Take digital music distribution seriously
Digital music distribution is not an Instagram post.
It is a legal act with lasting consequences, international records and contractual obligations. Treat it accordingly.
What distribution means legally
When you distribute music through Bez Labelu, you enter into a framework licence agreement with us, under which you grant us the right to distribute your works and recordings. We then distribute them further to streaming platforms. The whole process is governed mainly by the Copyright Act (Act No. 121/2000 Coll.) and the Civil Code (Act No. 89/2012 Coll.). It is not mere “sharing” – it is a legally binding act with lasting consequences.
UPC/EAN and ISRC – in the databases forever
Every release that goes through distribution is assigned a UPC/EAN code. Every recording on it receives an ISRC code. These codes are entered into international databases and are permanently tied to the releases and recordings they belong to.
If you wanted to “rewrite” a release – swap or add a recording, change the track order or the codes – there is no way to do it so that the original record disappears. All you can do is release a new version with new codes. The old record, however, stays in the databases. The result is a duplicate – and that is something you must avoid at all costs.
Duplicates cause confusion in the payment of royalties by collecting societies such as OSA, Intergram or OAZA, lead to profiles being linked incorrectly on platforms and to streams being attributed to the wrong place. Once a duplicate exists, it is very difficult or even impossible to remove.
Why metadata matters
Metadata are not just “labels for a recording”. They are legally relevant information that affects, among other things:
Collecting societies pay out royalties based on metadata. Wrong or missing metadata = the royalties may not reach the right people.
Correctly crediting authors, performers and producers is a matter of legal correctness.
The data are synchronised to databases all over the world. An error in the metadata spreads along with them and is hard to fix.
A correct C-line and P-line are part of the proof of rights to both the work and the recording.
You are your own label
Bez Labelu clients deliberately distribute without a publisher or label – and that comes with the full responsibility a label would otherwise carry. Everything a label normally takes care of – checking metadata, managing licences, keeping track of contractual obligations, preparing releases – you have to handle yourself.
That is why our knowledge base is so extensive – so that you can prepare for everything. We are happy to advise, but we cannot be your label for you. You can read more about where our help ends in the article We are happy to help, but within reason.
Contractual obligations
Distribution through Bez Labelu is governed by the framework agreement and the terms and conditions. These documents include the obligation that all content, metadata and the recordings themselves are correct, complete and compliant with the law. You alone are responsible for meeting these requirements. Before every submission for distribution, you confirm this in the release detail on the Declaration before distribution tab – including, among other things, the rights to the cover art and all recordings, true and complete metadata, and your agreement to the Framework Agreement.
Royalties from streaming platforms arrive with a delay – usually several months. The details are explained in the article The standard time lag in royalty statements. Unlike a social media post, distribution cannot simply be “deleted” so that payments stop straight away.
What remains even after it ends
Even after a release is removed from distribution or after ending the cooperation with Bez Labelu, a permanent record remains in the platforms’ databases. The recordings will not be playable, but their metadata – including the UPC/EAN and ISRC codes – will stay in the systems. That is one more reason to get everything right from the very start.
Copyright and your responsibility
You bear full legal responsibility for all the content you distribute. This includes:
- Owning or licensing every element of the recording. Using other people's music without a licence is theft – “I found it on the internet” is not a licence. See also Common problems with “free” licences for sound recordings.
- Properly concluding licence agreements – always in advance. See Sort out your licence in advance, not when a problem arises.
- The cover art must not contain other people’s works without a licence – and neither may the sound recording itself.
- Following the platform rules – for example, the ban on artificial streaming.
- Special rules apply to AI: AI must not imitate other people’s voices, AI cover versions of other people’s songs cannot be distributed and AI music is not eligible for content platforms.
Act No. 121/2000 Coll. applies regardless of whether you distribute physically or digitally. “Online” is not a legal vacuum, and ignorance of the law is no excuse.
Income tax and formal obligations
Income from distribution is taxable income. As a service provider, we do not act as your employer or as a withholding agent – paying the correct tax on your income is up to you. You can download the documents for your tax return – the annual payout confirmations and royalty statements – in the app under Revenue; see Payout confirmations and royalty statements.
Before you release anything for distribution, read about metadata and find out what can and cannot be changed after distribution. Czech law follows the principle of ignorantia iuris non excusat – ignorance of the law is no excuse.