Music artists looking for that next career breakthrough might want to consider using beats with hooks.  This type of instrumental is super slept on and can add a whole new dimension to your song.  But before we dive into the benefits of using them, let's first clarify exactly what beats with hooks are. 

Basically, beats with hooks are instrumental tracks that come with blank verse sections and pre-written hook sections recorded and sung by an artist. This allows you to focus on writing and recording your own verses while having a professional-sounding chorus already built in. It's a truly win-win.

Now, you might be wondering why you should consider using beats with hooks in the first place. There are actually quite a few advantages to it. 

First and foremost, using beats with hooks can save you a ton of time and effort. Think about it – instead of spending hours or even days trying to come up with the perfect chorus, you can just use the pre-written hook that's provided with the beat. Even if you do end up writing a dope chorus, it might take even longer to develop the vocal chops needed to make it actually sound good.  Using beats with the hooks frees up your time and energy to focus on other aspects of your music, like writing and recording your verses or coming up with marketing schemes. And let's be real, who doesn't want to be more efficient it comes to music career? 

Time is a valuable resource, especially for artists who are trying to make a living off of their music.  By using beats with hooks, you can streamline your songwriting process and get more done in less time.

Another advantage of using beats with hooks is that they tend to have a professional sound. This is because the hook section is usually written and produced by experienced music producers and singers who know how to craft catchy and radio-friendly melodies. By using a beat with a hook, you can give your music a polished, professional feel without having to spend time and money hiring a producer, singer or songwriter on your own. And in today's competitive music industry, having a professional sound is crucial if you want to stand out. 

Coming up with a great hook can be tough. It takes a lot of creativity and effort, and sometimes you just can't seem to come up with something that feels right. That's where beats with hooks come in handy. By using a beat with a hook, you can draw inspiration from the pre-written hook and use it as a starting point for your own creative process. This can help jumpstart your inspiration and get your creative juices flowing. The vibe of the hook and the beat together may also provide you with a topic or style to run with in your verses.  Sometimes a pre-written hook will spark an idea that you never would have thought of on your own. 

Another benefit of using beats with hooks is that it can make your music more appealing to a wider audience. Choruses are usually the most memorable part of a song, and having a catchy hook can help your music stand out and stick in people's heads. By using a beat with a hook, you can ensure that your music has a memorable and catchy element that will attract a large range of different listeners. 

While many producers selling beats online overlook the ‘beats with hooks’ niche entirely, those that do offer them typically don’t charge a premium for them.  Often times, you can find beats with hooks on a producer’s website for the same price as plain beats without hooks.  In fact, our very own website offers beats with hooks for the same price as beats without them.  So at the end of the day, in addition to all the other benefits, you’re getting more bang for your buck when you lease or buy these kinds of beats.

And finally, using beats with hooks can be a great way to build your confidence as an artist. If you're just starting out, it can be intimidating to write and produce your own music from scratch. By using a beat with a hook, you can get a feel for the songwriting and production process without feeling overwhelmed. This can help boost your confidence and encourage you to continue pursuing your music career. 

Using beats with hooks can be a great way to save time, get a professional sound, find inspiration, appeal to a wider audience, save money and build your confidence as an artist. So if you're an artist looking to take your music to the next level, consider giving beats with hooks a try! You never know, it might just be the missing piece you've been looking for.

As an independent rapper or singer, you’re probably familiar with the concept of leasing beats.  Beat leasing has been around for more than a decade, with websites like SoundClick and more recently Beatstars bringing the idea mainstream and giving upcoming artists access to high quality instrumentals at a reasonable price like never before.

The set up works like this: the producer gets to keep ownership of their beat while selling non-exclusive licenses to artists for a small fraction of what it would normally cost to buy exclusive rights.  

This allows producers to continuously sell leases of the same beat, providing them with a steady stream of instant income without having to chase placements and wait for inconsistent industry payouts.  Artists benefit by getting instant access to professional beats that can be monetized on streaming platforms without having to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars for exclusive ownership of the instrumental in question.  Everybody wins.

Non-exclusive beat licensing has changed the music game forever.  Hit songs like Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road are now emerging from $30 MP3 leases and even major labels are starting to browse the Beatstars Marketplace for tracks for their artists.

But now a new concept is materializing.  One that has the power to improve the lives of independent artists and disrupt the industry once again: the non-exclusive feature.

Until recently, the thought of an unknown SoundCloud rapper securing a feature from a big-name industry artist was nothing more than a pipe dream.  An established rapper like Rick Ross, for instance, charges upwards of $80,000 for a single verse.  But these top tier acts are starting to partner with production powerhouses like Legion Beats and recording hooks and verses to be sold off non-exclusively to newer artists with much smaller budgets, just like producers did with their beats.  

In the same way that you can get affordable access to world class production thanks to platforms like Beatstars, you can now get features from household names – even if you have no following, clout or major label-type budget.

What’s most exciting about this is that non-exclusive features have the potential to transform the careers of artists on a level beyond what beat leasing has done.  The name recognition of a major artist alone will add tons of ears to independent musicians’ songs and provide their careers with added credibility in the eyes of their fans, followers and perhaps even music industry insiders.

While some may scoff at the thought of other artists out there having access to the exact same verses from these big names, the reality is that at the end of the day, the best music will always rise to the top.  It’s up to you as the artist to release the highest quality tracks that will cut through the noise.  It’s not the tools at your disposal that make the difference, it’s how you’re able to use them.  

Blazing the trail for this new opportunity are the music production juggernauts Legion Beats and Anno Domini.  Their Icons Packs, a series of bundles that include unreleased beats with commercial rights and features from big name artists, have begun to put non-exclusive features in the spotlight.

Their latest installment of the series, Icons 3, includes 30 unreleased beats with commercial rights and verses from Rick Ross, Rich The Kid and Dizzy Wright that artists can incorporate into their own songs and then release onto streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music for only $197.

Icons 3 allows rappers and singers to tap into this brand new opportunity before the general public becomes aware of it, providing a distinct advantage to artists who take decisive action and jump at the chance to invest in their music career.

Where the non-exclusive feature space goes from here is still up in the air, but chances are it will become a main staple for independent artists looking to get ahead.  And best believe, Legion Beats and Anno Domini will be leading the charge, as they always have.

So don't sleep.  Begin exploring non-exclusive features before the cat is completely out of the bag.