How to Choose Music for Videos
TL;DR: Choose music for videos which supports the message and energy level of your visuals. If music and images support each other emotionally, your message becomes even stronger.
When searching for the best music for your videos, there are quite a number of things you need to consider. You shouldn’t just pick any random song if you are striving to deliver messages and emotions effectively. You need to take into considerations some key aspects of the project which will help you choose music for videos.
Music is the key when it comes to creating a well-rounded and coherent video. Therefore, with the right audio, you can be sure that the end result will fulfill your expectations.
But how do you choose the best music for videos?
That’s what we will cover in this article.
Know what your intentions are
The first thing you should be really clear about is: ‘Who is your audience?’and ‘What do you want to communicate?’ Genre, instrumentation, and the mood of your chosen music tracks are the main aspects of the music that need to be in line with the visuals. The message would be totally different if you swap out the the music. This is why this first step is the key—because it can either make your intended message comprehended perfectly by your audience or have the exact opposite effect.
Every viewer who watches your content sees things from a different perspective, and that’s why you need to be aware of how you are communicating something while making sure that everyone identifies with the content.
One other step to learn about how to best choose music for videos, is asking yourself:
What’s your video about?
The music you select should at all times speak the same language as the current visuals. Strengthening the coherence of the audio and the visuals will make sure your message conveys in a straight and powerful way. This is the stage where you analyze your options and narrow them down, depending on the length of the video and how many tracks you want to end up using.
Remember that what we see on the screen gets the foundation down in the first line, and what we hear mostly affects how we feel about it. And that’s why choosing the right music for videos is so crucial.
Let’s give you some hands-on tips for you to make the right music choice.
The mood
If you already have your message and the look of your visuals down, you already have the answer for which music might be the best choice for your video. It’s about understanding and be really clear about the semantics. Understand what the words mean, how the visuals look (vibrant or rather dull), if the movements are fast or slow, etc…
Choose happy or energetic music for uplifting video content – or add slow or sad cues to darker expressions.
If it’s a voice-over or someone talking directly into the camera, you may consider pure instrumental, non-distracting music that is low in volume to have a complimenting musical background while still letting the words be in the spotlight.
Check out some examples for non-distracting background music:
The music you have chosen for the visuals should always go along with them emotionally and energy-wise. If the message, scenes or visuals change drastically, we recommend re-matching the music as well to make sure your message is being perceived exactly as you want it to.
The genre
Basically, the best music choice for videos is always the one expressing the right emotions which support the message of the video. In short: It is about the mood and energy level of the music.
But when it’s all about emotions, does the genre even matter?
Well, to an extend. Certain genres have specific “advantages” in comparison to others, expressing different emotions more naturally.
If your video has a rather fast, energetic or even aggressive character, then genres such as rock, hip-hop or electronic music would give you a great starting point for a already narrowed down mood pallet you can choose from. Take a listen to some examples:
Electronic – perfect for upbeat, motivational and hyped up topics.
Rock – distorted guitars call for a rebellious and bold vibe.
Hip-Hop – sets a great foundation for a more dominant feel.
On the other hand, softer, more dreamy characters could benefit from music in genres such as ambient, classical or acoustic. Soft, evolving and warm tones, which are characteristic for these genres will effectively support messages with this context. For example:
Ambient – your go-to- starting point for video topics convey relaxed and floating feels.
Acoustic – The organic sound of acoustic instruments create a sense of warmth and sincerity.
Classical – great for deep meanings and emotionally strong video content, thanks to very expressive sounds.
Filtering our music after genre will give you a much easier time finding the best music for your videos.
But don’t let the genre be what limits you when you choose music for videos! Every emotion can be expressed through every genre. Tastes are different and that means options are endless. 
How to choose music for videos the right way
Once you’re already down to the tracks from one category that could nicely strengthen the message of your video, it’s up to you to decide which one reaches your audience best. Remember that you always want to engage your viewers by creating a strong connections between visuals, dialogues and audio.
Try to make your content memorable! Listen to all the tracks you have available and pick the one that speaks the same language as your video.
What if i need something specific?
Music is subjective and there is no “right way” to choose music for videos. However, maybe you have already something specific in mind or you simply need help finding the best soundtrack for your video. We at HookSounds help you with that by advising on the best choice of music and even offer custom music for your projects.
To request a custom music track simply visit our form for custom music and tell us about your project.
Last but not least: Don’t steal the music!
The music industry is challenging, even when regulated. Many artists struggle to make a living, only to have their work misused without permission. And nowadays, AI is making it even harder for human artists to be seen. That’s why its important for artists that their music not gets stolen or used without permission.
While millions of songs are available on streaming platforms, using them legally requires permission from the rights holders. For popular tracks, this can be costly and complicated.
At HookSounds, we offer you a huge collection of high quality, royalty free music for videos. From weddings and cooking videos to interviews, corporate videos and travel vlogs, our collection of royalty-free music include the best music for every video.
Safe to use, no copyright claims and maximum creative freedom.
With HookSounds, you can focus on creating while we handle the music.
Do you need help or have any other questions? You can reach us anytime under support@hooksounds.com or via the live chat located in the lower right corner of the website.
