Beat Licensing Explained

Part 1: Beat Licensing Explained

The concept of beat licensing is not hard to understand. A producer makes a beat and uploads it to their beat store. Any artist can buy these beats directly from the store and use it for their own songs.

In exchange for their purchase, the producer will provide the artist with a license agreement. A document that grants the artist certain user-rights to create and distribute a song.

This license agreement is legal proof that the producer has given them permission to use the beat.

👉 Click to see an example License Agreement

A common misconception is when artists ask producers for free beats. Even when a producer agrees and sends the artist a free beat. The truth is, that free beat is useless as there is no legal proof and permission to use it. This is where the license agreement comes in.

Before we go any further, we have to let go of the common phrases of “buying beats” and “selling beats”. The product that we’re dealing with here is simply not the beat itself. It is the license agreement.

 

Non-Exclusive Beat Licensing
 

Non-exclusive licensing, also known as ‘leasing’, is the most common form of beat licensing. For anywhere between $20-300, you can buy a non-exclusive license agreement and release a song on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, create a music video for YouTube, and make money from it! 

These are also the types of licenses that are directly available from the producer’s beat store. In other words, you don’t have to inquire for them and you can instantly buy a license from the online store.

In most cases, a license agreement is auto-generated, including the buyer’s name, address, a timestamp (Effective Date), the user-rights and the information of the producer.

With a non-exclusive license, the producer grants the artist permission to use the beat to create a song of their own and distribute it online. The producer will still retain copyright ownership (more about this later) and the artist has to adhere to the rights granted in the agreement.

 

The limitations of Non-Exclusive Licenses
 

Most non-exclusive licenses have a limitation on sales, plays, streams or views. For example, the license might only allow a
maximum number of 50,000 streams on Spotify and/or 100,000 views on YouTube. 

A non-exclusive license also has an expiration date. Meaning that it’s only going to be valid for a set period of time. This could be anywhere between 1-10 years. After the contract period is due, the buyer has to renew the license. In other words, buy a new one.

The license will also need to be renewed as soon as the buyer reached the maximum amount of streams and/or plays. Even if that’s before the contract’s expiration date (!) 

Since these licenses are non-exclusive, a single beat can be licensed to an unlimited number of different artists. This means that several artists could be using the same beat for a different song under similar license terms.

Whether this is a problem depends entirely on what stage the artist is. A beginner artist would be best off with a non-exclusive license, while a signed artist or an artist that is on the verge of blowing up might be better off with an exclusive license.

 

The different types of Non-Exclusive Licenses
 

Most producers offer different non-exclusive licensing options. In my case, I offer an MP3, WAV, Premium, and Unlimited License. Every option comes with its own unique user-rights. These user-rights are often displayed in licensing tables, similar to mine below.

Obviously, the more expensive the license, the more user-rights you’re getting. These more expensive licenses also come with
better quality audio files.

In my case, the second-highest tier, the Premium license, is the most popular. That’s simply because you get the best audio quality, tracked out files of the beat and good user-rights.

Artists who believe these rights still aren’t sufficient for their song, usually go for the highest tier. The Unlimited license. Or even better, an Exclusive license.

Exclusive Beat Licensing

When you own the Exclusive Rights to a beat, there are no limitations on user rights. Meaning that an artist can exploit the song
to the fullest.

There is no maximum number of streams, plays, sales or downloads nor is there an expiration date on the contract.

The song may also be used in numerous different projects. Singles, albums, music videos etc. In comparison to non-exclusive licenses, which are usually limited for use in a single project only.

In the case of buying the exclusive rights to a beat that was previously (non-exclusively) licensed to other artists, the artist that
purchased the exclusive rights is typically the last person to purchase it. After a beat is sold exclusively, the producer is no
longer allowed to sell or license the beat to others.

That doesn’t mean the previous non-exclusive licensees will be affected by this. Every exclusive contract should have a section with a “notice of outstanding clients” included. This section protects these previous licensees from getting a strike by the exclusive buyer.

