How long do beat leases last? Expiry rules for 2026
How long do beat leases last? When leases expire, what ends them early, what happens if the beat is sold exclusively, and music video and live show rights.
How long do beat leases last? It depends on the licence. Some run for a set number of years or until a stream cap is reached. Others never expire. On Airtune, the standard Easy leases have no expiry date and no stream cap, and they stay valid even if someone later buys the beat exclusively.
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How long do beat leases last? As long as the licence you buy says, because no single rule applies everywhere. Some leases end after a fixed time or once your song hits a stream or sales cap. Others last for as long as the copyright does. The answer is always written in the licence, under a line such as “term” or “duration”.
In short
- Every lease has a term, written in the licence, so read it before you pay.
- Airtune’s standard Easy leases have no expiry date and no stream cap.
- An exclusive sale later does not cancel an Airtune lease you already bought.
Need the basics first? Start with our guide to leasing beats.
How long do beat leases last?
Beat leases last as long as their licence says. There are three common patterns. A time-limited lease runs for a fixed period, such as a set number of years, and then ends. A capped lease lasts until your song reaches a set number of streams, sales or video views. A perpetual lease has no end date at all.
Many stores mix the first two. A cheap lease might allow a small number of streams for a few years, while a pricier one raises the cap. When you hit either limit, you need to renew, upgrade or stop using the beat. That can force a takedown just as a song grows.
On Airtune, the standard Easy MP3, Easy WAV and Easy Stems leases are perpetual by default. They also allow unlimited streams and monetised music videos, so there is no stream or video cap. Terms can differ from beat to beat, so check the rows under “What Airtune Easy WAV lets you do” on the beat page.
| Lease type | When it ends | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Time-limited | After the term in the licence | Note the end date |
| Capped | When streams, sales or views pass the limit | Track your numbers |
| Perpetual | Never, unless the licence is broken or refunded | Keep the licence safe |
| Airtune Easy (default) | No expiry date, no stream cap | Check any custom terms |
Do leases expire if the licence has no end date?
A lease with no end date does not expire with time, but it can still end in other ways. The two most common are breaking the terms and getting a refund. Knowing both protects your song.
Breaking the terms is the bigger risk. If you resell the beat, register it with YouTube Content ID, or leave out the credit the licence asks for, the producer can end the licence. Your song could then be taken down from streaming platforms and YouTube.
A refund also ends a lease. On Airtune, sales are final except for genuine delivery problems, such as missing or broken files, and your licence may give you extra rights. Once a refund is approved, the licence is void, downloads stop, and you must delete the files. So check your files before you release. If you keep your side of the licence, an Airtune Easy lease keeps working for as long as your song is out.
- Breach: resale, Content ID or a missing credit can end the lease.
- Refund: an approved refund voids the licence.
- Time: only matters if the licence sets a term.
What happens to my lease if the beat is sold exclusively?
If the beat is sold exclusively after you lease it, your lease usually stays valid. You bought your rights first, and an exclusive buyer cannot take them back. What changes is the future: the producer stops selling new leases on that beat.
On Airtune, the licensing page says it directly: licences already sold stay valid, and nobody new can lease the beat. The beat is marked as sold out. Your song can stay on Spotify, JioSaavn and YouTube, and your licence keeps its terms, including its unlimited streams.
So you do not lose anything in this case, because your licence survives. On some other stores, a lease can say it ends when an exclusive is sold, so read the term line before you buy. If you want a beat nobody else can ever use again, that is what an exclusive licence is for. Our guide on releasing a leased beat on Spotify covers the release steps.
Tip: Keep your licence PDF with your song files. If anyone asks about the beat after an exclusive sale, the date on your licence shows you were first.
Can I use a leased beat in a music video?
Yes, you can use a leased beat in a music video if the licence allows video use. Most leases do, but many cheaper leases on other stores cap the number of videos or the views a video may get. Some also separate monetised videos, which earn ad money, from non-monetised ones.
On Airtune, every Easy lease (MP3, WAV and Stems) allows unlimited monetised music videos. So you can post the main video, a lyric video and a performance clip, and turn on ads for all of them. Because the default term has no expiry, those videos can stay up for as long as you like.
One rule still matters on YouTube. Do not register the song with Content ID if it uses a leased beat. Other artists lease the same beat, so your claims would hit their videos. The beat page shows what your licence allows. Your licence is your proof if a claim ever lands on your own video.
This is general information, not legal advice. For a big deal, ask a music lawyer.
Can I perform a leased beat at live shows?
Yes, you can usually perform a song on a leased beat at live shows, but check the performance line in the licence. Some leases cap paid shows or only allow free events. Others allow any number of shows, paid or free.
On Airtune, the default contract terms allow unlimited paid and non-profit performances on the Easy MP3, Easy WAV and Easy Stems leases. Those terms have no expiry date, so a song you leased in 2026 can still be in your set years later. That covers college fests, club nights, open mics and ticketed gigs.
Two points help on stage. First, credit the producer wherever the licence asks, such as in the event credits or when you announce the song. Second, play the untagged file you bought, never the tagged preview. A producer can sell a custom licence with different performance terms, so read the beat page before you buy. Our guide to the beat licence agreement explains each clause.
Beat lease terms to check before you buy
Every beat lease has a few lines that decide how long and how widely you can use it. Read these before you pay, on any store.
| Term in the licence | What it tells you | Airtune Easy default |
|---|---|---|
| Term or duration | When the lease ends | No expiry |
| Audio streams | Stream cap, if any | Unlimited |
| Music videos | Video count and monetisation | Unlimited, monetised allowed |
| Performances | Paid and free shows | Unlimited |
| Content ID | Whether you may register | Shown on the beat page (varies by beat) |
| Credit | How to credit the producer | Always required |
Worked example: a lease over ten years
A singer in Bhopal buys an Easy WAV lease at its ₹999 minimum in 2026. In 2030 someone buys the beat exclusively. Her lease stays valid. In 2036 her song is still streaming, the video still earns, and she still owes the producer nothing more. The cost stays ₹999 for the life of the song.
Next steps
- Compare lease and exclusive rights in our guide to exclusive beats.
- Learn the lease basics in leasing beats.
- Read the full rights table on Airtune licensing.
- Find a beat to lease on Airtune Explore.