The right music can elevate your podcast to another level
By Nelson de Wolfe and Andrew Saliski March 24, 2025
Whether it's the BBC or a loud downstairs neighbor, everyone is producing and recording podcasts these days. One of the most crucial aspects of setting the tone for a podcast is the music. If you want to engage listeners, build suspense or create a welcoming atmosphere, the right music can make a significant impact. We are going to take a look at some of the best ways that music can help to set the scene for you podcast.
Establishing your podcast’s theme
Before we establish what kind of music is best for your podcast, it's best to consider the theme of your podcast. If Serial used ukuleles and handclaps, it is likely the show would not have garnered the success it did. Many topics already have podcasts these days and listening to the choices sucessful podcasts have made for their genre is a good starting point. Here are some common topics and the best music for those podcasts.
True Crime: Dark, moody, and suspenseful
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Comedy/Light-hearted Talk: Upbeat, quirky, and fun
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Business & Finance: Professional, minimalistic, and inspiring
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News & Current Events: Neutral, modern, and distinguised
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Storytelling: Warm, acoustic, and engaging
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Where should I place the music in a podcast?
How you use the music in your podcast will forever be associated with your show in a concept called sonic branding. Intro and outro music is common, but some podcasts use music in multiple segements in order to introduce suspense or relief. What works best for your podcast will require some thought and experemintation, and we have some ideas to help you out.
Intro and Outro Music
The most common music used in podcasts is intro and outro music. Regularly called "tops and tails" in the industry, these are short audio clips used either solely in the intro and outro, but sometimes repruposed to break up segments of a single episode. This is the source of your sonic branding and sets the tone for the rest of your podcast so therefore should be chosen with great care.
Check out our playlist of fifteen (15) second cutdown edits as starting point for your sonic branding adventure.
Transitional Music
With no visual clues in most podcasts, it can be difficult to relay to your audience that one segment is ending and a new one is beginning within the same episode. Cue the transitional music. Usually even shorter than the intro and outro music, these can be alternate versions of the intro and outro song or something completely different.
We have a playlist of shorter cutdown edits (called stings) already made for your transitional needs.
Background Music
The least common music used in podcasts is background music over the host or guests voice. Used more regularly for storytelling podcasts or as for emphasis in a certain section, background music for podcasts requires a tuned ear to assure that the words are not being drowned out by the music. It is best to use ambient, atmospheric, and minimal tracks in these settings.
If you think background music would boost your podcast's content, there's absolutely a playlist for you on our Playlists page.
Additional Tips
Before you make it big as the next big podcast host, we have some final thoughts for your inclusion of music in your show:
Don’t overcomplicate it: Keeping it simple will enhance your content rather than distract from it.
Volume control: Subtle use of background music to avoid overpowering the speech is the best practice.
Match the energy: Select music that aligns with your podcasts pacing rather than deviate away from it.
Test before finalizing: Play your music with your spoken content beforehand to ensure it blends seamlessly.
Legal factors: Always check the licensing terms before using any track. Avoid copyrighted music unless you have permission or proper licensing, as this can lead to legal issues.
Conclusion
Music is a powerful tool that can elevate your podcast by setting the right tone, enhance engagement, and making your content more memorable. By selecting music that aligns with your theme, ensuring it’s legally used, and integrating it seamlessly, you can create a professional and captivating podcast experience. The right soundtrack will help you connect with your audience and strengthen your brand identity. All Synctracks Subscriptions include podcasting rights, making Synctracks an affordable and legal supplier of music for your podcast.