An appreciation thread: Library music

Merry
2025-09-19T15:59:56Z

Have you ever wondered where all the background music comes from in commercials, documentaries, training films, or TV shows? It is a genre of music called Library music, but also referred to as "production music" or "stock music".

For example, some American football fans might recognize this tune: Heavy Action by Johnny Pearson

Or maybe Tomfoolery by David Snell

I have some standout favorites myself such as Plucking the Strings by David Snell and really the whole Bruton BRN11 Prestige album has great tracks.

What I love about library music is how direct it is where every track tells you exactly what feeling or mood it’s meant to capture, so finding the right piece for a moment becomes straightforward. It’s music created for utility that is commissioned, catalogued, and sold to fit commercial needs. That makes it oddly fascinating to me. Out of the thousands of albums, some pieces slip into our collective memory while others fade into obscurity or as a one-time background sound. I feel the people making this stuff were clearly talented, but they worked in a strange niche where their art was never meant to be more than an enhancement to a visual effect. Digging into it feels like uncovering a forgotten corner of pop culture.

If you want to search more example of library music, I think the go-to's are any of the Bruton or KPM libraries, but there are many more out there.

KPM Playlist
Bruton Playlist

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