Most independent songs start on a beat someone else made. That is normal and legal, as long as the licence you bought covers what you do with the song. The problems start when artists treat a cheap lease as if it were ownership.
Lease or exclusive
| Lease (non-exclusive) | Exclusive | |
|---|---|---|
| Who else can use the beat | The producer can keep selling it to anyone | Nobody else after your purchase |
| Limits | Usually a cap on streams, sales or videos | Usually none, or far higher |
| YouTube Content ID | Not eligible | Eligible, if the beat contains nothing non-exclusive |
Why a leased beat cannot be claimed on YouTube
YouTube's rules for Content ID are plain: you must have exclusive rights to the material you claim, and content licensed non-exclusively from a third party is not eligible. Production loops and sound beds are not eligible either. A leased beat fails the first rule by definition, because the same beat sits under other artists' songs. If your song were claimed through Content ID, it would also claim every other song on that beat.
This does not stop you releasing the song to streaming services. It means the song should be delivered with YouTube Content ID switched off, and any claim you receive from the beat's producer is part of the deal you bought.
Keep the licence, not the receipt
- The licence document itself. A purchase receipt shows you paid; it does not show what you were allowed to do.
- The limits. Check the stream, sale and video caps against what you expect the song to do, and upgrade before you pass them, not after.
- Commercial use. The licence must allow commercial release on streaming services.
- The producer credit. Credit the producer as the licence requires, usually in the title or credits exactly as written there.
- Samples inside the beat. If the beat uses someone else's recording, the producer's licence does not clear it for you. Ask in writing.
When to buy the exclusive
If a song on a lease starts to grow, buying the exclusive is usually cheaper than the claims and the cap. Do it before the song becomes the one you are known for.
With Mazufa
Releasing with Mazufa is free: no upload fee, no subscription and no per-release fee, with the revenue share set out in your written agreement. A song on a leased beat goes through the same review as every release, and you may be asked for the licence before delivery. Apply at mazufa.com/apply.
Sources
- YouTube Help, Content eligible for Content ID — https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2605065
On the limits of this guide. Beat licences differ from producer to producer. This is not legal advice; your licence text decides what you may do.