Release Metadata Inspection - Best Practices

5 min read

This article draws from Apple and Spotify metadata style guides. It covers the most common issues that cause DSP rejections.

⚠️ This is NOT the full set of metadata guidelines you are required to follow:

This article covers typical issues only. Review the full Spotify and Apple metadata style guides.
This guide does not cover inspection requirements in the Trust and Safety Guide (TSG) provided during onboarding. Contact Support if you need this document again.

Inspection Video Guide

1. Cover Art

Do not use trademarks, logos, or product names in your cover art. Do not violate copyrighted terms.

1.1 Advertising and Metadata Guidelines

Cover art, audio, and metadata must not contain advertising or references to competitors. No website addresses, logos, QR codes, or promotional content.

1.2 Editorial Corrections

Apple Music and Spotify may correct errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation in your cover art and metadata.

1.3 Completeness of Albums and Tracks

Deliver all tracks from the physical version. Match the track count. Incomplete albums may be marked as "Partial".

1.4 Content Restrictions

Cover art must not contain explicit content, pornography, or promote hatred based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other identities.

2. Artwork Quality and Guidelines

2.1 Accuracy

Submit original cover art that accurately represents the content. No generic templates or misleading images.

2.2 Image Quality

Maintain high-quality images. No pixelation, misalignment, or rotation issues.

2.3 Additional Information

Exclude references to audio file formats in the artwork. Do not use terms like Atmos, Dolby Atmos, spatial audio, lossless, high-resolution audio, etc.

3. Re-using UPCs

If your release was previously distributed through another distributor, do NOT reuse the same UPC. Re-using the same UPC is not necessary to link to your previous version on DSPs and could cause problems assigning your royalties.

4. Language and Localizations Metadata Guidelines

4.1 Metadata Language

Set the appropriate language in the metadata at both album and track levels to ensure accurate accents and capitalizations. The release metadata language must match the language of the metadata. Example: if you entered metadata in Spanish, set the metadata language to Spanish.

4.2 Track Audio Language

Specify the audio language at the track level. Language codes must match the spoken or sung language in the audio.

4.3 Localizations

Provide artist and title metadata in the primary language. Provide accurate localization for all available languages.

5. Release Title Formatting Guidelines

Accurate Titles

Ensure release titles are accurate and formatted correctly. No generic titles or unnecessary information like version details, exclusivity, or audio specifications.

Titles must not include: Exclusive, Limited Edition, Album Version, Original Mix, Tone, Alert Tone, Text Tone, Ringtone, Ringtone Version, E-Release, Digital Only, Digital Download, Digital Single, E-Album, 2 CD Set, With Lyrics, Clips from, Official Music Video, Full Song Video, Full Version, Atmos, Dolby Atmos, lossless, high-resolution audio, high resolution, spatial audio, 24-bit, 192 kHz, 128 kHz, or 96 kHz, or any other variation.

6. Title Version and Track Version Information

6.1 Album Version Information

Use album title versions to indicate the correct version when multiple versions exist.

6.2 Multiple Version References

For content requiring multiple references, use parentheses ("( )") and brackets ("[ ]") in titles to maintain clarity.

Example: All of Me (Tiësto's Birthday Treatment Remix) [Radio Edit]

6.3 Track Version Differentiation

Differentiate multiple track versions using terms in parentheses or brackets, such as Live, Instrumental, Radio Edit, Extended, Session Date Version (for example, 1947 Version), Incomplete, Rehearsal, Breakdown, Male Version, TikTok Version, Sped Up, Slowed Down, Lo-Fi, etc.

Rerecorded Versions: If a track is rerecorded, the track title must include "Rerecorded."
Soundtrack Version Information: If the tracks are compiled from different soundtracks, each track title must indicate the soundtrack (From "Soundtrack Name").
Live Recording Version Information: If the audio is from a live recording, the title version must be indicated as "Live." Territory-specific versions ("Ao Vivo" in Portuguese, and "En Vivo" or "En Directo" in Spanish) should be used.
Silent, hidden, and ghost tracks must be clearly labeled in the track title. Example: Open My Eyes (Ghost Track)

6.4 Explicit Content Flagging

Explicit content must be appropriately flagged. Clean versions should be marked as such.

Explicit content terms like (Explicit), "(Explicit Version)," "(Dirty)," or "(Dirty Version)" must not be used for album or track titles.
Clean version terms like "(Clean)," "(Clean Version)," "(Edited)," or "(Edited Version)" must not be used for album or track titles.

Censoring Words:

Album and track titles must be submitted in the original form intended by the artist.

Explicit words are automatically censored on Apple Music and the iTunes Store (for example, F**k or S**t).

⚠️ Do not insert the asterisks yourself.

7. Artist Information Guidelines

7.1 Primary Artist

Ensure the correct spelling of the main primary artist. If your artist has an existing Spotify or Apple Artist ID, add it to the metadata. If not, select the option to create a new profile for the artist.

7.2 Artist Roles

Assign roles like Composer, Featuring/With, Lyricist, Performer, Primary, Soloist, Songwriter, and Various Artists appropriately.

A release with 4 or more Primary Artists will automatically be classified as "Various Artists".

7.3 Remixes and Compound Artists

Handle remixes, compound artists, and multiple roles with care to maintain accuracy.

8. Genre and Secondary Genre Guidelines

8.1 Genre Identification

Ensure correct genre identification in metadata. Avoid conflicting genres that do not relate to the primary genre.

8.2 Secondary Genre Relation

Maintain a logical relation between primary and secondary genres. Secondary genres should complement the primary genre.

9. Localization and Track Audio Language Guidelines

9.1 Localization Importance

Provide artist and title metadata in the primary language for better discoverability. Provide accurate localization for all available languages.

9.2 Track Audio Language

Specify the audio language at the track level, matching the spoken or sung language in the audio.