How to Play Music on Instagram Live

Adding music to your Instagram Live can transform the vibe of your broadcast, making a simple stream feel like a professional show. But knowing how to do it correctly - without a copyright strike or clunky, low-quality audio - is where most people get tripped up. This guide will walk you through several methods for playing music on your Instagram Live, from simple setups to more advanced techniques, while also explaining the all-important rules around music rights.

Why Add Music to Your Instagram Live?

Before getting into the technical 'how,' let's touch on the 'why.' Background music is more than just filler, it's a powerful tool for creators and brands. Here’s what it can do:

• Set the Mood: A chilled-out acoustic track creates a relaxed, conversational atmosphere for a Q&A session. An upbeat electronic beat can build excitement during a product launch. Music instantly communicates the feeling you want your audience to experience.
• Increase Engagement: Music helps eliminate awkward silence and can keep viewers tuned in longer. When your broadcast feels more polished and entertaining, people are less likely to scroll away.
• Signal Professionalism: Taking the time to craft a good audio experience shows your audience that you care about quality. It separates your broadcast from the countless impromptu streams that flood the platform.

The Big Question: What About Copyright?

This is the most important consideration before you hit 'Go Live.' You can’t just play any track from Spotify or Apple Music and hope for the best. Instagram's parent company, Meta, has agreements with most major music labels, but these agreements primarily cover music used in ephemeral formats like Stories and Reels through the official music sticker. Live video is a different beast.

Instagram's algorithm actively listens to live streams for copyrighted music. If it detects a popular song, one of several things could happen:

• A notification will pop up warning you that you're using copyrighted audio.
• Certain parts of your stream could be muted.
• Your entire Live broadcast could be shut down without warning.

Repeated offenses can lead to harsher penalties on your account. To stay safe, your best bet is to use music that you have the right to broadcast. This typically means using royalty-free music. Services like Epidemic Sound, Artlist, and Soundstripe offer immense libraries of high-quality tracks for a monthly subscription. By using these services, you obtain the necessary license to play their music in your content, including Live broadcasts, without worrying about copyright strikes.

Method 1: The Quick and Simple External Speaker Method

This is the most straightforward and accessible way to add music to your live stream, requiring no special software. It involves playing music from a second device through a speaker positioned near the phone you're using to broadcast.

What You’ll Need:

• Your primary phone for going Live on Instagram.
• A second device (another phone, a tablet, or a laptop) to play music.
• An external speaker (Bluetooth or wired). A small, decent quality speaker works much better than just using your second phone's built-in speaker.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Choose your playlist on your second device. Make sure you're using a royalty-free music source!
2. Connect the second device to your external speaker via Bluetooth or an audio cable.
3. Place the speaker near your primary phone - the one you're using for your Instagram Live. You'll need to experiment with placement. Too close, and the speaker can sound distorted. Too far, and it will sound tinny and distant. A good starting point is about a foot or two away.
4. Before going live, start playing the music at a low-to-medium volume.
5. Go Live on your primary phone. As you start broadcasting, speak and listen to how the audio sounds. Your voice should always be clear and significantly louder than the background music. You’re aiming for ambiance, not a concert.
6. Ask your viewers for feedback! "How's the sound?" or "Is the music too loud?" is a great way to engage your audience and troubleshoot the audio mix in real-time.

Pros: Extremely easy to set up, requires no technical knowledge.

Cons: Audio quality can be poor. Your phone's microphone has to pick up both your voice and the music from the speaker, which often results in a less-than-professional sound. You’re also still at the mercy of Instagram’s copyright algorithm if you slip and play a licensed track.

Method 2: Using Professional Broadcasting Software (The Advanced Method)

For creators, brands, and anyone who wants crystal-clear audio quality, using third-party software is the way to go. This method gives you complete control over your audio sources, mixing your microphone and your music together cleanly before sending it to Instagram. It's more complex but delivers a far superior result.

This technique typically involves using your computer to create the broadcast, and then using a service to pipe that broadcast into Instagram Live.

What You Need for a Professional Setup:

• A computer.
• An external microphone (a USB mic like the Blue Yeti or a professional XLR mic is recommended).
• Broadcasting software. OBS Studio is a popular free option, while alternatives like Ecamm Live (for Mac) or vMix (for PC) offer user-friendly interfaces.
• A tool to connect your broadcast software to Instagram Live. Services like Yellowduck or Restream allow you to stream from your desktop to Instagram.
• Royalty-free music ready to play from your computer (e.g., from the Epidemic Sound desktop app or website).

The General Workflow:

1. Set up your broadcasting software. In OBS Studio or a similar program, you need to create "scenes" and add "sources." You'll have a video source (like a webcam) and at least two audio sources: your microphone and your music player (which can be set as "Desktop Audio").
2. Mix Your Audio. The software's audio mixer lets you adjust the volume levels for your mic and your music independently. This is a game-changer. You can keep your background music at a perfectly consistent low volume while your voice remains loud and clear. Do a test recording to check your levels.
3. Get Your Instagram Stream Key. Start a service like Yellowduck and log in with your Instagram account. It will provide you with a unique stream key and RTMP URL.
4. Go Live from Your Computer. Copy and paste the stream key and URL into your broadcasting software’s streaming settings. When you're ready, hit "Start Streaming" in your software. Your professional, computer-produced stream will now be broadcasting live on your Instagram profile.

Pros: Excellent audio quality, full control over sound levels, and a much more professional feel for your entire broadcast.

Cons: A steep learning curve, requires more equipment, and relies on third-party services that may have costs or technical quirks. This setup is for those truly dedicated to producing high-quality live content.

Best Practices for Music on Instagram Live

Whichever method you choose, a few simple rules of thumb will help you succeed and keep your account safe.

• Always Prioritize Royalty-Free Music: This is the single most important tip. Getting a license is the only way to be 100% safe. Don't risk having your hard work taken down by a copyright violation.
• Keep It in the Background: Unless you're a DJ performing a set, the music should be an accent, not the main event. Your spoken content is what your audience came for. The sound should support your voice, not compete with it. A good rule is to keep the music volume somewhere between 10% and 15% of your vocal volume.
• Test Before You Broadcast: Always, always perform a sound check. Before your main broadcast, go live on a private test account (or you can use Instagram's "Practice Mode" before going public). Check the audio mix to make sure your voice is clear and the music is at the right level.
• Engage with Artist Callouts: If you're using music from a service like Epidemic Sound that encourages creator credits, give them a shout-out! Mention the artist's name or the track title. It’s good etiquette and connects you with other creators.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating music into your Instagram Live is a fantastic way to elevate your content, but it's important to approach it thoughtfully. The external speaker method is great for getting started quickly, while investing time in a software-based setup can deliver truly professional audio quality. Above all, always respect copyright by using properly licensed, royalty-free music to protect your content and your account.

Planning a recurring Instagram Live show is a smart content strategy, but it's only one piece of the puzzle. Once your live session ends, keeping your audience engaged requires a consistent flow of content. At Postbase, we've designed a powerful visual calendar to help you plan and schedule all your content - from Reels to Stories to your other platform B-roll - weeks or months in advance. It's built for how social media works today, helping you maintain momentum and turn a one-time live viewer into a long-term follower.