What’s the difference between leasing and exclusive beat licenses?

Beat Store : https://stephenallenmusic.beatstars.com/

Understanding the difference between leases and exclusive licenses is crucial for both beat sellers and buyers. Each comes with different rights, prices, and business strategies.

 What Is a Beat Lease?

A beat lease is a non-exclusive license, meaning:

• Multiple artists can lease the same beat
• The producer retains full ownership
• Buyers receive limited usage rights (e.g., 10,000 streams, 1 music video, etc.)
• Common lease types: Basic, Premium, Unlimited
• Pricing: Usually $20–$100 depending on license type

 Great for budget-conscious artists and for producers looking to scale

 What Is an Exclusive License?

An exclusive license gives one artist the right to use the beat:

• Once sold exclusively, the beat is removed from sale
• The artist usually receives unlimited rights to use the beat commercially
• Producer may retain some publishing rights, depending on the contract
• Pricing: Typically $200–$1,000+ depending on demand, quality, and producer’s reputation

 Ideal for serious artists who want full control over their track and ownership

 Key Differences

Feature	Lease	Exclusive License
Ownership	Producer retains	Shared or transferred use
Rights	Limited (streaming, video, etc.)	Full (often unlimited)
Resellable?	Yes – to many artists	No – sold to one buyer only
Price Range	$20–$100 per lease	$200–$1,000+
File Delivery	MP3/WAV, sometimes stems	WAV + Stems (usually)
Use Case	Budget releases, mixtapes	Albums, official singles

 When Should You Sell Exclusives?

• When a beat is in high demand
• When an artist wants full ownership for branding
• As part of premium upsell strategy
• When you’re ready to remove the beat from your catalog

 Final Tip:

Always use clear contracts for both leases and exclusives, and keep track of what has been sold where. A solid system protects you and helps maximize both short-term income (leases) and long-term wins (exclusives).