Licensing & Publishing
Every beat on STZ is sold under one of three license tiers. This page explains what each one actually lets you do, plus what "publishing" means for you as the artist once you've built a song on top of it.
| License | What you get | Exclusivity |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum (Basic Lease) | MP3 + WAV, 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/mastering | Non-exclusive — the beat stays on sale to other artists |
| Exclusive | All files including stems, full commercial usage rights, no restrictions on plays/sales | Exclusive — beat is taken down from the store and not resold to anyone else |
Full terms for each tier are shown on the beat's product page and again at checkout before you pay — always the version you agreed to at the time of 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 exactly that — non-exclusive. The same beat can be leased to other artists before or after you, since STZ retains ownership and keeps it available for sale unless it's later taken exclusive by someone else.
Buying exclusive rights removes the beat from the store permanently and gives you the broadest usage rights STZ offers — 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 (e.g., full copyright assignment, co-writer credit, or a different royalty split), contact hello@thisisstz.com before purchasing — 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. That part is on you, and it's worth doing right:
- Register your song, not the beat. Once you've written lyrics/topline and released a finished song built on an STZ beat, you (the songwriter) should register that song with a Performing Rights Organization — ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC in the US, or the equivalent PRO in your country — to collect your performance royalties.
- Producer credit. Non-exclusive licenses require a "prod. by STZ" (or agreed equivalent) credit wherever the song is released. Exclusive licenses don't require this unless your agreement says otherwise.
- Sync licensing. If you want to place your song in a film, show, ad, or game, sync licenses are handled separately and aren't automatically included in any STZ beat license. Reach out 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 states otherwise. Packs are a bundled price on multiple non-exclusive leases, not a group exclusive purchase.
Packs are delivered as MP3 + WAV only — trackout stems are not included at any pack tier. If you need stems for a beat, buy that beat on the Stems+ license separately.
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 specifically agreed to in writing before the project starts.