What "royalty-free" actually means
"Royalty-free" means you don't pay ongoing royalties each time your content is played or earns money. It doesn't always mean free. Many royalty-free libraries charge a one-time fee or a monthly subscription, and their licenses can end when you stop paying.
Purrple Cat Self Release music is royalty-free and free of charge. It's licensed under CC BY 4.0, which allows commercial use. There's no subscription to keep up, and the license doesn't expire or depend on an account.
Can I monetize videos that use this music?
Yes. CC BY 4.0 explicitly permits commercial use, so you can use Purrple Cat Self Release tracks in videos that earn ad revenue, have sponsors, sell memberships or promote your own products. The only requirement is attribution: credit Purrple Cat and link the license.
This covers common monetized formats, including:
- YouTube videos and Shorts with ads enabled
- Sponsored segments and brand integrations
- Courses, tutorials and paid content
- Livestreams with subs, donations or ads
- Podcasts with ad reads
- Client work, as long as the credit stays with the final project
That works on every social media platform: YouTube (videos, Shorts and livestreams), TikTok, Instagram and Reels, Facebook, X, Twitch, Snapchat and the rest.
Content ID: why claims happen, and why Purrple Cat won't claim you
YouTube's Content ID system matches uploads against reference files submitted by rights holders. When it finds a match, the rights holder can choose to block the video, track it, or take its ad revenue. Many creators get claimed even on music they were allowed to use, because the music was registered with Content ID by the artist or a distributor.
Purrple Cat Self Release albums are not registered in YouTube Content ID, and never will be, so Purrple Cat won't claim your videos or take your revenue. Once in a while a third party falsely claims a track. If that happens, dispute it in YouTube Studio with the CC BY 4.0 license and your credit. False claims are dealt with promptly once they're reported.
That's also why Purrple Cat has one rule: please don't re-upload or release the music on streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music or Deezer, through DistroKid, TuneCore or any other distributor, whether as-is, sped up, slowed, in a compilation, or as a remix, a track that samples it, or a cover. Those releases are what cause false Content ID claims on other creators' videos. Uploading your own videos with the music to YouTube is fine. YouTube Music is different: tracks get there through distributors.
Releases on other labels may have different terms, so always check the license shown on the download page. If it says CC BY 4.0, it's covered.
A simple checklist for monetized videos
- Pick Self Release tracks. Check the license on the download page says CC BY 4.0.
- Download from an official source. Use the download pages on the home page, like the Internet Archive, Free Music Archive or itch.io, rather than ripping from a reupload.
- Add the credit line. Paste it into your description. See how to credit CC BY music for format-specific examples.
- Note any edits. If you cut, looped or remixed a track, say so in the credit.
- Don't release the music on streaming services. Keep it inside your videos. Never release the tracks, or remixes, samples or covers of them, on Spotify, Apple Music or other streaming services.
- Keep a record. Save the download page URL with your project files. It's good practice for any licensed asset.
Why CC BY is a good fit for creators
A free license with clear terms takes a lot of uncertainty out of choosing music. The terms are public and the same for everyone, so you don't need a separate agreement for each video, and you can keep using music you downloaded even years later. It's also portable: the same track can go in your YouTube video, your Twitch stream and your podcast under the same terms.
Purrple Cat is a solo lofi project with placements in Disney, League of Legends and Rocket League, and a catalog of 450+ songs. That's a large pool of consistent, instrumental lofi for vlogs, tutorials, study content and more. For study-focused channels, see lofi music for study videos.
Supporting the music
The music is free, but if it helps your channel earn, you can support new releases by buying albums on Bandcamp or with a pay-what-you-want download on Gumroad. Crediting clearly also helps other creators discover the music.