Legal Music Streaming on Twitch: Full Guide

Table of Contents

Introduction

Music is an integral part of the Twitch streaming experience. The right songs can help set the mood, energize the streamer, and engage the audience. However, playing copyrighted music comes with significant risks due to Twitch’s DMCA policy. Getting DMCA strikes can lead to account suspensions, channel takedowns, and even permanent bans.

This guide will provide Twitch streamers with a comprehensive overview of how to legally and safely use music during livestreams. We’ll cover Twitch’s official music rules, various licensing options, tips for creating stream-safe playlists, and technical instructions for adding music to OBS. You’ll also learn how to handle song requests from viewers without running afoul of copyright law.

With the right music strategy, you can enhance your stream’s production quality and energy without worrying about DMCA strikes. Let’s dive in and make sure your channel’s audio is as engaging as your gameplay and commentary!

Twitch’s Official Music Guidelines

Twitch has very clear guidelines when it comes to using copyrighted music in streams. Their official stance is that playing copyrighted music without proper licensing can lead to your channel receiving DMCA takedown notices and strikes.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) protects artists’ and rights holders’ control over their creative works. Music labels, publishers, and artists can issue DMCA takedown requests to platforms like Twitch if their music is used without permission.

If your channel receives DMCA strikes from copyright holders, there can be serious consequences:

1st strike: 24-hour suspension and removal of infringing content.
2nd strike within 90 days: 7-day suspension and removal of infringing content.
3rd strike within 90 days: Permanent ban from Twitch.

Additionally, VODs and Clips containing copyrighted music may be removed retroactively if rightsholders file notices, even if your channel hasn’t received any strikes yet.

The bottom line is you should never use popular copyrighted music in your Twitch streams without securing the proper licenses. Doing so puts your channel at risk of suspensions, bans, and retroactive content removal. Always follow Twitch’s music guidelines to avoid DMCA issues.

Copyright Law Basics

Copyright law protects original works of authorship, including musical compositions. The creators of these works have certain exclusive rights, including the right to control public performances of their works.

When you play a song on your Twitch stream, you are publicly performing that work. To legally play a song on stream, you need permission from the copyright holder – usually the artist or record label. There are a few ways to get this permission:

Obtain a license directly from the copyright holder – You can contact artists, songwriters, publishers or record labels directly to negotiate a license. This allows you to play their songs legally.
Use music from a licensing platform – Services like Soundtrack by Twitch, Pretzel, or Epidemic Sound provide licenses that cover their entire catalog of songs. By paying a subscription fee, you get the rights to use their music.
Play music released under Creative Commons – Some artists release songs with Creative Commons licenses, allowing free use in certain contexts. CC-licensed music can be used if the terms match your usage.
Public domain music – Songs no longer under copyright are in the public domain, meaning you can use them freely. But the vast majority of modern music is still under copyright.

The bottom line is you can’t just play any song you want on your Twitch stream. You need actual permission from the rights holders. Using copyrighted music without a license puts your channel at risk of DMCA strikes and legal action. Do your research and use proper licensed music sources.

Music Licensing Options

When it comes to playing music on Twitch, streamers have a few options for legally obtaining rights to use songs.

Royalty-Free & Copyright-Free Music Libraries

One of the most popular options is using music from royalty-free or copyright-free libraries. These libraries offer stream-safe songs that Twitch creators can use without worrying about copyright claims. Some well-known royalty-free music providers include:

Epidemic Sound
Artlist
StreamBeats
Pretzel
Soundstripe

The main benefit of these libraries is that they provide easy, affordable access to a large catalog of stream-safe music. Pricing is typically subscription based, allowing unlimited use of songs in the library. Downsides can include overused tracks and limited variety compared to mainstream music.

Direct Licensing from Artists & Labels

Another option is to license music directly from artists, independent labels, or publishers. This involves contacting rights holders and negotiating licenses to use songs on your Twitch channel.

Benefits include access to more varied music, including popular and original songs. You can also support independent artists through direct licensing deals. Drawbacks are the time and costs involved in negotiating individual licenses. Licensing fees can add up, especially for popular songs.

Sponsorships & Partnerships

Some Twitch streamers partner directly with record labels, artists, or music distributors. These partnerships provide access to licensed music catalogs in exchange for promotion of the music/artists on stream.

Partnerships allow playing popular or original songs legally on stream. They also represent a branding opportunity for artists and labels. Potential downsides include giving up control over which songs you can play. Sponsorship obligations could also limit flexibility.

