Music Resources
Students may want to use copyrighted music in their podcasts. Depending on their use, it may fall under Fair Use and you are welcome to permit such use as you see fit. However, if the class is putting podcasts up on iTunes University, it is good to apply more stringent copyright rules. I advise my students to not use copyrighted music without permission, due to how our school approaches iTunes University. However, there are several podsafe and/or Creative Commons licensed works that can be used in podcasts (especially non-commercial podcasts) for free or limited costs. Here are some podsafe/Creative Commons music resources:
Podsafe/Creative Commons Music Sites
- Magnatune: I found the music for Screen Space on this site. Lots of good choices with a pro-artist bent.. As they say "Magnatune is not evil. We work directly with independent musicians world-wide to give you downloads of MP3s and perfect-quality WAV files. We never work with major labels, and our musicians always get 50%. You can listen to every album in its entirety before buying or becoming a member."
- Music Alley: (Was Podsafe Music Network) Originally created by podcasters as a music archive for podcasters—podsafe music. Lots of options and some from big names.
- Jamendo: A Creative Commons recommended music site for podcasters and other digital media artists, composers, and creators. As Jamendo says "On Jamendo artists allow anyone to download and share their music. It's free, legal and unlimited."
- SpinXpress: This is a media site, including music, and is also Creative Commons recommended. As they say "SpinXpress is used by independent global media producers to create videos, music compilations, and other collaborative media projects." Also allows file sharing.
- Wikimedia Commons: Also a media repository recommended by Creative Commons. As the site says, "Wikimedia Commons is a media file repository making available public domain and freely-licensed educational media content (images, sound and video clips) to everyone, in their own language."
- Music Podcasts: There are several music podcasts that use only Creative Commons music, so you can listen and find things you want and then use them.
- Thesixtyone.com: A music social networking site with many Creative Commons songs, including the choice to listen to only Creative Commons music.
Podsafe/Creative Commons Music Artists
- Nine Inch Nails: This band has two Creative Commons albums: Ghosts I-IV (all instrumental, good for podcasts) and The Slip (more traditional NIN music). I enjoy using music from Ghosts I-IV in my academic podcasting.
- Jonathan Coulton: All the songs he wrote are licensed Creative Commons by-nc, and all his music covers and other pieces he does not own are not copy protected by him (and if used should follow fair use).
- Josh Woodward: Findlay, Ohio singer/songwriter has 150 songs online you can download and use.
- Ask a local artist: Many are happy to let you use their work in your podcasts! For example, one of my students used his friend's music in his reading response podcasts. In addition, I have asked the Atlanta local steampunk band The Extraordinary Contraptions to use their music in some of my podcasts and received their permission and a limited use license (check out Screen Space "9.5" and Screen Space "Announcement & Invitation" to see how I used the music).
