Terms and Conditions

1. Introduction and Acceptance

Welcome to BackTune, the premier free music distribution platform designed to empower independent artists worldwide. By accessing or using our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions ("Terms"). BackTune provides 100% free music distribution services to artists, enabling them to distribute their music to major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer, and 150+ digital stores globally.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("Artist", "you", or "your") and BackTune ("we", "us", or "our"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our services.

2. Service Description

2.1 Free Distribution Service

BackTune offers completely free music distribution services with no upfront fees, hidden charges, or annual costs. Unlike traditional distributors that charge yearly fees of $20-$50 per release, BackTune provides:

• Unlimited music releases (singles, EPs, albums)
• Distribution to 150+ digital streaming platforms and stores worldwide
• ISRC and UPC code generation at no cost
• Artist profile management tools
• Release scheduling and pre-save campaigns
• 24/7 customer support
• Copyright protection and content ID registration

2.2 Royalty Sharing Model

BackTune operates on a transparent royalty-sharing model where artists retain between 70% to 85% of their streaming royalties. The exact percentage depends on several factors related to your artist profile:

• 85% Royalty Share: Artists with verified profiles, 50,000+ monthly listeners, consistent release schedule, and professional metadata
• 80% Royalty Share: Artists with 10,000+ monthly listeners, regular releases, and complete profile information
• 75% Royalty Share: Emerging artists with 1,000+ monthly listeners and quality releases
• 70% Royalty Share: New artists starting their distribution journey

Artists can upgrade their royalty tier by growing their audience, maintaining release quality, and engaging with our platform features. We review artist profiles quarterly for tier upgrades.

3. Artist Eligibility and Requirements

3.1 Account Creation

To use BackTune's services, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old or have parental/guardian consent
• Provide accurate and complete registration information
• Maintain a valid email address for account communications
• Create a secure password and maintain account confidentiality
• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations

3.2 Content Ownership and Rights

You represent and warrant that:

• You own 100% of the rights to all music content you upload
• Your content does not infringe on any third-party copyrights, trademarks, or intellectual property
• You have obtained all necessary licenses, clearances, and permissions for samples, interpolations, and featured artists
• Your content does not contain hate speech, defamatory material, or illegal content
• All metadata (artist names, song titles, genres) is accurate and properly attributed

4. Distribution Rights and License

4.1 Appointment (Exclusive Distribution)

By uploading content to BackTune, you appoint BackTune LLC as the exclusive digital distributor for each submitted release during its active distribution term on BackTune. While a release remains active with BackTune, you must not distribute the same recording, ISRC, or materially identical release through any other distributor.

The Artist grants BackTune LLC the right to:

• Distribute your music to streaming platforms and digital stores
• Monetize music and videos
• Manage YouTube Content ID
• Enforce takedowns and dispute false claims
• Administer rights across DSPs and social platforms
• Reproduce and encode your content in formats required by distribution partners
• Display your artwork, metadata, and promotional materials
• Promote your releases through BackTune's marketing channels
• Generate analytics and reporting data

You retain 100% ownership of all copyrights and related rights. No ownership rights are transferred to BackTune LLC.

4.2 Distributor Switching and Conflicts

To switch distributors, you must first request takedown/removal from BackTune and wait until removal is effective. Duplicate distribution or conflicting claims may lead to release rejection, takedown, suspension, or permanent account ban.

5. Royalty Payments and Reporting

5.1 Payment Schedule

BackTune processes royalty payments on a monthly basis:

• Streaming platforms report earnings 60-90 days after the streaming month
• Payments are processed within 30 days of receiving platform reports
• Minimum payout threshold: $50 USD (lower thresholds available for premium artists)
• Multiple payment methods: PayPal, bank transfer, Payoneer
• Detailed monthly statements available in your dashboard

5.2 Analytics and Transparency

Artists receive comprehensive analytics including:

• Revenue breakdown by track and platform
• Listener demographics and engagement metrics
• Playlist placements and performance tracking
• Historical trends and growth analytics

6. Content Standards and Quality

6.1 Audio Quality Requirements

• Audio format: WAV or FLAC (lossless quality)
• Minimum bit depth: 16-bit, 44.1 kHz sample rate
• Maximum file size: 2GB per track
• No audible distortion, clipping, or technical errors
• Professional mixing and mastering recommended