These are the main differences between non-exclusive licenses and exclusive licenses. But it goes further than that and there’s often confusion around the topics of rights and royalties.

Going forward in this guide, we will go more in-depth about Royalties, Publishing and Copyright.

Two very different ways of selling Exclusive Rights
 
For many years, producers had different ways of selling exclusive rights. Luckily, in more recent years, contracts are becoming more streamlined and matching the industry standard.
 
Still, I want to address two very different ways of selling exclusive rights.
 
  1. Selling exclusive rights
  2. Selling exclusive ownership
 
By selling exclusive rights, the producer remains the original author of the music. And is still able to collect writers share and publishing rights. (again, more about this later)
 
By selling exclusive ownership, the producer sells the beat including all interest, authorship, copyright, etc. These deals are also known as ‘work-for-hire’. Basically, the artist retains actual ownership over the beat and will–from that point on–be considered as the legal author of the beat.
 
Within the beat licensing industry, selling exclusive ownership is wrong, unethical and–in most cases–not compliant with Copyright Law.
 
It’s only right to come to an agreement where both the artist and producer are credited for their work; Legally, financially and
commercially.
 

Part 2: Everything you need to know about Royalties, Writers Share and Publishing Rights

 
This is the part that most people struggle to understand. Mainly, because there are lots of different deal structures in the music
industry. No worries!  By the end of this guide, you’ll know everything you need to know.
 
Let’s break things down step-by-step and solely in regards to online beat licensing.
 
Before we jump into this next section, we need to get a better understanding of two types of royalties first.
 
  1. Mechanical Royalties
  2. Performance Royalties
 
Mechanical Royalties
 Mechanical royalties are generated when music is physically or digitally reproduced or distributed. This applies to hard copy sales, digital sales (e.g. iTunes) and streams (e.g. Spotify).
 
Performance Royalties
Performance royalties are generated when a song is performed publicly. This applies to when music is played on the radio,
performed live or streamed for example.
 
Who gets the Mechanical Royalties?
 
In most cases, the artist is allowed to keep 100% of the mechanical royalties in exchange for the price they pay for the license.
Regardless of whether the license is non-exclusive or exclusive.
 
These days, distribution services like TuneCore, CDBaby or DistroKid pay these mechanical royalties directly to the artist. That
is if the artist works independently.
 
When an artist is signed to a label, the label usually collects the mechanical royalties and might choose to pay (a percentage of) it to the artist.
 
Advances against Mechanical Royalties in Exclusive Agreements
 

I intentionally said that “in most cases” the artist gets to collect 100% of the mechanical rights because this does not always apply. There’s an exception to this, which only applies to exclusive rights.

Some producers (including myself) ask for a tiny percentage of the Mechanical Royalties in their exclusive agreements. This could be anywhere between 1-10%.

This is also known as ‘points’ or ‘producer royalties’.

In this scenario, the price an artist pays for the exclusive rights is considered an “advance against mechanical royalties” that might become due in the future. It will be calculated over the Net Profit of a song. Meaning that all costs to create the song, including the exclusive price may be deducted first before the producer gets his cut.

Here’s an example to show you how this could potentially play out in a real-life situation.

Let’s say a producer sells the exclusive rights to a beat for $1,000

USD as an advance against royalties. His mechanical royalty rate is set to 3%.

 

The artist paid: 

  1. $1,000 for exclusive rights
  2. $500 for studio time
  3. $500 for getting the song mixed and mastered

 

 

Total expenses = $2,000

 

After 1 year, the song generated $10,000 in Mechanical Royalties!

 

The Net Profit: $10,000 – $2,000 expenses = $8,000 

The Producer’s Cut: 3% of $8,000 = $240

As an independent artist, $8,000 is a lot of money to generate on Mechanical Royalties. Still, only $240 has to be paid to the producer.

Why an Advance against Royalties?
It seems pointless, however, there’s a reason why some producers (including me) prefer selling exclusive rights with an advance
against royalties. A few years back, I could easily sell exclusive rights for anywhere between $2,000 – $10,000. The Good Ol’ Days!
 
