeth. "NoDerivatives" means you keep the track as it is — no remixes, no covers, no creative edits. You can read the full legal text at creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0.
Not every one of my tracks is free to use. Free-to-use tracks are released under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-ND 4.0), and you can recognise them in three ways:
You can also find them on the official Free To Use playlist on Spotify.
If a track is not marked as free to use, it requires a paid license.
No takedowns or strikes. If the credit is missing, the video gets a Content ID claim: it stays online, but its ad revenue goes to the rights holder.
Even with proper credit, these are not allowed:
Only minimal technical adjustments are allowed — such as trimming to fit your video length or adjusting volume levels.
Attribution is required for all free uses. It must be visible — for example, in your video description, podcast show notes, or post caption. Credit must be present at the time of publication.
The credit must be written. A spoken credit isn’t accepted. If written credit isn’t possible, as with audio-only podcasts, radio, in-store music, apps or games, you need a license.
Music: [Track Name] by Øraeth https://oraethmusic.com Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0
If you're using several free-to-use tracks (for example, in a livestream), you can use a simplified credit:
Music by Øraeth https://oraethmusic.com Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0
Free use on Instagram and Facebook Reels and Stories, TikTok and YouTube Shorts follows each platform's own rules for music length. These platforms run their own copyright systems, so keep your clip within the length the platform allows for music.
Regular YouTube videos work as normal, with the credit in the description.
Free-to-use tracks are available as MP3 downloads directly from each track's page on this site. Simply click the "Free download" button.
If you need the high-quality WAV file, you can buy it in the Store on this site, from $1.50. Buying the WAV does not remove the attribution requirement: credit is still required. Only a paid license from this site removes the need for attribution.
My tracks are registered with Content ID on YouTube. This means that when you upload a video using one of my tracks, YouTube may automatically detect it.
If you have properly credited Øraeth in your description before uploading, this protects both of us. Content ID exists to prevent unauthorized use — when the credit is there, there is no issue.
Without proper credit at the time of upload, your video may receive a claim.
No takedowns or strikes. If the credit is missing, the video gets a Content ID claim: it stays online, but its ad revenue goes to the rights holder.
Free forever. A free-to-use track stays free to use. The permission doesn't expire, and the track is never withdrawn to claim videos that used it with credit.
If a credited video still gets a claim, send me the video link and I'll have it released within 48 hours.
Browse the catalog, find a free-to-use track, and download it — or license any track for full flexibility.
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