Licensing Guide

What BeatTaste Is

BeatTaste is a curated catalog of type beats — instrumentals hand-selected from across the internet and organized in one clean, searchable platform for artists and songwriters. We research, evaluate, and list beats so you can discover great music faster.

We are not a marketplace, store, or licensing platform. BeatTaste does not sell, host, or own any of the beats in our catalog. We do not process payments, issue licenses, or enter into any contractual arrangement with artists or producers. Every financial and legal transaction related to a beat occurs entirely on the producer's marketplace — not on BeatTaste.

Think of us the way you'd think of a music blog or editorial playlist: we spotlight the best content so you can find it, then we send you directly to the source.

How Licensing Works

When you find a beat on BeatTaste and decide you want to use it, the licensing process follows these steps — all of which take place outside of BeatTaste:

BeatTaste is involved only in Step 1. From Step 2 onward, you are operating entirely within the producer's marketplace of choice, under their terms and conditions. Any questions about pricing, file formats, availability, or purchase issues must be directed to that marketplace — not to BeatTaste.

Types of Licenses

Beat licensing is done directly by producers on their marketplaces. The exact tiers and terms vary by producer, but here are the most common license types you'll encounter in the type beat industry:

What You're Buying

When you license a beat, you are purchasing a license to use the beat — not the beat itself. The producer retains the copyright and underlying ownership of the instrumental at all times. A license is a permission granted to you under specific conditions, defined in the agreement you accept at the point of purchase.

• The right to record vocals or other content over the instrumental
• The right to distribute the resulting song on streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)
• The right to monetize the song on YouTube and other platforms (subject to tier limits)
• The right to perform the song live
• Audio files (MP3, WAV, or stems depending on tier) for use in your production

• Ownership of the beat or its underlying copyright
• The right to resell or sublicense the beat to other artists
• The right to sample or use the beat as a sample in another production
• Unlimited commercial use beyond the agreed caps (for non-exclusive tiers)
• Clearance of any third-party samples the producer may have included in the beat

BeatTaste's Role

To be absolutely clear about what BeatTaste is and is not responsible for:

Because licensing happens entirely off-platform, BeatTaste cannot guarantee that any beat in our catalog is currently available, at the price shown on the marketplace at the time of discovery, or that the producer's listing remains active.

Ownership & Copyright

All beats featured on BeatTaste are the intellectual property of their respective producers and rights holders. BeatTaste claims no ownership over, and receives no royalties from, any beat listed on the platform.

Listing a beat on BeatTaste does not transfer any rights from the producer to BeatTaste, and it does not grant visitors any rights to use the beat without a valid license obtained through the appropriate marketplace.

Even after you purchase a lease license, the producer retains the copyright to the instrumental. You receive usage rights only — not ownership. For exclusive purchases, the producer typically transfers broad usage rights (and sometimes copyright, depending on the agreement) but this is entirely defined in the marketplace contract, not by BeatTaste.

Most license agreements require you to credit the producer in your song metadata, streaming profile, and/or video descriptions. Credit requirements vary by license tier and are set by the producer. Check your license agreement for specifics — typically: "[Song Title] (prod. by [Producer Name])".

BeatTaste may play short audio previews of featured beats for editorial and promotional purposes — similar to how a music blog embeds tracks for review. This constitutes referential use under our Terms & Conditions and is not a license grant to visitors.

After You License

Once you've completed a license purchase on the marketplace, here's what to keep in mind:

Download and save the PDF or email confirmation of your license. If a beat is later disputed on a streaming platform or social media, you'll need to provide proof of license. BeatTaste cannot supply this — only the marketplace can.

If you plan to release your song commercially, register it with a Performing Rights Organization (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC in the US; PRS in the UK; SOCAN in Canada, etc.). This ensures you collect performance royalties from radio, streaming, and live use. Note that under most non-exclusive leases, the producer has also registered the instrumental — you typically share royalties rather than collecting 100%.

Non-exclusive leases come with caps — typically on streams, downloads, or revenue. Once you approach those limits, you should upgrade to a higher tier or purchase an exclusive license from the producer. Continuing to use a beat beyond your license terms is a copyright violation and the producer's right to enforce.

When a beat is sold exclusively, the producer typically removes it from public sale. BeatTaste may not reflect this in real time. If you click through to a marketplace and find a beat is no longer available, it has likely been sold exclusively or removed by the producer.

Disputes & Issues

All payment and refund disputes are handled exclusively by the marketplace where the purchase was made. BeatTaste is not a party to the transaction and cannot issue refunds, intervene in disputes, or retrieve purchase records.

If your song receives a Content ID or copyright claim on YouTube, Spotify, or another platform due to a beat you licensed, contact the producer first — then follow the dispute process on the streaming platform. Present your license agreement as evidence. Again, BeatTaste is not involved in this process.

If you believe a beat listed on our platform infringes on your copyright, or you are a producer who wishes to have your beat removed, use the Report Sound button on the beat card or contact us at dmca@beattaste.com. We respond to all valid DMCA takedown notices in accordance with our Terms & Conditions.

Contact

BeatTaste can help with questions about the catalog, our platform, or DMCA matters. For everything related to a specific beat purchase — pricing, files, refunds, license terms — please contact the marketplace directly.