Tallyterms

Rights and account standing

Can business accounts use trending sounds? Music rules for sponsored and brand posts

By the Tallyterms editorsPublished 28 September 2026

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On this page
  1. Why can a personal account use songs a business account cannot?
  2. Does a sponsored post from a personal creator account count as commercial?
  3. Which music can each type of post use?
  4. Where can business posts get royalty-free music?
  5. Can a business account use a specific trending sound?
  6. Checklist: what a third-party music licence must cover for social
  7. What happens when a claim lands?
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Sources

The rule

Business accounts can use a trending sound only if it is in the platform's commercial library, such as TikTok's Commercial Music Library or Meta's Sound Collection, or licensed from its rights holders. A sponsored or gifted post from a personal account follows the same rule.

Checked Primary sources

A song showing up in the app's music picker does not mean you may use it in every post. Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts each describe their main music library as licensed for personal, non-commercial use, and the rule follows what the post does, not only which account type publishes it. This guide covers what each platform's own terms say about a paid post from a personal creator account, the commercial libraries the platforms offer, a checklist for any third-party licence, and what happens when a claim lands. Every rule links to the platform or government page it comes from, read on 2026-09-28. It is general information, not legal advice.

Why can a personal account use songs a business account cannot?

The platforms license two catalogues on two sets of terms.

  • The main library is licensed for personal use. Instagram says the music in its licensed library "is intended for personal, non-commercial use", and that "certain business accounts and certain types of posts" have no access to it for that reason (Instagram Help). TikTok's Music Terms make its general library, called Sounds, available to individual users "so long as the videos are only for personal entertainment and non-commercial purposes" (TikTok Music Terms). YouTube says the songs and sounds in its Shorts library are free "only for personal, non-commercial use, unless you have the appropriate licenses" (YouTube Help), and that the library is filled by record labels that signed Shorts-specific licensing agreements (YouTube Help).
  • The commercial library is licensed for brand use. Meta's Sound Collection and TikTok's Commercial Music Library are cleared for commercial use, each on its own platform; TikTok's web library can list other platforms per track. The library table below has the details.

Each track also carries two copyrights. The US Copyright Office treats a sound recording and the musical composition in it as "two separate works" (Circular 56A). Composers, lyricists and songwriters are the authors of the composition; performers, producers and sound engineers are the authors of the recording. TikTok's Music Terms make the same split: beyond what the terms grant, no rights "in the sound recordings or the underlying compositions" are licensed to you. A licence that covers one copyright and not the other does not clear the track.

Does a sponsored post from a personal creator account count as commercial?

TikTok's and Meta's own terms treat promoting a brand with music as a use that needs a commercial licence, whatever the account type. YouTube's Shorts library terms say the same for its songs.

TikTok. The Music Terms say that unless you picked a Commercial Sound, music "should only be used for personal, non-commercial purposes", and that any use of music "to sponsor, promote, co-brand or advertise" is prohibited without separate permission. They define a Commercial User as "brands, businesses, commercial entities, advertisers or other Platform users (including individuals)" using TikTok for commercial purposes, and say a Commercial User "should not use an Original Sound uploaded by another user" (TikTok Music Terms, US, effective January 2026; the EEA version, effective July 2025, has the same wording on these points). The Commercial Music Library terms add that Commercial Sounds "are the only sounds made available on TikTok for Commercial Uses", and list "endorsing, sponsoring or publicizing" a product among those uses (CML terms).

What counts as sponsored is set by TikTok's Branded Content Policy (effective 31 August 2026): content that promotes a brand "in exchange for payment or any other incentive", including a gifted product, a paid post, a product that earns you commission through an affiliate link or promo code, and a brand you have or had a commercial relationship with (TikTok). A gifted-product post on a personal account is branded content by that definition. A personal account can still reach the commercial library: tap Sounds when adding sound and choose Commercial Sounds from the dropdown (TikTok Ads Help).

Instagram and Facebook. Meta's Music Guidelines apply to anyone who posts or promotes content with music on Meta products, and state: "Use of music for commercial or non-personal purposes in particular is prohibited unless you have obtained appropriate licenses" (Meta Music Guidelines, effective 26 March 2024). Meta's Branded Content Policies define branded content as content "that features or is influenced by a business partner for an exchange of value, such as monetary payment or free gifts" (Meta). Instagram's help page does not say which post types lose access to the licensed library; it says only "certain types of posts". So a licensed song may still appear in the picker on a creator account while you draft a paid-partnership post. Whatever the picker shows, the Music Guidelines decide whether the use is licensed. One clarification in the guidelines: being eligible for Music Revenue Sharing "does not by itself make a video commercial."

YouTube. YouTube's paid-promotion help page covers the disclosure setting and the label, and sets no music rule of its own (YouTube Help). The music rules come from the libraries. The Shorts library is personal and non-commercial unless you hold the licences. The Audio Library is the licensed option: YouTube calls its tracks copyright-safe, says they "won't be claimed by a rights holder through the Content ID system", and lets Partner Program members monetize videos that use them. Tracks under a Creative Commons licence need the artist credited in the video description. The page does not say whether the tracks may be used off YouTube, and YouTube says it "can't give legal guidance" on music issues off the platform (YouTube Help).

