Metadata, Artwork & Copyright Guidelines

Getting your music on streaming platforms is one of the most exciting parts of being an artist. But before your track reaches Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music, there’s one small but powerful thing that decides how it performs metadata. Metadata tells the world who made your song, what it’s called, who wrote it, and how it should appear online.

Done right, it helps your release get discovered, credited, and paid properly.
Done wrong, it can lead to delays, rejections, or lost royalties.

1. What Is Music Metadata?

Music metadata is the information attached to your song. It acts as your music’s digital identity, helping streaming platforms, labels, and listeners recognize and credit your work.

It includes: Track and release titles, artist and featuring artist names, composer and lyricist names, copyright info, and artwork details.

When metadata is correct, your release shows up cleanly on all stores. When it’s not, it can cause issues like missing royalties or release delays.

2. Release Title

Your release title is the official name of your single, EP, or album. It’s what fans see on Spotify or Apple Music.

Best Practices:

• Use Title Case (capitalize each main word).
• Keep it short, clean, and meaningful.
• Avoid extra details, emojis, hashtags, or promotional text.
• Don’t include words like Single, EP, or Album.
  
  

Examples:
✅ Dreaming in Color
❌ DREAMING IN COLOR (Single)
✅ Better Days Ahead
❌ Better Days!!!

3. Release Version

The release version tells platforms if your song is a special version like a remix, live, or acoustic recording.

If your song is the original version, leave this blank.

Examples of Correct Use:

• Remix → Dreaming in Color (Remix)
• Acoustic → Better Days (Acoustic)
• Live → Ocean Eyes (Live at Mumbai 2024)
• Deluxe → Skyline (Deluxe Edition)
• Remastered → Lost in Motion (Remastered)

Avoid using:
❌ Original Version
❌ Single/EP/Album
❌ SEO names like Sleep Music or Chill Beats
❌ Explicit/Clean tags

Tip: For single-track releases, the track title version must match the release version exactly.

4. Artist and Featuring Artist

Your artist name must match your DSP profile exactly. Featuring artists should be added using the system field on Madverse don’t type 'feat.' manually.

Example:
✅ Arjun Mehta feat. Neha Bhat
❌ Arjun Mehta ft. Neha Bhat (Prod. DJ Karan)

Use the same name across all releases to avoid duplicate profiles. Madverse automatically formats the featuring artist correctly.

5. Composer and Lyricist

Use legal full names for composers and lyricists — not stage names. This ensures proper crediting and royalty tracking.

✅ Composer: Veer Mehta
✅ Lyricist: Ritu Sharma
❌ Composer: DJ Veer

Example:
Release Title: Echoes of Dawn
Artist: DJ Veer
Composer: Veer Mehta
Lyricist: Ritu Sharma
Producer: Arjun Sinha

6. Artwork Guidelines

Your cover art is your visual identity. It must meet DSP standards and match your metadata.

Include:

• Primary and featured artist names
• Release title
• Record label name (optional)
• Parental Advisory label (if applicable)

Avoid:

• Platform logos or QR codes
• URLs or hashtags
• 'Out Now' or 'Exclusive' text
• Blurry or low-resolution images
  
  

Technical Requirements:
Size: 3000x3000 px (square)
Format: JPG/PNG
Color: RGB
Max File Size: 10 MB

7.© C Line and ℗ P Line

Every release has two copyright lines that show ownership rights.

© C Line: Identifies who owns the lyrics, melody, and composition.
Example: © 2025 Madverse Music Pvt. Ltd.

℗ P Line: Identifies who owns the sound recording.
Example: ℗ 2025 Madverse Music Pvt. Ltd.

Independent artists who own both can list their own name for both C and P lines.

8. Release Date and Planning

Upload your music at least 3–4 weeks before your release date. This gives time for review and playlist submissions.

Example:
If your release date is March 15, submit by February 15.

9. Ownership and Rights

Ensure you own or have permission for all parts of your music before uploading. This includes lyrics, beats, and samples.

Avoid using unlicensed content or copyrighted artwork. If you collaborate, decide ownership percentages early.

10. Re-Releasing Songs

If re-uploading old songs, check that your metadata matches the latest DSP standards. Update your artwork, label, and year if needed.

Example:
Old: Better Days (2018)
New: Better Days (Remastered) (2025)

11. Final Checklist

• Title and artist names match metadata and artwork
• Featuring artists are added using the system field
• Legal names used for composers and lyricists
• Artwork is clear, high-quality, and matches metadata
• Correct © and ℗ lines are included
• Release submitted 3–4 weeks in advance

Following these steps ensures your release looks professional, gets approved faster across all platforms.