Twitch is a live streaming video platform and community for gamers that allows users to watch, stream, and interact with other gamers around the world. It was founded in June 2011 by Justin Kan and Emmett Shear and was acquired by Amazon in August 2014 for $970 million. As of February 2017, Twitch had more than 2 million broadcasters monthly and 15 million daily active users.
While Twitch has always been a gaming-centric platform, its recent expansion into music has brought with it some new challenges – namely, the question of can I play copyrighted music on twitch?
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Playing copyrighted music on Twitch is not allowed as it’s against Twitch’s Music Policy. This prohibits the use of copyrighted music in broadcasts. This includes music from both recorded and live performances, as well as any music used in background tracks or loops.
The policy goes on to say that “if your broadcast is found to contain copyrighted music without permission, your account will be issued a DMCA takedown notice.”
This means that if you’re using any copyrighted music in your broadcasts, you could be at risk of having your account suspended or banned.
So what does this mean for you? If you’re a musician who wants to stream your music on Twitch, you’ll need to make sure that all of the music you use is either original or licensed for streaming. There are a few different ways to do this:
1. Use only original music.
This means anything you compose yourself, or any music you have the explicit permission of the copyright holder to use.
2. Use Creative Commons-licensed music.
This is music that has been released under a license that allows for free use and distribution, as long as the artist is credited. You can find Creative Commons-licensed music on sites like SoundCloud and Free Music Archive.
3. Use royalty-free music.
This is music that is not copyrighted, and can be used without permission from the copyright holder. You can find royalty-free music on sites like Pond5 and AudioJungle.
One fantastic resource for royalty-free music is StreamBeats by Harris Heller, Streambeats is the #1 free library of DMCA-free music for streamers and YouTubers. It can be used without restrictions on Twitch, YouTube etc. It has over 1,500 tracks available in 17 genres so you can also find some music to suit your needs.
4. Use Twitch’s own sound library.
Twitch has a growing library of sound effects and music tracks that can be used in broadcasts. This music is all cleared for use on the platform, so you don’t have to worry about copyright issues.
While you can’t play copyrighted music on Twitch, there are plenty of alternative options available that will let you stream your music without worry. By using original, Creative Commons-licensed, or royalty-free music, you can be sure that your broadcasts are in compliance with Twitch’s Music Policy.
Can you play Spotify music on Twitch?
The same rules apply to Spotify music – if the song is copyrighted, you cannot play it on Twitch. However, there are many Spotify songs that are either original or licensed for streaming. You can find these songs by searching for “Creative Commons” or “royalty-free” in the Spotify search bar.
Can you play YouTube music on Twitch?
Just like with Spotify, you can only play YouTube music on Twitch if it is original or licensed for streaming. You can find these songs by searching for “Creative Commons” or “royalty-free” in the YouTube search bar.
What happens if you use copyrighted music on Twitch?
If you use copyrighted music in your broadcasts without permission, you could be at risk of having your account suspended or banned. Twitch’s Music Policy prohibits the use of copyrighted music in broadcasts, and states that “if your broadcast is found to contain copyrighted music without permission, your account will be issued a DMCA takedown notice.”
