Podcast show music is easier to get wrong than to get right.
You’ve been warned!
I’ll start by saying that you must source and purchase from a site like https://www.shockwave-sound.com to avoid licensing issues. Platforms like Apple, Spotify, and Google (the top platforms) will kick you off if you run into copyright infringement issues. So avoid losing your subscribers or, worse, being sued. If you can’t do it right, don’t do it.
The best show music:
- Matches the cadence and energy of the host’s voice
- Sets the tone of the show
- Matches the energy of the message
- Will interest your ideal listener
Some shows will have show music written specifically for their show, and when done right, it’s incredible – go check out Armchair Expert.
A nice thing about using Shockwave Sound is that you can download samples. So download ideas and test them under a sample intro for your show before you purchase.
How to find and choose (the right) music:
- First, find three ideas of (any) songs that you love and that match the energy you want to achieve. Licensing doesn’t matter at this stage.
- Write down things your music list has in common. Are they all country, lofi, calming, cinematic, etc?
- Search a site like Shock Wave using the list of attributes you created in the last step.
- Download the samples of your music.
- Test the samples of your music under an intro for your episode.
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