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Epidemic Sound for music producers

Epidemic Sound commissions music from artists and licenses it to video creators by subscription. Here is how its artist deal works, as of October 2026.

By , a composer with 300+ tracks on audio stock and 12 years in production. Checked on Epidemic Sound's own pages on 26 October 2026.

Type
Subscription library
How to join
Closed to new artists nowNot accepting new artist applications now
Exclusive
YesOwns each track's financial rights; other work OK
AI-made music
Not acceptedHuman-made music only, no AI-generated tracks

In short. Epidemic Sound commissions tracks and pays a fixed fee for each one. As of October 2026, it is not accepting new artist applications. It calls its agreements non-exclusive, but that means you may make other music. For each track you make for it, Epidemic Sound is "the sole owner of the financial rights". Its artists cannot belong to a PRO or collecting society, and its catalog is human-made only.

How to join

When checked on 26 October 2026, the artist page said: "Epidemic Sound isn't accepting new artist applications right now. Check back soon for updates." The artist FAQ says that when this changes, applications will go through the button on the artist page.

Epidemic Sound also works only with artists in some countries. The FAQ names Sweden, the US, the UK, South Korea, Japan, Puerto Rico and Nigeria. The reason it gives: copyright law and collecting societies differ by country. Some countries restrict copyright transfers. Others make PRO membership mandatory.

Exclusive or not

Epidemic Sound says its "agreements are short, flexible, and non-exclusive." This is about you, not about the tracks. You may write and publish other music during the partnership, "as long as you're not affiliated with a PRO/NRO or collecting society."

The tracks are a different matter. Epidemic Sound commissions them and describes itself as "the sole owner of the financial rights to our music." Its FAQ allows other music. It does not say you may place the same tracks anywhere else. More on the two kinds of deal: Exclusive or non-exclusive.

AI-generated music

Its help center says: "We only have human-created music on our platform. We do not have any Ai-generated music." The page was updated on 26 October 2026.

Epidemic Sound has its own AI tool for buyers, called Adapt. It can extend a licensed track or strip back its instruments. In its September 2025 announcement, Epidemic Sound said artists can opt out of having their tracks adapted. It also set up a USD $1M pool "to reward AI-related adaptation".

Codes, Content ID and royalties

  • Collecting societies. The FAQ says the model "wouldn't work if an artist were affiliated with a collecting society", because of their exclusive affiliation agreements. Artists are asked to leave their PRO. Epidemic Sound says it "does not replace a regular PRO/collecting society". It collects royalties only for music it owns the financial rights to.
  • Content ID. Epidemic Sound says it "owns 100% of the rights to its music, so no third party has the legal right to claim it." It claims unlicensed uses on YouTube and may monetize them. Subscribers avoid claims by safelisting their channels. Keep this in mind before you opt any Epidemic track into Content ID through a distributor. See YouTube Content ID.

How you are paid

From the artist FAQ, as of October 2026:

  • A fixed fee per track: "USD $2,000–$8,000 per track". The FAQ does not say how the fee for a given track is set.
  • Streaming: "All streaming revenue is split 50/50." The split continues after you stop working with Epidemic Sound.
  • Soundtrack Bonus: a yearly pool of USD $4.2 million. Artists get a share in proportion to how their tracks perform with customers.

Epidemic Sound's in-house team works with each artist from the first demo to the final mix. Mastering is done in house.

What to keep in your catalog

  • The date of the agreement and the fixed fee for each track.
  • A note that Epidemic Sound holds the financial rights to the track. Check it before you send the track anywhere else or opt it into Content ID.
  • Your PRO status on the day you signed, and the date you left your society.
  • Whether you opted the track out of Adapt.

Sources