How Unchained Works
From original creation to derivative work—a complete, verifiable chain of custody that proves your rights at every step.
Original Music
Opt-in to License
License Purchase
Create Derivative
Distribute w/ Provenance
Chain of Custody = An unbroken, verifiable link from original work → license → derivative → distribution
Artist Distribution
Independent artists distribute their original music through Unchained Music. This creates the foundation of our ecosystem—verified, original content from real creators.
- Artists upload their tracks, stems, and metadata to the platform
- Content goes through verification to ensure authenticity
- Artists retain 100% ownership of their masters and publishing
- Music becomes part of the Unchained ecosystem with full provenance
Licensing Opt-In
Artists choose to make their music available for licensing. They set their own prices, terms, and can offer sample licenses, remix licenses, or both.
- Choose which tracks to offer for sampling or remixing
- Set your own prices for each license type
- Control the terms—unlimited licenses or limited editions
- Upload stems and additional files for licensees
License Purchase
Producers and creators browse available licenses and purchase instantly with USDC. No lawyers, no negotiations, no waiting. The artist receives 95% directly.
- Browse sample and remix licenses from independent artists
- Pay instantly with USDC—no bank delays or chargebacks
- Artist receives 95% of the payment immediately
- License is recorded permanently on-chain as proof of rights
Create Your Work
Download your licensed stems and audio files. Create your derivative work—sample the track, remix it, flip it into something entirely new.
- Download high-quality stems and audio files
- Create samples (up to 30 sec/25% of track) or full remixes
- Your creative additions are yours—you own what you create
- Generate verifiable license certificates for your records
Distribute Through Unchained
Distribute your derivative work through Unchained to maintain full chain of custody. This creates an unbroken, verifiable link from the original to your creation.
- Upload your derivative work with attribution to the original
- Chain of custody is verified—proving your license is legitimate
- Your work becomes part of the ecosystem with full provenance
- Others can now license YOUR work, continuing the chain
Why Chain of Custody Matters
Traditional licensing is a mess of emails, contracts, and “he said, she said.” Unchained creates permanent, verifiable proof.
Permanent Record
Every license is recorded on-chain. It can never be altered, disputed, or lost.
Instant Verification
Anyone can verify your license in seconds. No lawyers, no phone calls, no digging through emails.
Legal Protection
Timestamped proof of your rights. If there's ever a dispute, your evidence is immutable.
Important: External Distribution
Your license grants you legal rights to create and distribute derivative works. However, Unchained's chain of custody verification only applies to works distributed through our platform. Other distributors have their own content policies and may not recognize derivative works—your license certificate can help dispute false claims, but their decisions are ultimately theirs.
Ready to start?
Browse available licenses from independent artists, or learn more in our FAQ.