Recording rejected from a playlist
You pitched a recording to a playlist, and instead of “In playlists” you'd get an email saying that something needs editing – or that we can't add the recording. If that happened, it wouldn't be the end of the world, nor a verdict on your music as a whole. This article describes what such a decision would mean, why it could theoretically happen and what you could do about it.
Most pitches to Bez Labelu playlists go through – the rules are known in advance, and the guide in Artists Bez Labelu only offers you playlists that your recording is allowed into based on your answers. Even so, every pitch is decided by the editorial team, and they may come to a different conclusion than you. This article is written for the case that this happens: What two outcomes exist besides being added, what could be behind them and how you could proceed.
Two different outcomes
If a pitch doesn't go through the first time, it can end up in one of two statuses that differ fundamentally. The decision arrives by email, and you can also see the status in the app in the first tab, with an overview of your recordings in playlists, your pitches and their history; next to the Playlists item in the menu, the number of pitches waiting for your attention also appears.
Needs edits
The editorial team would like to add the recording, but something in the pitch needs to be added or changed. You can see the reason next to the pitch. You withdraw the pitch, fix it and send it again.
Rejected
The recording isn't a fit for the playlists. You get the reason by email, and the same recording can't be pitched again – you can pitch a different one instead.
The difference is important: Needs edits is a dialogue – the editorial team tells you what to change and waits for your response. Rejected is a decision about a specific recording that won't change, and it makes sense to put your energy into your next recording, not this one.
If a pitch needed edits
This status would most likely mean that the recording itself is fine, but the pitch as a whole doesn't fit. Typically, it would be about the choice of playlists or the answers in the guide.
| What the editorial team might want changed | What you could do |
|---|---|
| The playlist doesn't match the recording's genre | The recording is pop, but it was pitched to Rock & Alternative. Choose a genre playlist based on how the recording sounds, not on where you would like to belong. The editorial team may also suggest a suitable playlist themselves. |
| The wrong language playlist was chosen | A recording sung in English pitched to Hezky česky · Czech Songs, or an instrumental pitched to a language playlist. Correct the vocal / instrumental answer and choose the language based on what is actually sung. |
| The originality answers don't match the recording | A beat from the internet, a cover or a remix can be heard in the recording, but you stated otherwise in the guide. Correct your answers – the recording will then remain open to all playlists except Original Music. |
| The selected playlist is currently full | The editorial team may leave a full playlist out of the pitch themselves; if they asked you to choose another one, pick a different genre playlist that suits the recording, or keep just the remaining ones. |
Possible reasons for the Needs edits status. You would always see the actual reason next to the pitch and in the email.
One situation arises even before the pitch reaches the editorial team at all: The recording must have an identifier on at least three of five platforms (Spotify, YouTube Music, TIDAL, Apple Music, Deezer). The guide flags a recording with fewer identifiers (“IDs on 2 platforms only (3 needed)”) and refuses to send it, showing a message. This is not an editorial decision – just add the identifiers following the article Missing the Spotify or Apple Music button? and send the pitch again.
The procedure would be simple: Read the reason, take back the returned pitch with the Withdraw pitch button and send the recording through the guide again – with corrected answers or a different choice of playlists. The new pitch goes into the Pending review status, the editorial team assesses it again, and it counts towards the monthly limit of five pitches. If you disagreed with the reason, write so in the note for the editorial team – that's what it's for.
If the recording were rejected
A rejection would mean that the editorial team will not add the recording to any of the playlists – and that it can't be pitched again, even after some time. The reason would arrive by email. Theoretically, it could be one of these situations:
-
The recording doesn't meet the playlist rules
The most common case would probably be a conflict with the flags: A recording created with the help of AI pitched somewhere other than the AI Songs playlist, or a recording with a beat from the internet pitched to Original Music, where this became apparent on listening. The editorial team and the automated system apply the rules in the same way, so there is no point trying to get around them – the stricter information always wins. You will find the details in the articles Platforms are labelling AI music, Backing tracks, beats or samples from the internet, Rules for remixes and Cover versions of other people's songs. -
The technical quality of the recording
The playlists are public and are listened to by people who know nothing about the artists; a single recording with a clipped master, noise or a loudness ten decibels different from the rest can be heard across the whole playlist. If the reason pointed here, a new mix or master would help, as would the articles What LUFS and True Peak to aim for in digital distribution and Audio file check. -
The recording doesn't fit any of the playlists
Each playlist has a described focus, and the editorial team sticks to it so that the playlist stays listenable. A recording on the border between genres, spoken word, a sound collage or a very long piece may not fit into a genre or language playlist, even if it is good. -
A problem with the release or the account
A release that is being removed from platforms, a recording suspected of artificial streaming or an account with a suspended service. Here the solution would lie outside playlists: In the case of a takedown, wait for a new release; in the case of artificial streaming, read Penalties for artificial streaming.
What you could do next
If a rejection did happen, the best response would be calm and practical. Read the reason and treat it as information about one recording, not about you. Pitch a different recording – the limit is five pitches per calendar month and a rejection doesn't change it in any way; each further recording is assessed separately. Fix the cause at the source: If the reason was in the mix, check your next recording before release; if it was in the flags, fill them in truthfully for the recording right away in Track origin, so that the pitch is narrowed down from the start to playlists where the recording will pass. And give playlists only part of your energy – a rejected recording lives on on the platforms, on your album link and your public profile, and you can get other artists' opinions on it in Feedback.
Automatic placements are not affected by this: Every new release goes into the New Releases playlist automatically (one recording for 180 days), and emerging artists go into Rising Artists. Rejecting one pitch doesn't affect the recordings you already have in playlists either.
You can take back a pitch in the Pending review or Needs edits status with the Withdraw pitch button – for example when you realise afterwards that you chose the wrong playlist or answered the originality questions incorrectly; for a recording that has already been added, the same button removes it from the playlists. Only a rejected pitch can be neither withdrawn nor restored. So if you weren't sure, it would be better to withdraw the pitch, fix it and send it again than to leave the decision to the editorial team.
You can prevent almost everything that could lead to the Needs edits status by answering truthfully in the guide and choosing playlists based on how the recording sounds. The guide will then only show you playlists that the recording is allowed into – and the editorial team has one less reason to send it back.