New Submission Guidelines for Music Products

The digital music landscape has democratized access like never before, allowing anyone with a laptop and a dream to upload tracks to platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and more. But ease of access creates a challenge: a marketplace congested with amateur recordings, low-quality submissions, and even outright fraudulent content. To deal with this challenge, Digital Service Providers (DSPs) established new submission guidelines to raise standards and eliminate the noise that dilutes the integrity of their platforms.

For both aspiring musicians and the industry pros who support them, understanding these changes is crucial to ensure track submissions meet the standard — and stand out in a crowded market. In this post, we'll break down these new submission guidelines so you can make sure your tracks get accepted by platforms and reach your audience.

New Submission Guidelines for 5 Key Problem Areas

DSPs have identified specific issues clogging their platforms and raised standard to mitigate these issues. Remember, DSPs are not public-service music libraries; they're platforms designed to connect audiences with engaging music. New submission guidelines aim to protect listeners, artists, and overall industry credibility.

Here are five key problem areas DSPs are focusing on:

1. Fraudulent Activities

Fraudulent practices undermine the trust that fans and artists place in streaming platforms.

Copyright Infringement

Uploading music without proper rights or permissions is a serious violation. This includes sampling or covering songs without securing mechanical licenses. Failing to properly clear rights can lead to your track being removed or worse, legal action.

Artificial Streaming

Bot-generated streams, often used to inflate play counts, are a growing problem. Spotify’s 2024 royalty model changes penalize distributors for bot activity, requiring advanced detection technology. This shift puts pressure on artists and distributors to avoid lazy, low-quality solutions.

Parasitic Content

DSPs will flag and remove content that exploits platform algorithms without adding value (e.g., generic sound effects or looped tracks). DSPs prioritize unique, high-quality tracks that reflect artistic vision and resonate with listeners.

Unlicensed Audio Files

Using unlicensed samples or beats is a quick way to get your music rejected by DSPs. Even audio files obtained through non-exclusive licenses can pose serious issues. If you’re using material from an audio library, make sure you've been granted exclusive rights to use those audio files in commercial releases. This is essential for DSP compliance and for protecting your rights as a creator.

2. Artwork Issues

Album art is your music’s first impression, so it must be high-quality, on-brand, and legal.

Low-Quality Pixilated Cover Art

Cover art must be high-resolution and meet professional standards. Blurry, pixelated, or poorly edited images signal a lack of quality and will result in rejection by DSPs. Most platforms require artwork to be at least 3000 x 3000 pixels in a hi-res format.

Unlicensed Images

Using stock photos or artwork without proper licensing can lead to rejections or legal issues. DSPs will verify image rights before posting to their platforms, so be sure all material used is legal and approved.

Branded or Promotional Elements

DSP guidelines do not allow product artwork that includes logos, URLs, barcodes, watermarks, or other branded promotional elements. Artwork must be clean, professional, and focused solely on the music and your artist identity — not on external marketing or third-party promotions.

3. Algorithm Exploitation

DSPs are cracking down on deceptive artist profiles that confuse listeners by exploiting recommendation algorithms.

Fake Artist Names

Band names stuffed with keywords (e.g., “Relaxing Piano Hits 2025”) designed to manipulate search algorithms will be flagged and removed. DSPs prioritize authentic artist identities, not low-effort click-bait.

Keyword-Packed Titles

Similarly, DSPs will reject song or album titles overloaded with keywords and search terms (e.g., “Best Workout EDM Hits”). Artists must craft concise, descriptive titles that focus on the essence of the music, not on algorithm manipulation.

Generic Artists or Groups

Vague names like “Orchestra Band” or “Pop Singers” dilute artist credibility. DSPs want to remove this kind of noise from this system, instead favoring distinct, verifiable artist profiles that fans can connect with.

4. Problematic Content

DSPs are targeting content that exploits loopholes or lacks artistic value.

Public Domain Exploitation

DSPs discourage the repackaging of public domain works without adding unique value (e.g., generic classical recordings). This doesn't mean artists can't leverage public domain works to create new content, it just means it needs to include a creative spin.

Unapproved Radio or Live Recordings

Submissions of radio broadcasts or live performances without label approval risk rejection due to licensing complexities. Artists must clear everything through their distributor's licensing team before making submissions.

Pre-1965 Recordings

This content requires extra scrutiny due to complex copyright laws for older works. DSPs often reject them without prior approval. Again, be sure to confirm everything with your distributor before moving forward with any unusual cases.

Karaoke and Generic Content

Karaoke tracks, generic New Age, or thematic compilations (e.g., “Music for Yoga”) face stricter review for lacking editorial or artistic value. Be sure your submissions bring real artistic value that audiences can engage with.

Low-Budget Content

DSPs are also rejecting tracks exhibiting poor production quality or minimal effort. All tracks must be professionally recorded, mixed, and mastered prior to submission. Again, if you can't handle this yourself, hire a professional.

5. Repurposed Redundant Content

DSPs are cracking down on repetitive or misleading submissions.

Multiple Submissions

Submitting the same track multiple times with different metadata or ISRC codes confuses listeners and platforms. Accurate metadata is essential for the smooth submission and platforming of tracks.

Duplicated Albums

Albums with 50% or more identical tracks as another release also confuse fans and clog the system. DSPs will flag these uploads as redundant and remove them.

Soundalikes and Tributes

Low-quality covers or tributes mimicking popular artists dilute platform quality and mislead fans. Artists should focus on new and original releases to optimize for success.

New Submission Guidelines, New Opportunity

The music industry is rapidly evolving, and DSPs are raising the bar to promote quality, authenticity, and fairness across their platforms. While these new submission guidelines may pose new challenges, they also present a powerful opportunity for serious artists to rise above the noise.

By enforcing stricter requirements, DSPs are helping to level the playing field — filtering out low-effort, algorithm-chasing content and making room for artists who are committed to producing original, high-quality work.

In the coming weeks, we’ll share detailed updates on these industry-wide new submission guidelines to help you stay informed and ensure your music remains fully compliant.