Licensing and publishing
Every beat on STZ is sold under one of three license tiers. This page explains what each tier lets you do, and what publishing means for you once you've built a song on a beat.
| License | What you get | Exclusivity |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum (Basic Lease) | MP3 and WAV files, with non-exclusive rights for streaming, downloads and monetized video | Non-exclusive. The beat stays on sale to other artists. |
| Stems+ | Everything in Minimum, plus full trackout stems for mixing and mastering | Non-exclusive. The beat stays on sale to other artists. |
| Exclusive | All files including stems, full commercial usage rights, and no limits on plays or sales | Exclusive. The beat is taken down from the store and never sold to anyone else. |
Full terms for each tier appear on the beat's product page and again at checkout before you pay. The version you agreed to at purchase governs your rights, not this summary.
These leases let you:
- Record, distribute and monetize one song using the beat, on any platform (streaming, YouTube, social)
- Perform the song live
- Sell or stream the resulting song commercially
They don't let you:
- Resell, sublicense or redistribute the beat file itself
- Claim ownership or authorship of the underlying instrumental
- Register the beat itself (as opposed to your finished song) with a PRO, Content ID or similar system
A non-exclusive lease means the same beat can be leased to other artists before or after you. STZ keeps ownership and keeps the beat for sale until someone buys it exclusively.
Buying exclusive rights removes the beat from the store permanently and gives you the broadest usage rights STZ offers, with no caps on streams, sales or monetized use. STZ will not sell that beat to anyone else after an exclusive purchase.
Exclusive rights transfer usage rights to the recording, not the underlying musical composition copyright unless a separate written agreement says otherwise. If you need a custom exclusive contract (for example full copyright assignment, co-writer credit or a different royalty split), email hello@thisisstz.com before you buy. The standard exclusive license is not renegotiated after checkout.
STZ isn't a publishing administrator and doesn't collect or distribute royalties on your behalf. Registration is your responsibility:
- Register your song, not the beat. Once you've written lyrics or a topline and released a finished song built on an STZ beat, register that song as the songwriter with a performing rights organization (ASCAP, BMI or SESAC in the US, or the equivalent in your country) to collect performance royalties.
- Producer credit. Non-exclusive licenses require a "prod. by STZ" credit (or an agreed equivalent) wherever the song is released. Exclusive licenses don't require one unless your agreement says otherwise.
- Sync licensing. To place your song in a film, show, ad or game, you need a sync license. No STZ beat license includes one. Email us if you need sync clearance on an STZ instrumental.
Each beat inside a pack (Minimum, EP or Debut Package) is licensed under the Minimum (Basic Lease) terms above unless the pack listing says otherwise. A pack is a bundled price on several non-exclusive leases, not a group exclusive purchase.
Packs are delivered as MP3 and WAV only. No pack tier includes trackout stems. If you need stems for a beat, buy that beat separately on the Stems+ license.
Motion Art, the 3 20-Second Lyric Videos pack and custom video projects are work-for-hire. You own the finished, delivered video for your own promotional and commercial use. Raw project files, source footage and editable templates aren't included unless we agree to them in writing before the project starts.