Can You Play Music on Twitch?

The short answer to can you play music on Twitch is yes, you can. However, playing copyrighted music creates many issues, from muted VODs to potential DMCA strikes. Twitch’s Terms of Service are strict, and many streamers are caught off guard the first time they try streaming.

Copyrighted music can lead to VOD muting and potential DMCA strikes.
There are ways around this by using royalty free music or licensing music.

Most of the issues arise from the use of commercially available music. For detailed, practical posts beyond the puzzle twitch, check out TwitchTV.

Can You Play Music on Twitch?

Technically, nothing stops you from playing music during a live stream. The issue is how Twitch (and other streaming platforms) works to enforce copyrights. Playback is not blocked, but Twitch uses an audio recognition system to identify copyrighted content during a live stream, and saves muted VODs for clips.

A few things to note:

There is a grace period before Twitch enforces copyright claims
Using copyrighted music does not excuse a streamer from breaking Twitch’s ToS.
Just because you can play music on Twitch during a live stream, does not mean you should.

Possible outcomes include:

The copyrighted part of a VOD is muted automatically
Repeated identifications can result in formal DMCA claims being filed on your channel
Multiple DMCA strikes can result in a temporary suspension/channel strikes

Because of delayed enforcement, people think that it’s low-risk to play copyrighted music on Twitch during live streams, which it isn’t.

What Music is Actually Safe to Use?

Avoiding copyright issues mostly comes down to using music that is cleared for streaming rather than popular music (i.e., music from major labels or artists).

Other, safer, music options include:

Royalty-free music libraries built for streamers
Twitch Soundtrack
Creative Commons music where the artist/copyright holder has given permission for the music to be streamed

Using the above sources actually answers can you play music on Twitch, because they’ve been cleared to be used in that manner rather than relying on fair use.

Does Twitch Have Built-in Music Options?

Yes, Twitch Soundtrack is a built-in option that offers music that is cleared to be used during streams, and includes a library of music that is cleared for both live streams and VODs.

Twitch Soundtrack has:

Music organized by genre and mood
Music that is safe for both live streams and VODs
Separated music files so the audio doesn’t interfere with the game/stream or mic audio

For streamers wondering can you play music on Twitch without copyright worries, Twitch Soundtrack is the most direct, built-in solution.

What to do If Your VOD Gets Muted

If a VOD gets muted due to copyrighted audio, there is no way to restore that audio after the fact. Therefore, stopping the issue from happening again is more important than fixing it.

Steps to avoid repeat issues:

Start using Twitch’s Soundtrack and/or royalty free music.
Listen to past VODs to figure out which songs caused the muting.
Do not repeat songs that you know are copyrighted and are muted.

Since audio that is muted on VODs cannot be restored, considering how to play music on Twitch can be a better, more forward-thinking policy, than trying to fix muted audio.

Conclusion: Play Music on Twitch

Can you play music on Twitch? Technically yes, but beware muted VODs and possible DMCA strikes. The safest options to avoid these issues are to stick to Twitch’s Soundtrack and/or royalty free music. For more helpful tips, like this, wordle news has you covered.

FAQs: Play Music on Twitch

Q: Is it safe to play music in the background?

Yes, it can. Twitch scans for audio patterns that match copyrighted songs, not volume level.

Q: Can I use music in my live stream and not have to worry about consequences?

Yes, you can, because Twitch’s copyright strike system is mainly designed to affect pre-recorded VODs. So, using copyrighted music in a live stream may not bring about immediate consequences, but it’s still against Twitch’s terms.

Q: What is Twitch Soundtrack?

Twitch Soundtrack is a built-in audio feature offered by Twitch that is completely free to use by streamers, and therefore does not require a separate license.