What Content Is Eligible for Music Services Representation? [DRAFT TO BE REVIEWED]
Music Services represents compositions and sound recordings for royalty collection worldwide. Eligibility depends on which service you are using and what rights you hold.
Start with the general requirements below, then check the requirements for your specific service.
1. Ownership
You must own the sound recordings, the musical works embodied in those recordings, or both.
2. Authority to grant rights
You must be able to authorize Music Services, exclusively, to license digital service providers in the territory we represent you for, and to collect royalties from those providers for uses of the recordings or musical works you own.
3. Clear, verifiable rights
Your content must not fall into any of the excluded categories listed further below.
Requirements by Service| Service | What you must own | Additional requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Global Collections | Compositions, sound recordings, or both | Ownership documentation |
| Song Registration | Compositions | Complete writer and publisher splits |
| YouTube Monetization | Sound recordings, compositions, or both | Distinct audio reference files. See below |
| Digital Distribution | Sound recordings | Distribution rights for each territory |
| Accounting & Reporting | Varies by engagement | Contact us to confirm |
YouTube Content ID reference files
If your content will be registered with YouTube's Content ID program, you must provide audio files that are sufficiently distinct to serve as reference files. Content ID scans uploaded videos against these references to identify uses of your recordings or musical works.
This requirement applies only to Content ID registration. It does not apply to song registration, distribution, or collections services on their own.
What Is Not EligibleRegardless of service, content you register cannot be or contain:
- Unlicensed samples, sound effects, sound bites, beats, or royalty-free music
- Audio made available for free from sources such as GarageBand, Ableton, Logic, or FL Studio
- Content licensed non-exclusively from a third party
- Content released under Creative Commons or similar free or open licenses
- Public domain sound recordings
These restrictions exist because royalty collection requires exclusive, verifiable rights. Content that others can also use or claim cannot be reliably monetized and can create conflicts with other rights holders.
Why This Matters for YouTubeRegistering content you do not exclusively control is the most common cause of Content ID conflicts. When two parties claim the same recording, both claims are disputed and royalties are held until the conflict is resolved.