PremiumBeat is a royalty-free music licensing platform owned by Shutterstock, offering a curated catalog of over 40,000 studio-quality tracks and sound effects for use in film, television, advertising, corporate video, and digital content. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, the platform provides perpetual licenses with all rights included, covering every project type from student films to broadcast television.
How PremiumBeat Works
PremiumBeat operates on a royalty-free licensing model. Composers submit original music for review, and accepted tracks enter a curated catalog that customers can search, preview, and license online. The platform offers two purchasing models: individual track licenses and unlimited subscription plans.
License Tiers
PremiumBeat structures its licenses by project budget and usage scope:
- Creator License: Covers student projects and personal social media content. Limited to 5 territories and up to 1,000 downloads. One project per license.
- Standard License: Covers projects with budgets under $2 million USD. Limited to 5 territories and up to 50,000 downloads. One project per license. Client work allowed.
- Premium License: Covers projects with budgets under $5 million USD. Worldwide coverage. Unlimited downloads. One project per license. Includes broadcast, film, radio, app, game, and industrial use rights.
- Business License: Covers unlimited project budgets. Worldwide coverage. Unlimited downloads. Unlimited projects. Designed for agencies and production companies handling multiple client projects.
All licenses are perpetual. The music remains cleared forever for the project it was licensed for. No recurring fees are required after purchase.
Subscription Plans
In 2024, PremiumBeat introduced unlimited subscription plans that give subscribers access to the entire 40,000+ track catalog:
- Personal: For individual creators publishing on personal social channels. Monetize one social channel. Unlimited downloads.
- Standard: For creators doing client work. Monetize up to 5 social channels. Unlimited downloads.
- Premium: For teams needing broadcast, radio, film, app, and game coverage. Monetize unlimited social channels. Includes team plans, music curation, and custom invoicing.
Subscribers also receive a unique ID for each licensed track, which protects YouTube videos from copyright claims. Any content published during an active subscription stays cleared forever, even if the subscription is cancelled.
Artist Submission Process
Composers interested in joining the PremiumBeat catalog must meet strict requirements:
- Music must be 100% original. The composer must own and control 100% of the copyright in both the composition and the master recording.
- Music must be free of third-party rights. No uncleared samples, no co-writers who have not agreed to the submission.
- PremiumBeat acts as the exclusive music publisher for all accepted tracks.
The review team evaluates submissions for production quality, commercial suitability, and originality. Not all submissions are accepted.
Real-World Example
A freelance video producer needs background music for a corporate promotional video with a production budget of $500,000. They purchase a PremiumBeat Standard License for a single track at $49.99. The license covers the project in 5 territories, permits up to 50,000 downloads, and remains valid in perpetuity.
If the same producer later works on a broadcast television commercial with a $3 million budget, they upgrade to a Premium License for that track at $199.99. The Premium License covers worldwide usage, unlimited downloads, and all media types including TV, radio, film, apps, and games.
For a production company handling 20 client projects per month, the Business subscription makes more financial sense. The company gets unlimited downloads across unlimited projects, each cleared worldwide with no per-track negotiation. A traditional sync deal for a single broadcast placement could cost $1,000 to $5,000. The subscription model covers all 20 projects for one monthly fee.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
PremiumBeat offers composers a pathway to earn revenue from production music without managing their own licensing infrastructure. The platform handles licensing, customer support, and copyright enforcement. Composers focus on creating music while PremiumBeat handles the business side.
Key considerations before submitting your music:
- You transfer publishing rights: PremiumBeat acts as the exclusive publisher for accepted tracks. This means you cannot license those tracks through other libraries or directly to clients. Read our guide to music licensing agreements to understand what exclusive publishing means.
- Quality standards are high: PremiumBeat curates its catalog. Tracks must be broadcast-ready with clean mixes, proper mastering, and professional production values. Learn more about production standards in our guide to creating music for sync licensing.
- Prepare instrumentals: Many license types require instrumental versions. Submitting stems and instrumentals alongside the full track increases your chances of acceptance.
- Metadata must be complete: Songwriter credits, publisher info, ISRC codes, and genre tags must all be accurate. Incomplete metadata slows down the review process and can lead to rejection.
- Revenue is shared, not fixed: Composers earn a percentage of each license sale and subscription revenue. The exact split depends on the agreement terms. Use our sync licensing fee calculator to compare potential earnings across different licensing models.
PremiumBeat's integration with Shutterstock gives composers exposure to a broader customer base. Shutterstock customers who need music alongside stock footage and photography can discover PremiumBeat tracks within the same ecosystem. The platform has provided royalty-free music for over 4.2 million creative projects since 2015.
Company Overview
PremiumBeat is a royalty-free music licensing platform. It is not a production music library or a sync placement agency. The platform curates a catalog of original tracks from independent composers and licenses them to content creators. Shutterstock acquired PremiumBeat, integrating it into a broader stock media ecosystem that also includes stock footage and photography.
Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, PremiumBeat has provided music for over 4.2 million creative projects since 2015. The platform operates as an exclusive publisher for all accepted tracks, meaning composers cannot license those same tracks through other libraries or directly to clients.
Licensing Model
PremiumBeat offers two purchasing models: individual track licenses and unlimited subscription plans.
Per-Track Licenses
Licenses are structured by project budget and usage scope:
- Creator License ($49.99): Student projects and personal social media. Limited to 5 territories and up to 1,000 downloads. One project per license.
- Standard License ($99.99): Projects with budgets under $2 million USD. Limited to 5 territories and up to 50,000 downloads. One project per license. Client work allowed.
- Premium License ($199.99): Projects with budgets under $5 million USD. Worldwide coverage. Unlimited downloads. One project per license. Includes broadcast, film, radio, app, game, and industrial use rights.
