Caution:
- Materials found through these resources are not automatically "okay" to use
- Some of these resources contain a mix of public domain and creative commons licensed materials
- Always check the specific license before using and/or evaluate for Fair Use
Public Domain Audio
- National JukeboxFind historical sound recordings. All recordings are in the public domain and are available for reuse without any restrictions.
- The Public Domain ProjectDownload thousands of historic media files for your creative projects. Registration required to download.
- Public Domain Music from the Free Music ArchiveUse the search features on the left to search for specific moods, artists, and genres, and select the appropriate license.
- Wikipedia SoundlistAll the public domain music found via Wikipedia and Wikipedia Commons. Primarily classical.
- MusOpenMP3 downloads for both Creative Commons licensed and Public Domain music. Check for specific licensing.
- NASA MediaNon-copyrighted photo, audio, and video of NASA space flights, astronomy, and aeronautics.
Creative Commons Audio
See the copyright page of this guide for more information on Creative Commons attribution symbols to determine use.
- BandCamp- Creative Commons Licensed MusicTakes you directly to BandCamp music with CC licenses.
- Free Music Archive- Creative CommonsYou can limit search results to Creative Commons License only.
- IncompetechRoyalty-free music under a CC-BY license. Must include attribution.
- Internet Archive: Community AudioCheck for a Creative Commons license to determine how you can use the music.
- JamendoThe world’s biggest free music library. Free and unlimited listening and downloads, all with Creative Commons licenses.
- MusOpenMP3 downloads for both Creative Commons licensed and Public Domain music. Check for specific licensing.
- TeknoAXE"All music hosted here is covered under CC 4.0." Visit the FAQ section if you have any questions related to using or listening to the music.
- YouTube Audio Library- Free MusicNot all tracks have Creative Commons Licensing. Use the attribution filter to limit results to show only those with Creative Commons Licensing.
- BensoundFree creative commons music available. Check each individual track for licensing. Visit their FAQ page for further information.
See the copyright page of this guide for more information on Creative Commons attribution symbols to determine use.
- Cylinder Preservation and Digitization ProjectCreative Commons licensed digitized cylinder recordings, primarily from the late 19th and early 20th century.
- Europeana CollectionsOver 58 million "artworks, artefacts, books, videos and sounds from across Europe." Most with Creative Commons licenses. Check the "rights statement" on each image for copyright information.
- Oyez- Supreme Court Audio Recordings"[Oyez] is the most complete and authoritative source for all of the Court’s audio since the installation of a recording system in October 1955. Oyez offers transcript-synchronized and searchable audio, plain-English case summaries, illustrated decision information, and full-text Supreme Court opinions. All content on oyez.org and other sites and projects maintained by Oyez is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License."
Sound Effect Resources
- Freesound"Freesound is a collaborative database of Creative Commons Licensed sounds. Browse, download and share sounds." Check licenses before using. Visit their FAQ page for more information.
- PacDV"Free Sound Effects and Royalty Free Sound Effects." Be sure to check permissions. Visit their FAQ page.
- Sound BibleContains both Creative Commons and/or Public Domain sound effects. Check the license of each sound to see how you can use it.
- YouTube Audio Library- Free Sound EffectsFree to use and download. See YouTube's copyright policy for more information.
Credit
Guide content based on the Finding and Using Media guide from the J. Edgar & Louise S. Monroe Library, Loyola University & the Copyright & Creative Commons, Free Images and Music guide from the Brisbane Grammar School Libraries.