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Shutterstock for music producers

Shutterstock does not take music the way it takes photos and footage. A small music program, run with PremiumBeat, buys exclusive tracks for an upfront fee. Here is how it works, as of October 2026.

By , a composer with 300+ tracks on audio stock and 12 years in production. Checked on Shutterstock's own pages on 26 October 2026.

Type
Production music library
How to join
By applicationSend up to 5 tracks once. The PremiumBeat team picks
Exclusive
YesExclusive only. A full transfer of rights
AI-made music
Not acceptedContributor policy bars AI content. Music is not named

In short. Music works differently from photos and footage on Shutterstock. Its help center sends composers to the PremiumBeat team, which reviews up to 5 tracks per artist, once. Music is taken only exclusively, as a full transfer of rights for an upfront fee per track. There are no payouts from sales after that. A second submission is not reviewed, so send your best tracks first.

How to join

Shutterstock's help page for music contributors, dated 17 February 2026, says: "We currently work with a very small number of music contributors." It also says that onboarding for music "is different from the experience for a footage or image contributor".

How to send music:

  • Where. Through the PremiumBeat submission page. "Our colleagues at PremiumBeat will reach out to you if your submission is accepted."
  • How many. "For your initial batch, send us up to 5 tracks."
  • Format. MP3, at most 15 MB a file.
  • Length. About 2:30 to 3:00 a track.
  • Details for each track: the title, tempo (BPM), instruments used and composer information.
  • How long. The first review "can take up to a few months".
  • Only once. "Due to volume restrictions, multiple submissions by the same artist will not be reviewed."

Shutterstock says most clients want "mainstream music that is up-to-date and current". It advises against going too niche in genre or era, and against slow, monotonous arrangements.

Exclusive or not

Exclusive. "We do not accept any music on a non-exclusive basis." You can send tracks that are already placed elsewhere as examples of your work. But every track that goes into the library must be exclusive. You must "own and control 100% of the copyright in both the composition and master recording".

Samples are fine if they come from sound libraries that allow use in production music. Uncleared samples and sound-alikes are not accepted. More on these deals: Exclusive or non-exclusive.

AI-generated music

Shutterstock's content policy, dated 16 July 2025, says it "will not allow AI-generated content to be submitted by contributors for licensing on our platform". The page does not name music. The music contributor page says nothing about AI. Ask before you send anything made with AI.

Codes, Content ID and royalties

The deal is "a full transfer of rights in exchange for upfront payment". PRO-affiliated composers keep "100% of the writer's share of public performance royalties". Shutterstock says it works with both affiliated and unaffiliated composers. How writer's share works: Registering library music with your PRO.

How you are paid

Shutterstock buys the rights and pays "a substantial, per track fee upfront for every track acquired". After that, "contributors will not receive any additional payout from sales". You are paid even if a track is never licensed.

What to keep in your catalog

  • The tracks you sent and the date. You get one review, so you need to know which tracks it was.
  • The answer and its date.
  • Which tracks were bought. After the transfer of rights, keep them away from stock sites, libraries and Content ID services.
  • Your registration as a writer with your society, for the writer's share you keep.

Sources