Content Guidelines

These guidelines are not comprehensive and each platform has their own guidelines. If content delivered does not meet a specific platform’s guidelines, it may be rejected.

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Cover Images

• Must be a square image.
• Cannot be stretched, upscaled, or appear to be low-resolution.
• Recommended size: 3000x3000. Minimum size: 1400x1400.
• Information must match the album title and artist name.
• No website addresses, social media links, or contact information.
• No sexually explicit imagery.
• Cannot be misleading by featuring a different artist’s name more prominently.
• No third-party logos or trademarks without express written permission from the trademark holder.
• Must be copyright-free (no images taken off the first page of Google).

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Song Audios

• Must contain no copyrighted samples, vocals, loops, etc.
• Must be high quality audio. A minimum of 16 bits and 44.1kHz is required.
• Audio must be stereo.
• Audio must be at least 60 seconds long.
• Content must not be AI-generated.
• Non-music content, such as podcasts, is not supported.

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Code Allocation

• ISRCs must be transferred if a song/release has already been distributed anywhere. Do not create new codes.
• ISRCs must be linked to the actual song to distribute. Do not include other song’s ISRCs for algorithm boosting.
• ISRCs must be real and follow the international standard format. Do not put YOURCOMPANY250001, for example.

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Licensing

• In order to use content you didn’t directly create, you must have proper licensing.
• For leased beats and created beats, we require a lease agreement or some other form of documentation.
• For free and public samples, we require the source where you obtained it. We can often clear the rights with the website directly.
• For remixes, you must have a remix license provided by the original rightsholder.
• For covers, you must have a mechanical license.
• All documentation must be verifiable with trusted agencies (i.e., don’t give a PDF that only says “song approved.)”

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Content ID Guidelines

• There are separate guidelines for content delivered to YouTube Content ID, Facebook, Mixcloud, TikTok, and the SoundBloom Content Match.
• All content must be fully owned by you (the Artist), or you must hold all necessary rights and permissions to distribute it (as a Label). Content that is public, leased, purchased, or otherwise not exclusively owned is not eligible for delivery to Content ID platforms.

Disallowed Content List:

• Audio with watermarks
• Remixes and covers
• Creative Commons / Public Domain
• Audio with samples
• Nature sounds
• Sound effects
• Audiobooks
• Drum loops
• Soundscapes
• Podcasts

• Spoken word

• Only legitimate videos can be claimed. The common tactic of parasiting (adding a snippet of a distributed song to claim royalties on a longer video) is strictly prohibited.

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Artist Guidelines

• All content must be uploaded under an artist account which you control and represent.
• SoundBloom will automatically flag all artists above an undisclosed popularity threshold and will need you to verify your affiliation.
• Content might accidentally end up under another artist’s page when uploaded if they have the same name. Contact your account manager to fix this problem.
• Required credit information, such as composer and lyricist, must be legal names. These names are sent to royalty collection agencies.

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Artificial Streams

• You are responsible for all penalties incurred from artificial streaming on your content.
• Any artificially streamed content will be removed from all platforms.
• To prevent artificial streaming, do not pay for any service that promises you streams, playlist adds, or any illegitimate form of boosting.

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General Guidelines

• Ensure that all content does not contain pornography, or promote hatred based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other identities.
• Do not use emojis in any metadata.
• Do not include version information in the title; use the separate version field.
  • For example, do not put God’s Plan (Radio Edit) as the title, only put God’s Plan.