- Business License ($299.99): Unlimited project budgets. Worldwide coverage. Unlimited downloads. Unlimited projects. Designed for agencies and production companies.
All licenses are perpetual. The music remains cleared forever for the project it was licensed for. No recurring fees are required after purchase.
Subscription Plans
PremiumBeat offers unlimited subscription plans with access to the full 40,000+ track catalog:
- Personal: Individual creators publishing on personal social channels. Monetize one social channel. Unlimited downloads.
- Standard: Creators doing client work. Monetize up to 5 social channels. Unlimited downloads.
- Premium: Teams needing broadcast, radio, film, app, and game coverage. Monetize unlimited social channels. Includes team plans, music curation, and custom invoicing.
Subscribers receive a unique ID for each licensed track, which protects YouTube videos from copyright claims. Content published during an active subscription stays cleared forever, even if the subscription is cancelled.
Catalog Size and Genre Coverage
PremiumBeat's catalog contains over 40,000 studio-quality tracks and sound effects. Genres include cinematic, corporate, electronic, rock, pop, and production music. The platform also offers a sound effects library.
Every track license includes multiple versions: a 15-second cut, a 30-second cut, and a 60-second cut, alongside the full track. This gives editors pre-made cutdowns without extra cost.
Clients
PremiumBeat serves a range of client types:
- Broadcast networks: Television productions needing cleared music for programming
- Film productions: Independent and studio film projects
- Advertising agencies: Commercial productions across digital and broadcast
- Corporate clients: Internal communications, promotional videos, and branded content
- YouTube creators: Content creators needing monetizable, copyright-safe music
- Podcast producers: Background music and sound effects for podcast episodes
- Game developers: Game soundtracks and interactive media
PremiumBeat's integration with Shutterstock gives composers exposure to Shutterstock's customer base. Customers who need music alongside stock footage and photography can discover PremiumBeat tracks within the same platform.
How PremiumBeat Pays Artists
PremiumBeat uses an exclusive publishing model with upfront payment:
- Upfront fee per track: Composers report receiving approximately $600 per accepted track. A batch of 10 signed tracks can yield approximately $6,000 upfront.
- Exclusive publishing: PremiumBeat becomes the exclusive publisher for all accepted tracks. Composers cannot license those tracks through other libraries or directly to clients.
- PRO royalties retained: The majority of PremiumBeat tracks are affiliated with Performing Rights Organizations. When music airs on broadcast TV, radio, or film, composers earn performance royalties through their PRO. These royalties are separate from the upfront fee and are collected by the broadcaster through blanket licensing agreements.
- No per-placement royalty share: Unlike curated agencies that split sync fees 50/50, PremiumBeat's model is a buyout. The composer receives the upfront fee and PRO royalties, but does not share in individual license sale revenue.
Composers must submit cue sheets for broadcast productions to ensure PRO payment. PremiumBeat provides composer and publisher information for cue sheets on request at support@premiumbeat.com or cuesheets@shutterstock.com.
Videos
The video below reviews the best royalty-free music licensing sites for wedding films, including a detailed segment on PremiumBeat's per-track licensing model, pricing, and included cutdowns.
Below is a comparison of the top royalty-free music websites, including PremiumBeat. The video covers pricing models, catalog quality, and which platforms work best for different creator types.
Comparison: PremiumBeat vs Other Sync Licensing Companies
| Feature | PremiumBeat | Audio Network | Musicbed | Epidemic Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company type | Royalty-free platform | Production music library | Curated licensing platform | Royalty-free platform |
| Catalog size | 40,000+ tracks | 308,000+ tracks | 70,000+ tracks | 55,000+ tracks |
| Ownership model | Exclusive publisher for accepted tracks | Owns 100% of catalog | Rights-managed, artists retain ownership | Buyout, acquires all rights |
| Licensing model | Per-track and subscription | Per-use, per-project, subscription | Subscription and single-song | Subscription only |
| Per-track starting price | $49.99 | ~$200 | $59.99 (personal) | Not available (subscription only) |
| Subscription starting price | Personal plan (varies) | ~$3,500/year (team) | $29.99/month | $17.99/month |
| Artist payment | ~$600 upfront per track + PRO royalties | Upfront fee (GBP 200 to GBP 1,500) or 40 to 60% share + PRO royalties | ~50/50 split on sync fees + PRO royalties | Upfront fee ($2,000 to $8,000) + 50/50 streaming split |
| PRO affiliation | Yes, composers retain PRO rights | Yes, composers retain writer's share | Yes, artists retain PRO rights | No, direct license |
| License duration | Perpetual | Perpetual | Subscription period (content stays cleared) | Subscription period (content stays cleared) |
| Included cutdowns | 15s, 30s, 60s per track | Yes, stems and cutdowns | No | Yes, stems available |
| Free trial | No | No | 14-day free trial | 30-day free trial |
Similar Sync Licensing Companies
- Audio Network - Production music library with 308,000+ owned tracks
- Musicbed - Curated rights-managed platform with 70,000+ tracks
- Epidemic Sound - Subscription-based royalty-free platform with buyout model
- Artlist - Subscription-based royalty-free music platform
- Pond5 - Media marketplace with per-track music licensing
- Audiojungle - Per-track royalty-free music marketplace by Envato
Related Resources
- Sync Licensing for Independent Musicians - Complete guide to getting your first placement
- Sync Licensing Companies vs Music Libraries - How PremiumBeat compares to other licensing models
- Library Music and Production Music for Passive Income - Understanding royalty-free library compensation
- Music Licensing Agreements: Types, Terms, and Red Flags - What exclusive publishing means for your rights
- Sync License Glossary Definition - Core sync licensing terminology
- PremiumBeat Official Website - Browse the catalog and submit your music
