Ownership & rights
Music Buyout
A music buyout is a one-time purchase in which the rights to a specific track are transferred to the buyer permanently, instead of being rented through a subscription or a time-limited licence.
In practice
You pay once for one track. From that moment the track is yours to use in any project, in any country, for as long as you want — adverts, films, games, venues, social content, client work. There is no renewal date, nothing expires when you stop paying, and nothing has to be re-cleared for a new campaign. On Sonify Music a buyout also removes the track from the catalogue, so nobody else can buy or stream it after you.
Real questions
Is a buyout the same as buying the copyright?
It depends on the contract. A buyout can transfer full ownership of the master recording and of the composition, or only a broad perpetual licence. Always read what is actually assigned. Sonify Music assigns full ownership of the track through a written rights-assignment agreement.
How much does a music buyout cost?
Prices range from a few hundred to several thousand euros depending on exclusivity, on whether the track stays in the catalogue, and on whether the composition is included. Sonify Music sells exclusive buyouts of catalogue tracks at a fixed one-time price per track.
Do I still pay royalties after a buyout?
Not to the seller. If the track was never registered with a collecting society there is nothing to pay, which is why unregistered catalogues are preferable for buyouts.
Can I resell or sublicense a track I bought out?
Only if the agreement transfers ownership rather than granting a licence. With a true assignment you can license, adapt and resell the work as its owner.
A buyout is not an "unlimited subscription"
Subscription libraries often use the word "buyout" to mean "no extra per-use fee while you pay us". That is still a rental: stop paying and your right to use the music ends. A real buyout survives the end of any commercial relationship, because the right has changed hands.
Related terms
Own the track instead of renting it
Sonify Music sells exclusive buyouts of catalogue tracks: one payment, full ownership, the track removed from sale and a named certificate of ownership.