Overall, streamers have several options for accessing licensed music. While no option is perfect, following licensing best practices helps avoid DMCA strikes when playing music on Twitch.

Setting Up Stream Safe Playlists

Creating a dedicated playlist specifically for your Twitch streams is crucial to safely playing music during your broadcasts. Unlike listening to music recreationally, streaming copyrighted tracks without proper licensing can lead to DMCA strikes and account suspensions.

When setting up your stream safe playlist, first create a new playlist within your preferred music app like Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music etc. Give your playlist a descriptive name like "Twitch Stream Playlist" so it’s easy to identify.

Next, start adding tracks to your playlist. Focus on royalty-free music, creative commons tracks, music from Twitch-approved libraries, or any songs you have confirmed licensing rights for. Organize your playlist into sections or moods to make it easy to navigate during streams.

Managing your stream playlist is also important. Set aside time to regularly add new tracks and remove any you want to retire. Consider accepting song requests from viewers, but vet choices carefully against DMCA rules first. Label tracks clearly with the artist name, that way if issues arise later, you can easily identify and remove problematic songs if needed.

For the best audio setup, use a separate virtual audio cable or sound program like VoiceMeeter to route your music playlist to its own audio channel in OBS. This gives you granular control over music levels independent of game sound and microphone audio. Adjust music volume to an appropriate background level that enhances but doesn’t overwhelm the stream.

With a well-organized stream safe playlist and separate audio channel, you can seamlessly incorporate great music into your broadcasts without copyright headaches!

Adding Music to Your Stream

Adding music to your Twitch stream is easy with OBS Studio. Here are step-by-step instructions:

In OBS, click the "+" button in the Sources panel and select "Audio Input Capture".
Name the source (e.g. "Music") and select the audio device you want to capture. This will usually be "Desktop Audio" or a virtual audio cable.
Click "OK" to add the music source.
In the Audio Mixer, make sure the music source slider is up to hear the audio. Adjust the volume level as needed.
Right click the music source and select "Filters". Click the "+" button to add audio effects.
Consider adding filters like Gain (to increase/decrease volume), Noise Suppression (to reduce background noise), and Compressor (to even out volume spikes).
Balance the music volume with your microphone and game audio sources using the sliders in the Audio Mixer. Music should usually be lower than mic volume.
Monitor all audio sources while live to make adjustments. Use your headphones to check the stream mix versus what you hear locally.
For advanced audio control, use a digital audio mixer like Voicemeeter Banana. This gives you more flexibility and effects.
Test and tweak the audio balance to get the right mix. The music should complement the stream without overpowering it.

With the right audio levels and effects, you can add awesome music to elevate your stream production value and viewer experience! Just be sure to follow Twitch music rules and licensing requirements.

Excluding Music from VODs & Clips

Excluding copyrighted music from your Twitch VODs and Clips is crucial to avoiding DMCA strikes and potential account termination. When you broadcast live, you benefit from Twitch’s safe harbor protections under the DMCA. However, when your streams are archived as VODs or Clips, they become subject to standard copyright enforcement.

If a rightsholder files a takedown notice against your VOD or Clip containing their music, you will receive a DMCA strike against your channel. Three strikes results in your account being permamently banned from Twitch. That’s why it’s so important to remove any copyrighted songs before making VODs and Clips available publicly.

Disabling Audio in VODs & Clips

Twitch provides built-in tools that make excluding music simple. In your Creator Dashboard settings, you can globally disable audio for all your VODs and Clips. This will mute any music while preserving the visual content.

To disable VOD audio:

Go to Settings > Channel & Videos
Uncheck "Store past broadcasts"
Check "Mute audio in VODs"

To disable Clip audio:

Go to Settings > Clips
Uncheck "Include microphone audio in Clips"
Check "Mute audio in Clips"

With these settings enabled, any VODs and Clips created will have the audio muted automatically.

Sharing Content Without Music

If you want to share VOD highlights or Clips containing copyrighted music, consider uploading edited versions without the music to YouTube or other platforms. You can remove the audio entirely or overlay your own royalty-free music instead.

While Twitch VODs and Clips with muted audio are acceptable, having versions with actual music can be preferable for viewers. Just be sure to only share them on platforms that don’t issue DMCA strikes, like YouTube or Facebook. Avoid re-uploading them to Twitch itself.

By excluding copyrighted music from your archived Twitch content, you ensure full compliance with DMCA regulations and prevent any risk of account suspensions or bans. This small extra effort is well worth it to keep your channel safe!