These days, it’s considered ‘normal’ to sell exclusive rights for less than $1,000. With all the competition and the beat market becoming more saturated, the prices have dropped and it has become harder to close 4 or 5-figure exclusive deals.
 
But what if the song blows up!? What if a song starts generating millions of dollars and you sold the exclusive rights to that beat for less than $1,000?
 
That doesn’t really sound like a fair deal, does it?
 
An advance against royalties can offer the solution. It’s an insurance for the producer just in case the song blows up. It’s also something the artist only has to worry about as soon as the song starts generating serious revenue. And even still, it’s only 3%.
 
Who collects the Performance Royalties?
 
Performance royalties are collected and paid out by Performing Rights Organisations (PRO’s), such as ASCAP or BMI in the US or PRS in the UK.(Every country has its own organisation, check which one is yours)
 
These royalties are divided into two parts:
  1.  Songwriter Royalties (A.k.a. Writer’s Share)
  2.  Publishing Royalties
The PRO’s collect both of these royalties and divide them into two groups.
 
For every $1 earned on Performance Royalties:
 
  • $0.50 goes to Songwriter Royalties
 
  • $0.50 goes to Publishing Royalties.
 
  • The $0.50 Songwriter Royalties will be paid out to the songwriters directly by the PRO.
 
  • The other $0.50 publishing royalties will be paid out to a publishing company or publishing administrator. (more about this later).
 
What are songwriter royalties?
 
First, let’s break down the Songwriter Royalties.
 
The songwriter royalties, also known as the ‘Writer’s share’ will always be paid out to the credited songwriters. This is the part that can not be sold through an exclusive license, other than a work-for-hire agreement.
 
As I said before, this is wrong in the industry of licensing beats online.
In case you’re getting confused; In copyright law, a producer is considered a ‘songwriter’ too.
 
Songwriter royalties apply to anyone that had creative input in a song. Producers, songwriters (lyricists) and sometimes even
engineers.
 
Generally, non-exclusive beat licenses are sold with 50% publishing and writers share. This is usually not negotiable since the music part is the producers’ contribution to your song and is considered half of the song. The lyrics are considered the other half.
 
It doesn’t matter if there happen to be multiple songwriters that contributed to the lyrics. In that case, this 50% should be divided
between them.
 
Example Non-Exclusive beat licenses:
 
  • 50% Producer
  • 25% Writer 1
  • 25% Writer 2
 
As part of an exclusive rights deal, a different split between all creators could be negotiated. It all depends on the price and
flexibility of the producer.
 
While I generally stick to my 50%, some producers sometimes agree to the following example split.
 
Example Exclusive Licenses:
 
  • 30% Producer
  • 35% Writer 1
  • 35% Writer 2
 
What are Publishing Royalties?
Unlike Songwriter royalties, Publishing can be assigned to outside entities called publishing companies. Most independent artist and producers will most likely not have a publishing deal, which means they’ll have to collect the publishing royalties themselves. 
 
Surprisingly, a lot of money is left on the table here. If you’re an independent artist or producer that is only signed up with a PRO and not with a Publishing Administrator, half of what you’ve earned is still waiting for you to collect.
 
I’m personally using SongTrust services, which I’d recommend to any independent creator.

In terms of licensing beats online–regardless of an exclusive or non-exclusive license–the percentage of publishing rights is generally the equivalent of the writers share.

50% of writers share equals 50% publishing share.

Part 3: The Copyright Situation…Who owns what?

 
This is a tricky topic and it goes way further than I can explain here. If you really want to know the ins and outs concerning copyright, I suggest you dive deeper into Copyright Law using our good friend Google or consulting an actual attorney.
 
Again, going forward, I’ll explain about copyright solely in regards to licensing beats online. We’re going to dismantle a song to its
creators and copyright holders, hopefully making it clear to you who owns what.
 
Performing Arts Copyright (PA-Copyright)
 
Let’s say you’re an artist and you went to search for beats on YouTube. You found one that you like and you head over to the
producer’s website. You buy a license for that beat, write lyrics, create a song and distribute it through CDBaby, TuneCore or
DistroKid.
 
