Both Apple Music and Spotify require the complete, standard, accurate spelling of an artist's name, used consistently across every release. Spotify's language is notably stricter on one specific point: names must never appear in titles at all.
2.3.1 The core standard, both platforms
Use the full, accurate, standard spelling of the artist name, spelled and formatted identically on every release. Inconsistent spelling, punctuation, or capitalisation between releases fragments your catalog across duplicate artist pages.
2.3.2 What must never appear in the name field
- Instrument, role, or affiliation (e.g. "Joe Satriani (Guitarist)")
- Band or former-band name appended to a solo name
- Birth/death dates or other biographical data
- Emoji or symbols
- Website addresses
2.3.3 Generic and SEO-style names are rejected by both platforms
Apple's standard explicitly bans generic names like "White Noise", "Sleep Music", or "Workout" used as an artist identity. Spotify's metadata guidelines separately and explicitly prohibit SEO-style artist names such as "Christmas Hits" or "Sleep Music" — both platforms treat this as an attempt to game search and discovery.
2.3.4 Spotify's stricter rule: names never belong in titles
Spotify's own metadata guidelines state plainly: you shouldn't include any artist names in your track or release titles. This is broader than Apple's framing (which lists specific banned title content) — treat it as an absolute rule for any release going to Spotify: the artist name belongs only in the artist field, never duplicated into the title.
2.3.5 Only artists belong in artist fields
Spotify's metadata style guidance is explicit: only artists shall be listed as such — no record labels, production houses, or other entities should appear as an artist of any role. Apple makes a narrow exception for production-house-style names on specific content types (see 2.3.6).
2.3.6 Studio musician exception (Apple)
Apple permits a production house, label, or studio name as the artist name specifically for content like video game soundtracks or contracted holiday/elevator-style music — but only in a properly named form (e.g. "MGM Studio Orchestra", not "MGM Studios"). This is a narrow exception, not a general allowance.
Source: MadDesk article 2.3 (2-3)