Amazon Restricts Use of Music in Shoppable Videos for Creators Ahead of Prime Day

Ileane Smith / Amazon

Amazon updated its guidelines for its Influencer Program. One of the biggest updates is the restriction on the use of music in shoppable videos, such as those on its TikTok-like Inspire feed and Storefronts. This includes both added music and background music. Effective June 27th, videos containing music may be muted, displaying an "Audio not available for this video" label.

Music and short-form video go hand in hand, but as TikTok and Universal Music Group have shown, music licensing is a complex issue. Creators might not welcome this update, as music can significantly enhance their content's appeal. However, it's a strategy for Amazon to mitigate issues with labels and music rights owners, especially given the videos are created for commercial use.

With Amazon Prime Day around the corner, some creators will likely need to make adjustments.