Music also changes what a monetized Short pays. When a Short uses one track, YouTube allocates half of the revenue tied to its engaged views to the Creator Pool and uses the other half to cover music licensing; with two tracks, a third goes to the pool (YouTube Help). Pay programs set their own content rules on top; TikTok Creator Rewards Program requirements covers TikTok's.

Which music can each type of post use?

Rows are the situations a creator business meets; cells say what the platform's own pages allow. "Licensed yourself" means a licence you obtain from the rights holders or a third-party library, checked against the checklist below.

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Post TikTok Instagram and Facebook YouTube
Personal post, no brand involved Sounds (general library) or the Unlimited Sound Library, for personal, non-commercial use Licensed music library, for personal, non-commercial use Shorts library (personal, non-commercial) or the Audio Library
Sponsored, gifted or affiliate post from a personal or creator account Commercial Sounds, or music licensed yourself Sound Collection, or music licensed yourself Audio Library (its help page sets no non-commercial limit), or music licensed yourself. The Shorts library needs "the appropriate licenses"
Any post from a business account The app shows only Commercial Sounds (TikTok Ads Help); the Unlimited tab is not available (Creator Academy) "Certain business accounts" cannot open the licensed library; Sound Collection is the alternative YouTube's music pages set no separate rule for business channels
Brand runs your post as an ad (Spark Ads, partnership ads) TikTok lists video ads and branded content as uses for the Commercial Music Library (TikTok Ads Help) Sound Collection "can be used for commercial purposes such as ads"; the licensed library is non-commercial The Audio Library page does not address ads; get the right in writing
Same video posted on another platform Commercial Sounds are licensed for TikTok only, unless the web library lists that platform under Usable Placements Sound Collection is licensed for Meta products only The Audio Library page does not address other platforms

What the brand may do with your post once it holds your ad code is a separate permission; usage rights and ad codes covers each one.

Where can business posts get royalty-free music?

Each platform runs its own library. Meta's and TikTok's licences stop at their own platform's edge, apart from TikTok's per-track Usable Placements; YouTube's Audio Library page does not say. Sizes are as each platform states them.

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Library Who can use it Commercial and paid use Where the licence applies Size Source
Meta Sound Collection Facebook Pages and profiles in professional mode, in the audio picker and on desktop; Instagram Reels and Stories Yes: "commercial or non-commercial purposes"; Instagram names ads. Facebook says a reel using it "will not be demonetized or muted due to a copyright violation" Meta products only; the audio may not be used "separately from the Meta Company Products" "Over 14,000" songs and sounds (Instagram); "nearly 16,000" songs or sound effects (Facebook) Terms, last modified 16 March 2022; Facebook Help; Instagram Help
TikTok Commercial Music Library Business accounts by default; personal accounts through Commercial Sounds; on the web through TikTok Creative Center Yes: organic content, video ads and branded content. Tracks marked Premium may carry a fee shown when you buy ad inventory TikTok only; the web version lists Usable Placements per track; availability depends on the region you select 1 million songs TikTok Ads Help, updated July 2026; CML terms
YouTube Audio Library Anyone signed in to YouTube Studio Monetizable for Partner Program members; ads not addressed YouTube videos; other platforms not addressed Not stated; new releases added twice a month YouTube Help
TikTok Unlimited Sound Library Personal accounts; not available on business accounts Not stated as commercial; the Music Terms reserve commercial uses for Commercial Sounds TikTok "80k+ authorized sounds" Creator Academy
YouTube Shorts audio library Shorts creators Personal, non-commercial only, unless you hold the licences Shorts Not stated YouTube Help

Only when that exact track is in the commercial library for the region where the post runs, or you hold a licence from its rights holders. TikTok's library is filtered by the region "where your campaign will run", and the library displays up to 10,000 Commercial Sounds at a time (TikTok Ads Help). A trending original sound made by another user is out on TikTok for any Commercial User, per the Music Terms. For any other sound, TikTok's own help page says to "consult your legal team" about a proper licence (TikTok Ads Help).

Checklist: what a third-party music licence must cover for social

Libraries outside the platforms sell licences on their own terms. Meta's and TikTok's libraries do not travel to another app unless TikTok lists it under Usable Placements, and YouTube's Audio Library page does not say whether its tracks do. Before a licensed track goes into a paid post, get a written yes or no on each line. The right-hand column is the platform rule that makes the line matter.

