Buying beats the right way

For a lot of independent artists, purchasing beats online is the easiest way to get access to high-quality production without having a producer friend in your corner.

If you don’t have someone who can cook up instrumentals for you on demand, then shopping for beats online is one of the best ways to discover your sound at a price that works for your budget.

But here’s the thing.

The internet is full of traps. 🪤

Some “producers” are selling $5 beats claiming to give you “full rights,” when in reality they’re stolen instrumentals ripped from someone else’s store.

Others don’t provide clear license terms, don’t offer any support after you purchase, or simply disappear once they get paid.

I’ve been producing for years, and I’ve seen enough of these scams to know that artists - especially upcoming ones - need to be extra careful.

So in this article, I’ll walk you through five major red flags you need to watch out for when buying beats online, and how to avoid wasting your time, money, and energy.

Let's go. 👊

Red Flag #1: Too Good to Be True Prices

If you’re a creative stepping into the music business, you already know one thing: putting a price on art is tough. 🎨💸

Do you charge based on the hours you’ve put in? 

The skills you’ve built?

The years of experience?

There’s no exact formula, and honestly, it usually takes years of trial and error before anyone figures out their pricing - artists, producers, painters etc.

I’ve been producing long enough to know exactly what I charge for custom work, what my licenses cost, and how I price my digital products.

But every now and then, I’ll see an ad on Facebook like:

👉 “20GB of beats, full rights, only $5!”

Sounds amazing, right? Except… most of the time, it’s not.

Yes, there are legit cases where producers sell beat packs dirt cheap as a way to get exposure or generate quick sales. Usually these aren’t exclusive rights, but limited licenses - which is fine. A lot of artists don’t mind dropping $5 on a quick deal.

But here’s the flip side: 🎭

Many of these “too good to be true” offers are straight up scams.

Some people re-sell stolen beats ripped from other producers’ stores.

Others might be pushing AI-generated tracks with zero quality control.

And sometimes, the fine print hides the fact that what you’re really buying is just tagged MP3s - the same ones you could’ve downloaded for free.

So here’s the rule of thumb:

If you see 100 beats for $10, “all rights included,” pause. 🛑

Do your research before clicking buy.

Check the description. Look for licensing details. See if the seller has any online presence outside of that deal.

If it feels shady or too good to be true, chances are… it is. 🚫

Red Flag #2: No Clear Licensing Info

This one should be obvious… but let’s be real, a lot of artists still skip this step. ⚠️

Before you buy a beat - whether it’s a $20 MP3 or a $1000 exclusive - you need to know exactly what you’re getting.

If a producer’s site doesn’t clearly explain the licensing terms, or the info is super vague, that’s a red flag. 🚨

For example:

• Buying an exclusive? You should know if stems (trackouts) are included. Some producers only deliver a single WAV file, even for exclusives.
• Buying a non-exclusive? You should see limits spelled out: how many streams, how many sales, whether live shows are allowed, etc.
• Buying a lease? You should know what formats (MP3, WAV, stems) are included at each tier.

No info = no deal. ❌

Because here’s the thing: without clear licensing, you’re basically throwing money into the dark.

You won’t know what you can or can’t do with your song, and if problems come up later (like copyright issues or disputes), you’ve got nothing to fall back on.

A serious producer will always have a licensing page or at least a document outlining the terms.

If you can’t find it - or if the details feel shady - that’s your sign to walk away. 🚪

Red Flag #3: No Online Presence / Sketchy Branding

Here’s the deal: buying a beat online is no different than buying any other digital product on the internet. 🎧💻

Think of a producer’s website as an e-commerce store.

When you buy something online - sneakers, headphones, even a hoodie - you probably do a little research first, right?

You check the website, the branding, maybe even reviews, just to see if it feels trustworthy.

Well, buying beats should be the same.

If a producer has no online presence - no Instagram, no YouTube channel, no socials, no photo of who they are - that’s a red flag. 🚨

Why?

Because you’re not just buying a beat, you’re buying from a business.