That song contains two copyrighted elements:
 
  • The Music
  • The Lyrics
 
The producer owns the copyright to the music and you own the copyright to the lyrics. 
 
Regardless of whether you’ve bought an Exclusive License or Non-Exclusive license. The producer will always own the copyright to the music and the artist will always own the copyright to the lyrics (unless it’s written by someone else other than the artist).
 
This is what we call Performing Arts Copyright (PA-Copyright).
 
On a side note: Many believe that you have to register the music or the lyrics with the U.S. Copyright office yet, in fact, the instant you write something on paper, make a beat in your DAW or save a demo song to your hard drive, it’s copyrighted!
 
The producer owns the copyright to the music and you own the copyright to the lyrics. Regardless of whether you’ve bought an Exclusive License or Non-Exclusive license. The producer will always own the copyright to the music and the artist will always own the copyright to the lyrics (unless it’s written by someone else other than the artist).
 
This is what we call Performing Arts Copyright (PA-Copyright).
 
On a side note: Many believe that you have to register the music or the lyrics with the U.S. Copyright office yet, in fact, the instant you write something on paper, make a beat in your DAW or save a demo song to your hard drive, it’s copyrighted!
 
Sure, there are benefits to properly registering with the U.S. Copyright office but, failure to do so doesn’t mean you will lose
ownership over your creation.
 
Sound Recording Copyright (SR-Copyright)
Back to that song you made. Together with the producer, you’ve created a new song. In legal terms, this is often referred to as the “Master” or “Sound Recording”.
 
Now, this is where things can cause confusion because the difference between an Exclusive or Non-Exclusive plays a huge role here.
 
As an artist, buying beats from a producer: 
 
  •  If you have exclusively licensed a beat, you do own the master and sound recording rights.
  •  If you have non-exclusively licensed a beat, you do not own the master and sound recording rights.
 
In an exclusive license, the Master rights will be transferred to the client (artist) and it will become their sole property, free from any claims from the Producer.
 
The only exception here is the producer’s right to jointly claim the copyright of the so-called ‘underlying musical composition’. This is what we referred to earlier as the PA-Copyright. The producer is and always will be the original creator of the music.
 
With a non-exclusive license, the client does not own the master or sound recording rights in the song. They’ve been licensed the right to use the beat and to commercially exploit the song based on the terms and conditions of the non-exclusive agreement. Yet again, they do own the PA Copyright of the lyrics.
 
Instead, what they’ve created is called a Derivative Work.
 
What’s a Derivative Work?
 
In regards to beat licensing, a derivative work is a combination of an original copyrighted work (the beat) in combination with someone else’s original work (the lyrics).
 
Derivative works are very common in the music industry and you probably come across them on a daily basis.
 
Examples are: Remixes, Translations (A Spanish version of an English song), Parodies, Movies based on books (Harry Potter)
 
Basically, these are all so-called ‘new versions’, created using preexisting copyrighted material.
 
In terms of beat licensing, a non-exclusive agreement authorises an artist to create such a ‘new version’, using the producers
copyrighted material. The only person that is able to authorize a derivative work is the owner of the underlying composition itself. In this case, the producer.
 
When someone licenses a beat on a non-exclusive basis, they’re specifically given the right to create a Derivative Work.
 
Exclusive or Non-Exclusive, what is best for you?
 
By now, we’ve covered all the differences between non-exclusive and exclusive licenses. But, if you’re an artist, you might still wonder which option is the best for you.
 
Besides the difference in price–in every way–an exclusive license is the better option. No doubt!
 
However, this is not a necessity for everyone. In fact, most artists are better off with a non-exclusive license.
 
Let’s have an honest view of your current situation…
 
  • How many followers and fans do you have?
  • How many songs have you released to date?
  • What is the number of plays/stream you get on average? (all platforms combined)
  • How big is your marketing budget?
  • Are you getting financial support from a label or publisher?
Ask yourself; What would be the best option for the artist you are TODAY? 
 
