Custom Composition vs. Stock Music: Which Does Your Project Need?

"Should I license a track or commission one?" comes up constantly, and the honest answer is that it depends on what the project actually needs — not on which option sounds more premium.

The Case for Licensed Music

Licensed tracks are fast, affordable, and instantly available — you can preview a track, hear exactly how it sounds, and license it in minutes. For most YouTube videos, podcasts, and social content, this is the right call. Browse the Music Catalog by genre, mood, or use case to find a track that already fits.

The Case for Custom Composition

Commissioned music makes sense when a project needs something tied precisely to its own story, brand, or pacing — a film score built around specific scenes, a brand's own sonic identity, or a track cut to an exact duration nobody has already made. That's what Custom Music is built for: original composition, developed around your project rather than fitted to it afterward.

A Simple Way to Decide

If timeline and budget matter most, start with the catalog — check our Licensing page to see which tier covers your intended use. If the project's identity depends on the music being unlike anything else, commissioning is worth the extra time.