Handling Song Requests

Song requests from viewers can be a fun way to engage your audience during a Twitch stream. However, playing viewer-requested music does come with some risks that streamers need to be aware of.

The main risk is that viewers may request copyrighted songs without realizing it could get your channel a DMCA strike. Even if the request seems harmless, many popular songs are not licensed for public performance. Twitch can’t distinguish between copyrighted music you play versus a viewer request, so ultimately you are responsible for everything that gets played on stream.

To manage song requests safely, it’s important to set clear expectations with your viewers upfront. Consider having a dedicated !sr command that explains your rules around requests. You may choose to only take requests from subscribers, require links to check if a song is copyright-free, or ban certain songs that are notoriously DMCA-risky. Explain that you screen all requests to avoid playing unlicensed music.

When vetting song requests, be extra cautious of Top 40 hits, recently popular songs, and music videos. Search the song on sites like YouTube to check if it has any copyright claims against it. Independent artists on platforms like SoundCloud are generally safer bets. Add viewer-requested songs to a separate playlist you can review before adding them to your main playlist.

Be transparent with your community when denying inappropriate or risky requests. Thank viewers for understanding and remind them you’re just trying to keep the stream safe. Consider setting up a !command or panel about your music guidelines so you can refer viewers to your rules.

With some smart management, you can take song requests while minimizing the risks. Just be sure to properly vet requests, set expectations with viewers, and take safety precautions. Your community will understand as long as you’re upfront about your approach.

Troubleshooting Music Issues

When playing music on Twitch, technical issues can sometimes arise that affect the audio quality of your stream. Here are some common music-related problems and potential solutions:

Debugging Audio Problems in OBS

If you notice audio distortions, echo, lag, or sync issues when playing music through OBS, there are a few things you can try:

Check your audio sources in OBS and make sure the correct tracks are active. Disable any unused sources.
Adjust the audio levels of your music source and other audio sources like your microphone. Boosting the music too high can cause clipping.
Try changing the Audio Monitoring device in OBS from "Default" to a specific output option.
Enable Audio Filters like Gain, Noise Suppression, and Noise Gate to improve the music quality.
Change the Audio Track format, sample rate, or buffering settings if experiencing lag or distortions.
Update your audio drivers and OBS to the latest versions if the problems persist.

Solutions for Audio Lag and Distortions

If your music playback has lag, echoes, or strange distortions, try these fixes:

Lower the bitrate of your Twitch stream to reduce strain on your internet connection.
Close unnecessary background programs that could be using resources.
Enable the "Resample" filter in OBS to convert the sample rate of your music to match your stream.
Use a separate virtual audio cable to isolate the music from other desktop sounds.
Adjust Audio Device buffering settings in Windows Sound Control Panel.

Resetting Twitch Audio Settings

As a last resort, you can reset your Twitch audio settings entirely:

In your Twitch Creator Dashboard, go to Settings > Stream > Reset Stream Key.
Delete any Clips that may have copyrighted music.
Remove all audio sources in OBS and set up your music from scratch.
Double check you have the correct Track selected under Audio Settings.

Resetting your audio setup takes time but can fix stubborn music issues on stream. Monitor your audio closely after resetting to ensure the problems are resolved.

Conclusion

Music is an integral part of creating an engaging and entertaining Twitch stream. As we’ve covered in this guide, there are several options available for legally playing music during your broadcasts. While Twitch’s DMCA guidelines restrict the use of copyrighted music without proper licensing, stream-safe music libraries, partnerships with artists, and direct licensing provide streamers with plenty of ways to incorporate great tunes into their content.

The key takeaways from this guide are:

Follow Twitch’s music guidelines to avoid DMCA strikes and maintain your account in good standing. Copyright issues can lead to serious consequences.
Explore the various royalty-free, copyright-free, and licensed music options covered here. With the right music solution, you can play great songs legally.
Prioritize legal compliance when using music on stream. While some streamers take risks with copyrighted content, this is not recommended.
Don’t underestimate the value of having an awesome soundtrack during your streams! Music can make your channel stand out and keep viewers engaged.

With the knowledge from this guide, you should feel empowered to find music solutions that work for your channel and streaming style. Take the time to explore the recommendations here, build playlists that excite you and your community, and incorporate tunes seamlessly into your broadcasts. Just remember – when in doubt, keep it legal! Your viewers will thank you for the great vibes.