You see, most artists are simply not ready to buy exclusive rights yet. And there’s no shame in that at all. 
 
If you’re a young artist working on a mixtape or first album to get your name out there. Why would you spend that much money on exclusive rights if you’re not even sure if the record is going to get big?
 
The wise(r) investment would be to get one of the higher tier non-exclusive licenses. Preferably, the Unlimited Licenses.
 
This allows you to spend less, buy more licenses, release more music and gradually build your fanbase until you’re ready to take
that next step.
 
A summary of the differences between Exclusive and Non-Exclusive Licenses
 
In the image below you’ll find a summary and comparison between Non-Exclusive and Exclusive Beat Licensing. Please note that the Non-Exclusive ‘Sales’ and ‘Streams’ limit does not apply to the “Unlimited” licenses.
 

Part 4: FAQ About Beat Licensing


I want to license a beat that is already sold by the producer. Can I reach out to the exclusive purchaser so they can sell me a license?

No, that’s not an option. A common mistake made by artists that are (desperately) trying to license an already sold beat is, thinking they can locate the buyer and buy it from them.

Every exclusive contract states that the beat cannot be resold or licensed to a third party in its original form and if it’s not overlayed with lyrics. If they would, that would be a breach of the exclusive agreement.

Someone wants to buy a beat I already sold and asks if I can create a similar one. Can I?

In this case, we’ll have to define the word ‘similar’. If that means re-using parts of the sold beat or replicating melodies you used in that beat, then NO. You’re basically ‘sampling’ a beat that you’ve already sold. In a way, you’re creating a derivative work which
you’re no longer allowed to do.

But if that means using a similar song structure. Or similar instruments, yet different chords and melodies, then YES. It’s
possible to do that.

I recently bought a non-exclusive license for a beat. Now someone else bought it exclusively. What happens to my song?

Nothing! Your license will be in effect for the length of the agreement or until you’ve reached the maximum number of streams
and/or plays. (Check your license agreement). 

Your non-exclusive license agreement should include an “Effective Date” (the day you bought the license) and an “Expiration Date” (This could also be a period of time after which your license will expire. E.g. 5 years).

Within the Exclusive contract with the buyer, a so-called “notice of outstanding clients” will protect you from the exclusive buyer to strike you.

My non-exclusive license is reaching its streaming limit but I can’t buy a new license because the beat is already sold exclusively. Do I have to take the song down now?

If your non-exclusive license is reaching its streaming limits and extending the license is not an option, then yes––legally, you will have to take the song down. How unfortunate that might be.

This is the exact reason why the Unlimited Licenses are such a great option, considering they have no streaming cap. All though it’s more expensive, it does avoid (awkward) situations like these.

Someone released a song with one of my beats but didn’t get a license? What’s the best course of action?
Unfortunately, this happens a lot if you’re a producer promoting beats online. Luckily, there are different ways to go about this. The first step is to reach out to the artist(s) and notify them about the unauthorized use of the beat.

Then, offer them 2 options.

  • Either buy a license so they can keep the song online
  • Or remove the song entirely from all platforms it’s published on
The best-case scenario, they adhere to your request. But what if they don’t?

In that case, you have two options.

  • Leave it be

If the song isn’t really gaining numbers and is of very poor quality (which is usually the case when beats are used unauthorized), it might be best to leave it be. It’s not worth your time and money.

I created a beat with another producer. How do we split the publishing and songwriters share?

Collaboration splits are very common these days, yet there’s no quick answer to this question. It all depends on what terms you’re collaborating on.

If you’re collaborating with a producer and you upload that beat to your beat store, the most common split would be 50/50. That goes for sales, publishing and songwriter share.

When the beat is sold or licensed to an artist, they’re usually granted 50% of the publishing and writers share to the song they
make. Exact numbers might be different as it depends on the contract terms the producer offers.

But in this case, the split would be as follows.

