Quality over everything

Since the very beginning of making music, I’ve always cared about one thing first: quality. ✅

Before I ever uploaded my beats online, I’d make sure they sounded right.

I’d send them to my homies, ask “Yo, does this really hit? Can I show this to the world?”

Because to me, music should be quality-driven.

Now, don’t get me wrong, sometimes tracks are made to sound lo-fi or dirty on purpose.

Just like old VHS tapes, that vibe can be dope. 🎞️

But here’s the difference: you can choose to give a track that vintage character, you can mix and master it to sound gritty… but you don’t need to limit yourself with a low-quality format to get there.

And that’s the problem with MP3.

If you want your track to sound retro, you can create that vibe in the mix. You don’t need a 128kbps MP3 holding you back. That’s why I don’t sell MP3 leases in my store. 🚫

In this article, I’m gonna break down why MP3 licenses aren’t worth it, and what you should be using instead if you actually care about your music sounding professional.

As always, let's dive in. 🤿

What’s an MP3 Lease?

Let’s start simple.

An MP3 lease is the most basic, cheapest license you can get when buying a beat.

You pay a small fee, and you get access to the beat, usually just a compressed MP3 file, untagged so you can record vocals on it.

Sounds cool, right? 

Low cost, easy to grab, and technically you’re “licensed.” But here’s the catch: MP3 is a lossy format.

That means part of the audio data is literally thrown away to make the file smaller. 🤏

In practice, this means you’re working with a weaker foundation for your song. If you try to mix or master it, you’re already at a disadvantage. It’s like building a house on soft sand, no matter how nice the furniture is, the base can’t really hold it up. 🏚️

Most MP3 leases also come with tight usage caps.

Limited streams, limited downloads, maybe even limits on how many videos you can drop with it (on Youtube, Instagram, TikTok etc.).

So not only is the sound quality worse, the actual rights you’re paying for are super restricted.

That’s why MP3 leases are mostly attractive for one reason: the price tag.

And honestly, that’s the wrong reason to choose a license for your music.

Why I Don’t Offer MP3 Leases

Here’s the deal.

I could put MP3 leases in my store, slap a $20 tag on them, and probably sell a bunch. But that’s not how I work.

I don’t want artists wasting money on something that won’t hold up. If you’re just writing demos, you don’t need to buy an MP3 lease.

You can download the free version straight from the producer’s page (mine too), write to it, see if the vibe clicks. Zero cost, zero risk.

But if you’re serious enough to release a song, MP3 isn’t gonna cut it.

The quality is too weak, and the limits are too strict. You’ll end up paying for a license that blocks you before your track even has a chance to grow. 🚫

On the technical side, MP3 is a lossy compressed format. That means frequencies get chopped off to make the file smaller.

Highs sound smeared, low end loses punch, transients don’t hit as clean. When you try to mix vocals on top of that, you’re fighting a file that’s already degraded. Compared to WAV, it’s night and day - WAV is lossless, gives you full detail, and mixes translate way better across headphones, cars, and speakers. 🎚️

That’s why I never offer MP3 leases on my site. I’d rather push you toward something that actually gives your music a shot - a WAV lease at minimum, Premium or Unlimited if you want real flexibility.

Because end of the day, your music deserves more than the cheapest option. And I’d rather lose a quick sale than see your song with poor quality, stuck with a mix that doesn’t bang. 💯 

Just being honest.

Free Downloads vs MP3 Leases

If all you need is to test ideas, you don’t even need to buy an MP3 lease.

Almost every producer (me included) offers a free version of their beats.

You can download it with tags, record your demo, freestyle, or just see if the concept actually works. 

So why would you pay $20 for the exact same thing in MP3? You’re still getting the weakest format, with limits that stop you from releasing seriously. 

Free beats are perfect for practice, writing, or building ideas. The second you know a track is strong enough to release, that’s when you move to a proper license, at least WAV, or Premium with stems if you want your engineer to really work. 🎧

MP3 lease is basically the same poor quality file as free beats - just without tags.

What You Should Use Instead

So if MP3 leases are a waste of money, what should you actually use?

Simple - step it up. Here’s how I look at it:

If you’re just writing or testing ideas:
Stick with the free version. Download it, vibe, write your hook, freestyle with your friends. No need to spend cash until the track proves it’s worth investing in.

If you’re ready to release on streaming platforms:
At minimum, grab a WAV Lease. It’s higher quality, lossless audio. Your mix engineer won’t hate you, and your song will stand up way better on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube. 🎶

If you’re pushing a serious single (with a video, promo, playlisting):
Go for Premium with stems. Stems are the game-changer - you can drop the drums in the hook, push the bass harder, mute a melody for dynamics. That’s how you make your track sound professional.

If you want total freedom and no caps:
That’s where the Unlimited License comes in. No stream limits, no video caps, no stress. You can run ads, post multiple videos, and keep growing without checking numbers.

If you’re betting big on one track or building an album:
That’s when Exclusive Rights make sense. Higher price, but nobody else will ever touch that beat again. It’s yours to build on, forever.

Wrapping it up

So here’s the takeaway: MP3 leases aren’t it.

They’re low quality, hard to mix, packed with restrictions, and honestly just a waste of money. If you’re writing demos, grab the free version. If you’re dropping real music, start with WAV or higher.

That’s why on my store you’ll never see an MP3 license, I go straight to WAV. Because if you’re investing in your music, even at the most basic level, you deserve a solid foundation to build on. 📈

And if you’re shopping somewhere else and you find a beat you like, remember this: skip the MP3 every. single. time.

It might look cheap, but it’ll cost you way more in the long run. Please, do yourself a favor and get at least the WAV.

At the end of the day, quality matters.

The format you choose is the base your whole track stands on. Don’t cut corners on the foundation, make it solid, and let the music do the rest. 🚀

If you are working on an album, ep or your next single and you are looking for hiqh quality beats you should check out my catalog.

Take care,

Baxon 👊