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# Check Why it matters
1 Both copyrights. The licence covers the recording and the composition. They are two separate works (Circular 56A).
2 Use in video (sync). The right to set the track to picture, not only to play it. Every platform library above grants use inside videos; TikTok's Music Terms say not to use music as stand-alone audio without video.
3 Commercial use and client work. Covers content made to promote a brand you do not own, not only your own channel. A sponsored post is a commercial use under TikTok's Music Terms and Meta's Music Guidelines.
4 Paid media. Covers ads, boosts, partnership ads and Spark Ads, including ads bought by the brand. TikTok lists organic content, video ads and branded content as separate uses. Instagram's licensed library is non-commercial; only Sound Collection is named for ads.
5 Platforms. Names every platform the video will run on, including reposts and the brand's own channels. Sound Collection stops at Meta products; Commercial Sounds stop at TikTok unless listed under Usable Placements.
6 Territory. Worldwide, or every country where the post and any ad will run. TikTok's library is filtered by region; Content ID actions and Meta music availability can differ by country.
7 Term. What happens to posts already live when the licence or subscription ends. TikTok may mute or take down videos if it loses a Commercial Sound; Instagram mutes tracks when its agreements change.
8 Licensee. Whose name is on the licence: you, the brand, or both. A brand that runs your post as an ad is using the track too.
9 Edits and length. Cuts, loops, speed changes, remixes and clip length. TikTok's Music Terms forbid altering "the fundamental character" of copyrighted music without rights and generally permit up to one minute. YouTube allows most Shorts library songs for up to 90 seconds, some for 60 or 30 (YouTube Help).
10 Live streams. Whether live use is covered. TikTok allows neither Sounds nor Commercial Sounds in a live stream. Meta can block live videos that create a "music listening experience".
11 Claim clearance. A documented way to clear an automated claim, and who handles disputes. YouTube says it is not responsible for issues arising from "royalty-free" music from other libraries. The claim lands on your post.
12 Proof. A licence certificate or download record per track, filed with the post date and the brand's name. Meta and TikTok disputes start from the notification on the post; the licence is your evidence.

Put the answers into the deal itself, under who supplies and clears the music: the brand deal contract checklist covers the clauses around it.

What happens when a claim lands?

A music claim acts on the post first. Repeated or severe infringement can reach the account, which is where strikes and appeals by platform takes over.

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Platform How music is caught What can happen to the post What can happen to the account How to fix or dispute
Instagram and Facebook Rights holders may review content that contains their music Blocked, muted or removed; music may be unavailable in some countries; tracks can be muted when Meta's agreements change, while the post stays viewable Page, profile or group may be deleted for using content to create a "music listening experience", live videos included Dispute from the notification; on Instagram, replace the muted audio (Music Guidelines; Instagram Help)
TikTok Audio recognition system Muted or removed; if only part of the music infringes, only that section is removed; muted or taken down if TikTok loses a Commercial Sound Accounts of repeat infringers banned "in appropriate circumstances"; immediate ban possible for severe violations Tap Change sound, or Appeal, from the notification; TikTok Studio offers a "Music copyright check" before posting (Music Terms; CML terms; Creator Academy; IP Policy)
YouTube Content ID matches uploads against rights holders' files Blocked, monetized with ads by the copyright owner, or tracked, and this can differ by country A claim is not a strike. A valid copyright removal request is, and 3 copyright strikes in 90 days make a channel subject to termination Remove the claimed content, or dispute. Disputing without a valid reason can lead to a removal request and a strike (Content ID; claims; strikes)

Meta's guidelines also say the denser the music in a video, the more likely it is to be limited, and that recorded audio should not be the main purpose of the content.

Shorts between one and three minutes. YouTube's pages disagreed on the check date. The three-minute Shorts page says that from 24 September 2026, new Shorts longer than one minute with an active Content ID claim "will no longer be automatically blocked and may remain playable" (YouTube Help). The claims page and the Shorts monetization policies, read the same day, still say such Shorts are blocked, and the monetization page adds that they are not eligible for monetization. For a sponsored Short, check the claim status in YouTube Studio before the posting window closes.

Frequently asked questions

Switching changes what the picker shows, not what the licence covers. TikTok's Music Terms count individuals using TikTok for commercial purposes as Commercial Users and limit Sounds to personal, non-commercial use. Meta's Music Guidelines prohibit commercial or non-personal use without licences on any account.

Can I use Sound Collection music on TikTok or YouTube?

No. The Sound Collection terms limit the licence to content on Meta products and forbid using the audio separately from them.

Can a brand repost my TikTok with a Commercial Sound on Instagram?

Not under TikTok's licence. The Commercial Music Library terms say commercial uses outside TikTok need separate permission from the rights holders, unless the web version of the library lists that platform under Usable Placements for that track.

Does a Content ID claim put a strike on my channel?

No. YouTube says copyright strikes come from valid copyright removal requests, not from claims. A claim can still block the video or let the copyright owner run ads on it.

Is YouTube Audio Library music safe for a sponsored video?

For the video on YouTube itself, YouTube says Audio Library tracks are copyright-safe, will not be claimed through Content ID, and can be monetized by Partner Program members. Creative Commons tracks need the artist credited in the description. The page does not cover ads or use on other platforms.

Sources

All read on 2026-09-28.

Written by the Tallyterms editors. Each rule links its primary source, opened on the date shown; how that works is in the editorial policy. Not legal or tax advice.