  • Producer 1: 25%

  • Producer 2: 25%

  • Artist: 50%













First Time Buying Beats – Transitioning from Free Beats to Leasing Beats

Using Free Beats

First, let’s talk about free beats.

The easiest way to recognize a free beat is by the producer tags that you hear every 30 seconds. Once you buy a license for a beat, it will no longer have the tags in it.

If you’re in the possession of beats without a license agreement from the producer, you could consider that a free beat as well. In that case, you’re not authorized to use the beat for commercial purposes.

There’s also a discussion going on for years between artists and producers. It’s definitely worth explaining a little more.

Producers hate it when artists ask for free beats. And yes, it happens all the time.

In defence of the artists, I have to admit – The hypocrisy is REAL! When you’re looking for beats on YouTube, most of the titles you’ll find say “(FREE) BEAT” or “FREE DL”.

Basically, they’re offering free beats but then complain about artists using their beats for free.

How is that NOT confusing?

Well, let me explain…

The reason why producers add “FREE DL” in their titles has to do with marketing strategies and ranking on YouTube. In simple words: It’s just click bait.

In defence of the producers, including myself. Trust me when I say that many artists are taking advantage of our craft and hard work. My own beats are downloaded hundreds of thousands of times in the last couple of years. Most of them illegally.

Imagine the headaches…

So, I don’t feel bad about asking someone to buy a beat with a proper license that comes with it.

It makes it easier for all parties involved.

What can you do with a free beat?

That’s the thing! Not much… At least, nothing commercially or profitable.

Uploading on Facebook. Is that commercially? These days, yes.

Same goes for YouTube and Soundcloud (both are streaming services and ways to monetise your music).

Producers offer free beats to let artists…

● Try it out before they buy.

● Record vocals and see if their vocals match the key of the beat.

● Record a demo and get feedback before purchasing a license for it.

● Make sure that it’ll be worth the investment.

Sometimes I do permit people to upload their songs created with my free beats to social media

only. However, if I want to take the song down for no reason, it’ll be taken down within minutes.

Yes, I can do that.

Do not mess with free beats!

Get this in your head: There’s no such thing as a ‘free beat’.

If you are going to ask for something for free, ask for a ‘free license’.

If you’re using a beat for which you haven’t received a license agreement in writing from

the producer, you’re unauthorized to use it and you could get in serious trouble.

Buying beats online – How does it work?

By purchasing a beat, you are purchasing audio files that are copyrighted by the producer. In return for your payment, the producer grants you several rights to use the beat.

This is what we call the License Agreement.

There is a difference between:

1. Non-exclusive licenses

2. Exclusive licenses.

The biggest difference is that a non-exclusive license for one beat can be sold to several artists.

Yet, an exclusive license can only be sold once and to one artist only.

In this article, I will only address the subject of non-exclusive licensing.

I wrote an entire guide about the difference between Non-Exclusive and Exclusive

Licenses. Click the button below if you’re interested in learning more about this.

Different licensing options – Which one to choose?

Online producers offer different licensing options. In my case, I have 4 options.

● MP3

● Basic

● Premium

● Unlimited

Some producers might name them differently. They call them MP3 Lease, WAV Lease, Standard Lease etc. It’s all the same.

The more expensive the license, the more rights granted by the producer.

Also, the more expensive your license, the better quality audio files you will receive.

What is the best license to buy?

I am not gonna lie… Most people that buy beats online go for the cheaper licenses. One that comes with fewer user-rights and low-quality audio files. The user-rights granted in those cheaper licenses might be sufficient for them.

Yet, more importantly, are the quality of the audio files.

If you’re looking to create quality music or at least want to make music the right way, then make sure you get the Tracked Out files of a beat.

The best option is to go for a license that comes with Tracked Out Files. In my case, that would be the Premium or Unlimited license.

Don’t know what Tracked Out Files are? I’ve written an article about tracked out files and

why you need them.

If I buy a beat with a Basic License – Can I upgrade my license later?

On my website: YES!

But honestly, I haven’t seen many other producers offering this service too. Meaning that it might not always be an option.

