Lease or exclusive?
Most artists do not need an exclusive. Some do, and buying a lease in that case costs you more in the end. The choice comes down to three things: how sure you are about the song, how far you expect it to go, and whether it matters that someone else can use the same beat.
Short answer: buy a lease when you release often, want to test a song or work on a tight budget; you can upgrade later. Buy an exclusive when a label, a sync deal or a brand needs you to be the only one on the beat, or when the song is the centre of a project with real money behind it. An exclusive stops new leases but does not cancel the old ones.
By TH6 · Updated
The difference at a glance
| Lease | Exclusive | |
|---|---|---|
| Who else can use the beat | Other artists, before and after you | Nobody new after you; earlier leases stay valid |
| Price at TH6 | € 75, € 110 or € 300 | Agreed per beat |
| Stream limit at TH6 | 100,000, 150,000 or none | None |
| Files | WAV and MP3 with tag; stems with the Unlimited Lease | Everything including stems; tag off is negotiable |
| Master share at TH6 | You 90%, TH6 10% | Agreed per deal |
| Your song in YouTube Content ID | No | Usually only if the beat was never leased |
When a lease is the smart move
- You release often and want to see which songs catch on.
- You are building a catalogue, and your budget goes further across more songs.
- The song is a single for now, and you want the option to move up if it takes off.
- You want to hear the finished song before you put serious money into it.
With a lease you pay little up front and upgrade when the numbers justify it. At TH6 that upgrade costs the difference, not a new full price, so starting small never punishes you. Most songs never get near 100,000 streams, and the ones that do have earned their upgrade by then.
When you need an exclusive
- The song is the lead single of a project with a real budget behind it.
- A label, a sync deal or a brand requires that nobody else uses the beat.
- You want the tag off, or you need control over the arrangement. Stems alone are no reason: the Unlimited Lease comes with them.
- You want your song in YouTube Content ID. That needs exclusive rights and, at most distributors, a beat that was never leased.
What an exclusive does and does not change
From the moment you buy, the beat comes off the market: no new leases. Leases sold before stay valid, and so do the songs released on them, on Spotify, on YouTube, everywhere. No store can take back a licence it already sold, so be wary of any store that promises otherwise.
An exclusive is a licence, not a transfer of copyright. At TH6 the master share on an exclusive is agreed per deal and can come out higher than on a lease. Whatever it lands on, it is on paper before anything is delivered.
Questions to ask before you buy an exclusive
- How many leases of this beat are out there, and to whom?
- Does the tag come off, and do I get the stems?
- What is the master split, and who registers the composition?
- Is it an exclusive licence or a transfer of copyright (a buy-out)?
- Is the beat, or a sample in it, registered in Content ID?
- Do I get the agreement in writing, signed, before I pay?
Start with a lease, move up later
You do not have to decide everything on day one. Release on a lease, watch what the song does, and move up when the numbers justify it. At TH6 the step from Basic to Premium or Unlimited costs the difference. If the beat is still available, you can also ask for an exclusive later; your own lease stays valid either way.
The one risk is time. While you wait, someone else can lease the same beat. If that would spoil the song for you, decide sooner.
The third option: custom
If you want a beat nobody has ever heard, a custom beat is written for you from scratch, with stems and exclusive rights from day one. It is priced per brief. For the full picture of what a licence covers, read beat licensing, explained.
Frequently asked questions
Can I upgrade a lease to an exclusive later?
Ask. If the beat is still available, an exclusive can be agreed later, and the existing leases, yours included, stay valid.
Is an exclusive worth it for a first release?
Usually not. A lease lets you release and see what happens, with the option to move up.
Does an exclusive remove the beat from YouTube and other sites?
It takes the beat off the shop. Songs released on earlier leases stay online; that is why the count of existing leases matters.
How much does an exclusive beat cost?
It depends on the producer and the beat, and it usually costs a multiple of the most expensive lease. At TH6 the price is agreed per beat; mail info@th6gotit.com with the beat you want.
Can I put a song on an exclusive beat in Content ID?
Often only if the beat was never leased. Distributors such as Ditto refuse exclusives on beats that were sold non-exclusively before, because the same beat is on other artists’ songs.