Last updated: 2026-01-20

For most creators in the U.S., the simplest way to add music to a live stream is to use StreamYard’s built-in background music and audio uploads directly in your browser studio. When you need advanced routing or complex playlists, you can pair StreamYard with tools like OBS or Streamlabs for more granular control.

Summary

• Use StreamYard’s built-in background music tab to add safe, synced background tracks in seconds.
• Upload your own audio files (common formats like MP3 and WAV) and control volume, looping, and fades without extra software. (StreamYard Help Center)
• Turn to OBS or Streamlabs only when you truly need scene-level audio routing or playlists that behave like a DJ deck. (OBS Knowledge Base)
• Focus first on copyright-safe music and good levels—those two things matter more than any advanced audio trick.

Why add background music to your stream in the first place?

Background music makes your stream feel intentional. It covers awkward silence, keeps energy up while you screen share, and instantly gives your show a “produced” feel.

For most talk-style streams, you don’t need a DJ setup. You just need:

• A few safe, loopable tracks.
• A simple way to start/stop them.
• Volume controls that won’t drown out your voice.

That’s exactly the level where StreamYard’s built-in music is designed to live: simple, browser-based, and reliable for you and your guests.

How do you add music directly inside StreamYard?

Here’s the quickest path to having music live in your next broadcast using only StreamYard.

1. Open your StreamYard studio
   Start or schedule a broadcast, then enter the studio in your browser—no software download needed.

2. Find the background music panel
   In the studio, open the music section (in most layouts this lives with your brand or media controls). You’ll see default tracks plus an option to upload your own.

3. Choose a built-in track for instant results
   StreamYard includes ready-to-use background music that’s automatically synced for everyone in the stream and on the live output. (StreamYard Help Center)

4. Upload your own audio (if you have licensed tracks)

   • Supported formats include common types such as .mp3, .ogg, .m4a, .aac, .wma, and .wav.
   • On self-serve plans, each music upload can be up to 30 MB; on Business plans, that per-file limit increases to 50 MB. (StreamYard Help Center)

5. Set levels and looping

   • Use the volume slider so your voice clearly sits on top of the music.
   • Turn looping on for tracks you want under your whole show.
   • Keep music a bit lower during conversations and slightly higher during countdowns or breaks.

6. Use fade in/out for a polished feel
   StreamYard lets you fade music in and out so you avoid harsh starts or stops, which is especially useful when you’re transitioning into your intro or Q&A. (StreamYard Help Center)

Because everything happens in the browser, guests don’t have to install anything or manage their own audio routing. Many hosts who moved from tools like OBS or Streamlabs describe StreamYard as “more intuitive and easy to use” and say guests can join “easily and reliably without tech problems,” which is exactly what you want when you’re already thinking about music and content.

What about copyright—can you just play Spotify or Apple Music?

Short answer: you shouldn’t treat Spotify, Apple Music, or similar consumer apps as safe background music sources for live streams.

Music licensing for streaming is complex, and each platform’s rules can change. The safest general approach is:

• Use royalty-free or properly licensed libraries that explicitly allow live streaming and recordings.
• Or use built-in music from tools that mark tracks as safe for streaming and VOD.

Even then, you are responsible for ensuring you have rights to the music you use. At StreamYard, we always encourage hosts to confirm their licenses, especially if they monetize or repurpose streams as on-demand content.

A practical workflow many creators use:

• Start with StreamYard’s included background tracks for low-risk ambience.
• Add a small library of licensed loops from a reputable royalty-free provider.
• Save these as uploads in your StreamYard studio so you’re not scrambling for music before each show.

When should you use OBS or Streamlabs instead of (or with) StreamYard?

Some creators want more audio control than a built-in music panel. Here’s where other tools come in—and why many people still “default to StreamYard” for the actual hosting and guest experience.

Advanced routing and playlists (OBS/Streamlabs)

OBS lets you add audio files as a Media Source, with supported audio formats like .mp3, .aac, .ogg, and .wav for more flexible playback. (OBS Knowledge Base) You can:

• Build scenes that include specific tracks.
• Route audio to different outputs.
• Add filters, compressors, or EQ to shape your sound.

When you need playlists, the VLC Video Source in OBS can play a list of media files, but it requires VLC to be installed on your system to appear as a source. (OBS Knowledge Base)

Streamlabs Desktop follows a similar “scene and source” model, aimed largely at gaming creators who want overlays, alerts, and screen capture tightly coupled with their music.

Why many hosts still keep StreamYard in the center

Tools like OBS and Streamlabs give you deep control—but also demand:

• Local installation and updates.
• Manual audio routing and troubleshooting when things break.
• Stronger hardware to handle encoding and multiple scenes.

By contrast, StreamYard is a browser-based live production studio optimized for talk-style shows, webinars, and interviews. You invite guests with a link, manage layouts, and handle music in one place, which many users describe as having a quicker learning curve than “complex setups like OBS or StreamLabs.”

A popular hybrid setup is:

• Use OBS for advanced visuals and audio as a single RTMP feed.
• Send that feed into StreamYard, where you add guests, overlays, multistreaming, and cloud recording.

For most non-technical hosts in the U.S., that extra OBS layer isn’t necessary. StreamYard alone is usually enough to add music, talk with guests, and record high-quality sessions without wrestling with encoders.

How does music handling differ in Restream Studio vs StreamYard?

If you’re comparing browser studios, Restream Studio is another option with its own background music feature.

Restream’s help center notes that you can add custom music on any plan (including free), and that uploads don’t have a documented size or length limit for this feature. (Restream Help Center) It also promotes AI-generated, license-free background tracks.

The practical trade-offs:

• Restream Studio focuses heavily on multistreaming to many channels and offers flexible background music, but its interface and workflows may feel more complex if you primarily run simple talk shows or webinars.
• StreamYard keeps the music experience tightly integrated with layouts, banners, and guest management, and many creators report that it feels “easier than ReStream” for getting a show up and running.

If your priority is a smooth guest experience plus simple, controlled background music, StreamYard often matches what people are really trying to accomplish: a professional-feeling show without extra moving parts.

What should your audio workflow look like in practice?

Here’s a simple scenario that matches how many U.S.-based creators actually work.

Before the show

• Pick 2–3 background tracks you own or that are bundled safely in your tools.
• Upload them into your StreamYard studio so they’re ready in the music panel.
• Do a 5-minute private test: talk, play music, adjust volume until your voice clearly dominates.

During the show

• Start with a short loop under your countdown or opening scene.
• Fade music down when you start speaking.
• Bring music back up very lightly during screen shares, breakout moments, or Q&A pauses.

After the show

• Use StreamYard’s recordings to repurpose clips; AI tools like our AI clips can help you turn strong segments into shorts without re-recording.
• Note which tracks and levels felt right, then reuse that setup next time.

Most viewers will never ask how you routed audio. They’ll just feel like your show is put together.

What we recommend

• Start with StreamYard’s built-in background music and uploads; it’s the fastest way to get reliable, synced music without extra software.
• Use copyright-safe, loopable tracks and keep your mic clearly louder than the music.
• Add OBS or Streamlabs only if you truly need complex scenes, playlists, or custom routing—and even then, consider sending that into StreamYard for guests and multistreaming.
• Keep your workflow simple enough that you can focus on content and audience, not on babysitting audio tools.