PremiumBeat

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:

1. Creator License: Covers student projects and personal social media content. Limited to 5 territories and up to 1,000 downloads. One project per license.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

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