6.2 Artwork Requirements

• Minimum resolution: 3000x3000 pixels (square)
• Format: JPG or PNG
• No blurry images, logos from streaming platforms, or contact information
• Artwork must match the music release and comply with platform guidelines

6.3 Prohibited Content

BackTune prohibits distribution of content that:

• Infringes on copyrights or intellectual property rights
• Contains hate speech, threats, or incites violence
• Promotes illegal activities or substances
• Includes sexually explicit content without proper labeling
• Contains misleading metadata or artificially manipulates streaming
• Is AI-generated or API-generated synthetic music content

If any release fails quality standards, platform requirements, copyright checks, or these Terms, BackTune may reject, hold, remove, or block distribution.

7. Platform Compliance and Streaming Guidelines

7.1 Streaming Manipulation

Artificial streaming manipulation is strictly prohibited and includes:

• Using bots, click farms, or automated streaming services
• Purchasing fake plays, followers, or engagement
• Stream farming or playlist manipulation schemes
• Any activity that violates streaming platform terms of service

Violations may result in content removal, account suspension, and withheld royalties. BackTune monitors for suspicious activity and cooperates with platforms to maintain ecosystem integrity.

7.2 Metadata Accuracy

Artists must provide accurate metadata including proper artist names, song titles, genres, release dates, and contributor credits. Misleading metadata or impersonation attempts will result in immediate content removal.

8. Account Management and Termination

8.1 Account Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials. Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access. BackTune is not liable for losses resulting from unauthorized account use.

8.2 Content Removal

You may request content removal at any time through your dashboard. Removal typically takes 7-14 business days as we coordinate with streaming platforms. Note that removing content may result in:

• Loss of playlist placements and algorithmic momentum
• Removal from user libraries and playlists
• Impact on artist profile statistics
• Forfeiture of pending royalties from removed content

8.3 Account Termination

BackTune reserves the right to suspend, restrict, or permanently ban accounts for violations of these Terms, including copyright infringement, ownership disputes, duplicate distribution conflicts, repeated low-quality uploads, streaming manipulation, or fraudulent activity.

Either party may terminate this Agreement with 30 days written notice. Upon termination:

• Distribution and monetization rights granted to BackTune cease for terminated content
• Ownership fully remains with the Artist
• Eligible pending earnings remain payable under standard reporting/payment cycles

In severe cases involving legal risk, fraud, or repeated policy abuse, BackTune may enforce immediate suspension without prior notice.

9. Limitation of Liability and Warranties

9.1 Service Availability

BackTune provides services "as is" without warranties of any kind. While we strive for 99.9% uptime, we do not guarantee uninterrupted service availability. We are not liable for:

• Platform outages or technical issues beyond our control
• Changes in streaming platform algorithms or policies
• Fluctuations in streaming royalty rates
• Lost revenue due to content rejection by platforms
• Data loss (artists should maintain original copies of all content)

9.2 Third-Party Platforms

BackTune acts as an intermediary distributor. We are not responsible for decisions made by streaming platforms regarding content acceptance, playlist placements, or promotional opportunities. Platform-specific issues should be addressed through their respective support channels.

If copyright violations, quality failures, or policy issues are not detected during initial checks but are later flagged by stores, rights holders, or platform audits, the Artist remains fully liable. BackTune LLC and its distributor partners shall not be liable for resulting losses, penalties, strikes, takedowns, or legal claims.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless BackTune LLC, its affiliates, officers, employees, and partners from any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Copyright infringement or intellectual property violations in your content
• Sample clearance failures and collaboration/split disputes
• Breach of these Terms and Conditions
• Violation of any laws or third-party rights
• Unauthorized use of samples, interpolations, or collaborations
• Misleading or fraudulent representation of content ownership

11. Changes to Terms

BackTune reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated via email 30 days before taking effect. Continued use of our services after changes constitute acceptance of the updated Terms. We recommend reviewing these Terms periodically.

12. Dispute Resolution and Governing Law

12.1 Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the United States, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

12.2 Dispute Resolution Process

For any disputes:

• First contact our support team for resolution attempts
• Formal mediation may be required before legal action
• Arbitration agreements apply for certain dispute categories
• Small claims court jurisdiction is preserved for qualifying claims

13. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms or BackTune's services: