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Glossary

184 terms from music distribution, metadata, copyright, collective management, royalties, platforms and production. Explained clearly, with links to laws, guides and official sources.

A

Algorithmic playlist Platforms and marketing A playlist the platform builds for each listener individually based on their listening. Also: algorithmic playlists, Release Radar, Discover Weekly, Daily Mix Apple Music for Artists Platforms and marketing Apple's tool for artists – statistics from Apple Music and iTunes, profile editing and promotional assets. Also: AMFA Apple Music Platforms and marketing Apple's streaming service; the iTunes Store additionally sells downloads. Also: Apple Music, iTunes Store Artist Profile Protection Platforms and marketing A Spotify feature that lets an artist approve new releases before they appear on their profile. Also: profile protection Artist profile Platforms and marketing The artist's page on a platform, to which their releases are attached based on the name and profile identifier. Also: artist profile, artist page

B

Beatport Platforms and marketing A store and streaming service for DJs of electronic and dance music. It is off by default and you enable it by request. Also: Beatport

C

Canvas Platforms and marketing A short looping video (3–8 s) that plays instead of the artwork while a recording is played on Spotify mobile. Also: Spotify Canvas, looping video Claiming a profile Platforms and marketing Getting access to your artist profile in the platforms' tools (Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists …). Also: profile claim, claiming a profile Content platform Platforms and marketing A platform where users add music to their own videos – TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube Shorts. Also: UGC platform, user-generated content platform Countdown Page Platforms and marketing A page for an upcoming album or EP on Spotify where fans can save it in advance and see a countdown. Also: Spotify Countdown Page, countdown

D

Download Platforms and marketing Selling a recording or release as a download, for example on iTunes or Beatport. Paid per sale. Also: download, paid download, digital sale

E

Editorial playlist Platforms and marketing A playlist compiled by the platform's editors (such as New Music Friday). You pitch a recording through the platform's tools before release. Also: editorial playlists, curated playlist, curated playlists

L

Link in bio Platforms and marketing One link in your social media profile leading to a page with all your important links. Also: link in bio, Linktree, bio link page Loudness normalisation Platforms and marketing Platforms automatically turn recordings down or up to a common loudness, usually around −14 LUFS. Also: loudness normalization, volume normalisation

M

Meta fingerprinting Platforms and marketing Meta's system (Facebook, Instagram, Threads) that recognises your music in other users' content by its audio fingerprint. Also: Meta Rights Manager, audio fingerprinting

N

New Music Friday Platforms and marketing Editorial playlists with new releases that platforms update on Fridays. That is why music worldwide is mostly released on Fridays. Also: NMF, New Music Friday

O

Official Artist Channel (OAC) Platforms and marketing A YouTube channel that combines your own channel with your distributed music and marks it with a music note. Also: OAC, Official Artist Channel

P

Playlist pitch Platforms and marketing Pitching an upcoming recording to a platform's editors (for example in Spotify for Artists) with a description of genre, mood and story. Also: pitch, pitching, playlist pitch, editorial pitch Pre-save Platforms and marketing A link through which a fan saves an upcoming release to their Spotify or Apple Music library in advance. Also: presave

S

Spotify for Artists Platforms and marketing Spotify's tool for artists – near real-time statistics, profile editing, Canvas and pitching new music to editorial playlists. Also: S4A Spotify monetisation threshold Platforms and marketing Spotify pays only for recordings that reached at least 1,000 streams in the last 12 months (and an undisclosed number of listeners). Also: 1,000 streams threshold, monetization eligibility Spotify URI / Apple Music ID Platforms and marketing Unique identifiers of an artist profile on the platforms. They make sure a release goes to the correct profile. Also: Spotify URI, Spotify ID, Apple ID, ASIN Spotify Platforms and marketing The world's largest streaming service. Your music gets there through a distributor; you manage your profile in Spotify for Artists. Also: Spotify Stream (play) Platforms and marketing One play of a recording on a streaming platform. On Spotify it counts from 30 seconds of listening. Also: play, stream, listen Streaming platform Platforms and marketing A service where listeners play music online – Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, TIDAL and others. Also: DSP, digital service provider, streaming service

T

TikTok Platforms and marketing A content platform where music is used as a soundtrack for videos. In Artists Bez Labelu you enable it by request with a declaration that your music is not made with AI. Also: TikTok Topic channel Platforms and marketing An automatically created YouTube channel with distributed music, named “Name – Topic”. Also: Topic channel, auto-generated channel

V

Vevo Platforms and marketing A network of channels with official music videos on YouTube and smart TVs. The channel does not belong to you and you do not have full control over the video. Also: Vevo, VEVO

Y

YouTube Content ID Platforms and marketing YouTube's system that recognises music in other users' videos and lets you earn from them or block them. Also: Content ID, CID, Content ID claim YouTube Music Platforms and marketing YouTube's music streaming service. Distributed music also appears on regular YouTube as a so-called Topic channel. Also: YouTube Music