And if the branding looks sketchy, the site feels sloppy, or you can’t tell if there’s even a real person behind it… how confident are you that you’ll get proper customer service after purchase?

At best, you might get your files but never hear from the producer again.

At worst, you could get scammed - fake licenses, broken downloads, or no delivery at all. ❌

A legit producer will usually have at least some online presence.

A website that feels like a real brand. 

A few social media accounts where you can see their face, their work, maybe even interactions with artists.

Bottom line: if you wouldn’t trust that brand to sell you a t-shirt, don’t trust them with your music career. 

Red Flag #4: No Customer Support / Hard to Reach the Producer

Buying a beat isn’t just about the file you download - it’s about the relationship you build with the producer. 🤝🎶

Sometimes you’ve got questions. 

Maybe the license terms aren’t clear.

Maybe you’re wondering what exact files you’ll get.

Maybe you want to know if you can upgrade your license later, or if the producer can tweak the beat, add an instrument, or even mix the final track for you.

That’s normal. That’s business.

But if you send an email… no response. You DM them on Instagram… nothing. You fill out the contact form on their website… silence.

That’s a huuuuge red flag. 🚨

Because a legit producer who cares about their craft and their clients will at least respond.

Even if the answer is “no” or “I don’t offer that,” you’ll get clarity.

If a producer can’t be bothered to reply when you’re literally offering them money, then imagine how they’ll treat you if there’s ever a problem with the files or licensing later.

Customer support might not sound like a big deal until you need it.

But trust me, in the music business, having a direct line to your producer can save you headaches, wasted money, and endless frustration.

Bottom line: if communication is dead, the business is dead.

Don’t waste your energy where you’re not respected. ❌

Red Flag #5: No Contract or Licensing Agreement

Here’s a scary thought: you pay for a beat online, you get the files… but no license.

No PDF. No document. No proof of rights. 📑

Just some MP3s or WAVs sitting in your inbox. 

Sounds harmless? Not really.

Because in the eyes of the law, without a license agreement, you technically have zero rights to use that beat.

The producer still owns all copyright by default, and you basically look like you just stole it. 🥷

Even worse - in many cases, if this happens, it’s a sign that the beat wasn’t legit in the first place. Sometimes scammers resell stolen beats from other producers, send you the files, but never issue a license.

And if your track blows up with that beat?

Congratulations, you just set yourself up for lawsuits, takedowns, and a whole lot of unnecessary drama.

That’s why the license document is just as important as the audio files. 📝

A proper license should spell out:

• What rights you have (streaming limits, performance rights, distribution limits, etc.).
• What files you get (MP3, WAV, stems).
• The exact terms of your usage (exclusive, non-exclusive, unlimited).

If you don’t get that, you don’t actually own the right to use the beat - even if you paid.

So here’s the bottom line: always check your inbox after purchasing a beat.

You should receive both the files and a license agreement.

If you don’t, hit up the producer immediately. And if they ghost you? That’s your sign that the whole deal was shady from the start.

Protect yourself, protect your art. If your song goes viral tomorrow, that little PDF could be the thing that saves your career. 🚀

Wrapping It Up

Buying beats online can be one of the best moves you make as an independent artist. 🌍

You get access to high-quality production from all over the world, at prices that are way more affordable than building a whole studio setup yourself.

But the internet is full of traps. 🚨

Too-good-to-be-true prices, missing licensing info, sketchy branding, producers who ghost you, or even worse… no contract at all.

All of these are red flags that can mess up your music, your money, and even your career if you’re not careful.

At the end of the day, buying beats is like any other online business.

Do your research. Check if the producer is legit. Make sure licensing is clear. And don’t ignore your gut - if something feels off, it probably is.

When you buy from a trustworthy producer, you’re not just buying a file, you’re buying a piece of their craft, their brand, and their support for your journey as an artist. 🎶

So stay smart, protect your music, and invest in beats the right way.

The safer you are, the smoother your path to building a real catalog and dropping songs that last. 🚀

And if you’re looking for safe, high-quality beats from a producer who actually cares about his artists, check out my catalog here.

Take care,

Baxon 👊