The reason why I do offer licenses to be upgraded is that I know what it’s like when you’re transitioning from free beats to buying beats for the first time.

Money is always an issue, right…?

If you do not have the funds to go for a more expensive license, you can always upgrade later.

You’ll only pay the difference between the standard prices of the licenses.

If you want to know if other producers offer this service too, you would have to reach out to them

yourself. I can’t answer that question for them.

Once I buy a beat – Do I own any copyright?

Once you write your lyrics and record it over the beat, you will own the copyright to your lyrics only. And what you will create with the beat is a New Song, also known as a “Derivative Work.”

This means that you will own and control 50% of the so-called “Writer’s Share.”

The producer will own and control the other 50% of the Writer’s Share.

You have been licensed the right to use the beat and commercially exploit the song you make with it. Based on the terms and conditions of the license agreement you’ve purchased. The producer will remain the sole owner and holder of all right, title, and interest in the beat.

Again, more about this in The Ultimate Guide To Beat Licensing.

What happens to my song when someone else buys the exclusive rights for the beat I’ve licensed non-exclusively?

When it comes to buying beats online, you’re granted the rights the moment you purchased the beat. The license will go in effect immediately.

So, when someone else purchases the exclusive rights, it will not (immediately) affect you. Your non-exclusive license will still be valid.

But there are some things you need to know…

In the old days, you were granted the user rights in the non-exclusive licenses without an expiration date. A lot of producers still operate this way.

Nowadays, some producers sell licenses that expire after 2-6 years. In my case, my licenses expire after 5 years. This means that you will have to buy a new license after that term.

If someone purchased the exclusive rights during your term. That will only mean that you will no longer be able to renew your license after your term is due.

Producers don’t always show this information in their licensing tables. Make sure you check that before you make the purchase. There’s usually a button below the tables which lets you view the actual license agreement. I have them too (scroll up to see the image of my licensing tables).

One more thing regarding non-exclusive licenses!

I’ve noticed recently that some producers install a new term in their license agreement. One that grants the producer the right to end your license agreement even before your term is due.

The producer includes an exit clause in their agreements stating they’re allowed to terminate the license agreement upon written notice to you.

In return, they will pay you double or triple of what you’ve initially paid for the beat.

That does not have to be a problem for you, but whether it is, depends entirely on the success of your song.

Again, always check your agreements before buying beats online!

What if I buy a beat with a non-exclusive license and my song blows up?

It’s funny that this is such a common question. That’s why I’ve written an entire article to answer this question.

If you’re interested in learning more about this, click the link below.

Is it safe to buy beats online?

Most producers use a Beat Store Provider to sell their beats online. The most common ones are:

BeatStars.com

Airbit.com

Soundee.com (What I’m using)

All these platforms have a good reputation for representing producers and their music. The majority of online producers is also signed up with either one of them. That’s why a lot of producers’ websites and music players look alike.

These music players have an ‘instant delivery’ feature included. After you’ve made the payment, you will be redirected to a download area where you can safely download the files. You’ll also receive an order confirmation by email.

If you’re not sure if a producer is affiliated with one of these platforms, try to locate their producer name’s on the different platforms. If they are on it, you can make the purchase directly from the platform itself, just to be safe.

If they’re not on these platforms, reach out to the producer with any concerns you have. I’m sure they’ll respond once you tell them that you’re interested in buying beats from them. Make sure you’ve checked the website for an FAQ section, though. If you’re asking questions for which the answers are right in front of you, they do not always respond.

Keep in mind… On platforms like BeatStars, Airbit or Soundee, producers still create their own

license agreements. They operate on their own terms!

Before you buy a beat, always check the full license agreements or licensing terms. Those flashy pricing tables don’t always show you everything!

Here are some tips for buying beats online:

● Pay with PayPal or Stripe (they have buyers protection)

● Check if the producer sells through a BeatStars, Airbit or Soundee player

● Read the License Agreements (!)

● Reach out to the producer with your concerns

Did you come here looking to learn more before buying one of my beats?