Beat Licensing

When you’ve written a song that you feel has great potential, it is important to ensure you have legal right to use and make money from the use of that beat when it comes time to release it. Licensing the beat is the way to do this.

Typically, producers will offer a couple different licensing options for any given beat. The important thing to remember is that you do not own the exclusive rights to the use of this beat, the producer does, unless you purchase exclusive rights. However, this will typically come at a fee far larger than any of the licenses that are available. The reason for this is that a producer can license out the same beat an unlimited amount of times, until someone else purchases the exclusive rights. Typical licenses are essentially leases on the beat, and they have certain terms that once surpassed, require the licensee (you, the artist) to upgrade their license agreement. 

For example, with the purchase of a “Basic” license (which delivers an .mp3 file) from our AK Beatz library, you have the right to distribute up to 2,500 physical copies of the final work, accumulate up to 100,000 online audio streams, and create 1 music video.

With the purchase of a “Premium” license (which delivers both an .mp3 file, and higher-quality .wav file), you are entitled to the distribution of 5,000 physical copies, accumulation of 500,000 online audio streams, and the production of 1 music video.

These terms and conditions are legally binding, and laid out in full in the contract that you receive upon purchase of a beat license.

Some producers offer other means of receiving the beat at a premium, such as stems. For more information on stems, check out our blog “What is a Stem”.