ElevenLabs Brings Studio-Quality Music with AI – What About Commercial Use?

ElevenLabs, known for its success in AI voice technology, is moving into the music space with Eleven Music, an AI-powered music generation platform. It allows users to create studio-quality vocal or instrumental tracks simply by describing a musical style in natural language—whether that’s “nostalgic indie rock” or “high-energy Latin reggaeton.” The tool is designed for a wide range of use cases, from film soundtracks to video games.

Commercial Use – The Reality

ElevenLabs claims the service is suitable for “most commercial uses,” including film and TV, social media, advertising, and games. This could be a major advantage for content creators and startups.

However, the fine print reveals some limits. Free-tier users cannot use music commercially, and even Starter-tier (and above) subscribers are restricted from using the generated music on major streaming platforms (like Spotify or Apple Music) or at public events.

Ethical and Legal Safeguards

To address copyright and licensing concerns, ElevenLabs has secured agreements with independent music rights organizations such as Merlin Network and Kobalt Music Group. These companies represent artists like Adele, Nirvana, and Bon Iver, and participating musicians have voluntarily allowed their work to be used for AI training.

These partnerships reduce the risk of copyright infringement while giving artists a share of the revenue. In addition, Eleven Music includes safeguards that automatically block the use of specific artist names, copyrighted lyrics, or potentially harmful content.

Why It Stands Out

Eleven Music is one of the few AI music platforms to set clear ethical boundaries. Its artist agreements, revenue-sharing model, and built-in content filters make it a more sustainable and trustworthy option. By respecting artist rights while offering creators and entrepreneurs access to high-quality, AI-generated music,