Beatsource has confirmed it is shutting down as a standalone platform and merging fully into Beatport, creating a single DJ-focused streaming and download service. Beatsource subscribers are being contacted now and will be invited to transfer their accounts over the coming months – after which, access to Beatsource will be permanently terminated.
We predicted exactly this back in December, when Beatport CEO Robb McDaniels announced the platform would expand into open-format genres. At the time, we wrote that it made no sense to maintain two separate services running on identical technology, and that the obvious outcome was a merge. That’s now happening – and on paper, at least, it looks like good news for DJs.
The announcement came via email to Beatsource subscribers, accompanied by a video from Beatsource’s Mojaxx walking users through the changes. The core message? Everything Beatsource offered will live on inside Beatport, alongside a bigger catalogue and more features. But there are a few important details in the fine print that Beatsource users need to pay attention to.
So what actually happens to your account?
The transfer isn’t automatic – you’ll need to log into your Beatsource account and initiate it yourself when the transfer window opens. Beatport says your playlists, purchase history, active streaming plan, and login details will all carry over. Your purchase history will appear on Beatport as a playlist.
However, there are some catches. Previously purchased track downloads will not be available to re-download from Beatport after the move, so if you’ve bought tracks from Beatsource, download them now and keep local backups if you haven’t already. Items in your cart or hold bin won’t transfer either, and if you use the offline library feature, you’ll need to add those tracks to a Beatsource playlist before transitioning. Once the transfer is complete, your Beatsource account access is gone for good.
What about pricing?
This is where it gets a bit more nuanced. If you’re on the entry-level Beatsource plan, there will be a price increase – though Beatport says it will honour your current price for the first three months. Mojaxx describes it as “just a few bucks more each month”. If you’re a Beatsource Pro Plus subscriber, your price stays the same, which effectively means you’re getting more for what you already pay. And if you currently subscribe to both Beatsource and Beatport, you’ll save money by dropping to a single subscription.
Annual plan subscribers won’t see any change until their renewal date.
What do you gain?
According to Beatport, the combined service will offer access to over 14 million tracks across every genre, plus several things Beatsource users have been asking for. There’s a mobile app (something the Beatsource community has wanted for a long time), access to some DJ training, a new recommendations engine, and – a bit bizarrely, perhaps? – a free copy of Traktor (valued at $49).
A happy outcome is compatibility with more hardware, with support for AlphaTheta’s CDJ-3000X, CDJ-3000, Omnis Duo, Opus Quad, and XDJ-AZ – all direct streaming from the units without needing a laptop.
On the metadata front, Beatport says it’s working with Serato, Rekordbox, and VirtualDJ to carry over existing Beatsource metadata including cue points, loops, and beat grids. The idea is that when you play tracks from your old Beatsource playlists in your preferred DJ software, everything should appear on Beatport exactly as it did before. That said, the company recommends checking their FAQ for details on when this will be possible with your specific platform – so it’s clearly not all sorted yet.
Our Thoughts
As we said back in December, there was no logical reason to keep two identical platforms running separately once Beatport started carrying the same open-format content that Beatsource was built for. One subscription, one interface, every genre – that’s what DJs have wanted, and that’s what this delivers. The exclusive DJ edits, curated playlists, and lossless streaming that made Beatsource valuable are all apparently coming across too.
The bigger picture here in our mind is competition. With Spotify and Apple Music now integrated into major DJ software and offering 100+ million tracks for a fraction of the price, Beatport and Beatsource needed to consolidate to stay competitive. Separately, they were niche services for specific DJ types. Together, they can offer something more compelling – a comprehensive, DJ-first platform that consumer streaming services can’t match on features like offline lockers, stems-ready catalogues, and proper DJ edits. Tidal, watch out.
That said, the devil is always in the detail with migrations like this. The fact that purchased downloads won’t be re-downloadable from Beatport is worth noting – back up your music. And while the metadata transfer promise sounds great, the caveat that it’s still being worked on with DJ software partners suggests this won’t be seamless on day one.
Still, if Beatport can execute this properly, DJs end up with exactly what they need: one platform, any genre, everything in one place. We’ll be watching closely to see how the transition actually plays out.
• Check the Beatsource Migration FAQ for the full details on the transfer process.
Phil Morse
