Content Standards

1Audio File Requirements

1.1 Technical Specifications

Files exceeding these limits will be rejected at upload.

1.2 Quality Expectations

Audio submissions must be:

1. properly mastered and free of unintentional clipping, distortion, or sudden volume changes;
2. free of unintended long silences at the start or end of the track (more than ten (10) seconds);
3. the final intended commercial version, not demos, scratch tracks, rough mixes, or work-in-progress files; and
4. tagged with accurate metadata where possible.

Dewel may reject Content that does not meet reasonable commercial quality standards.

2Preview Samples

2.1 Requirements

Every paid track must have an audio preview sample. The preview is what Listeners hear before purchasing.

2.2 Selection

Select a preview that fairly represents the track — typically a chorus, hook, or strong section that gives Listeners an honest impression of the full work. Previews that misrepresent the character of the track may be rejected.

3Metadata

3.1 Required and Optional Fields

When uploading Content, you must provide accurate values for the following fields. Dewel may add or change required fields in future versions of these Standards.

3.2 Honest Metadata

Metadata must be accurate and honest. You may not:

1. impersonate another artist or use another artist's name in a misleading way;
2. use metadata designed to mislead Listeners about the identity of the performer, songwriter, or origin of the work;
3. use metadata designed to manipulate search results or recommendations through keyword stuffing, irrelevant tags, or misleading descriptions;
4. use offensive, illegal, or trademark-infringing terms in titles, descriptions, or other metadata; or
5. use metadata that violates the rights or privacy of any third party.

3.3 Future Metadata Requirements

Dewel may, in the future, require or request additional metadata fields, including ISRC (International Standard Recording Code), songwriter credits, publisher information, language, territorial rights restrictions, and mechanical license information for cover songs. We will notify you when new fields become required.

4Cover Art

1. Cover art must be your own work, work you have validly licensed, or work in the public domain.
2. You must have all necessary rights from photographers, designers, illustrators, and any people whose images are used.
3. Cover art may not contain trademarks, logos, or branding belonging to others without permission.
4. Cover art may not contain sexually explicit imagery, gratuitous violence, or content that violates Section 7.
5. Cover art may not contain text or imagery that misrepresents the artist, the source, or the nature of the Content.
6. Cover art must be appropriate for display in app store listings and may not violate Apple App Store or Google Play content policies.

5Music Videos

5.1 Optional and Bundled

Music videos are optional. Where you provide a music video, it is bundled with the track and made available to Listeners who purchase the track. There is no separate price or earnings for the video.

5.2 Standards

Music videos must:

1. correspond to the audio track they are bundled with;
2. meet the same rights, ownership, and clearance requirements as audio Content under Section 5 of the Artist Agreement;
3. not contain content prohibited under Section 7 of these Standards;
4. be uploaded only with the consent of all visible performers; and
5. include all necessary location, prop, and synchronization clearances.

5.3 Independent Review

Music videos are reviewed separately from audio. A track and its video may be approved or rejected independently. A rejected video does not prevent the underlying audio track from going live.

6Cover Songs and Derivative Works

6.1 Definition

A "cover" is a recording of a musical composition that you did not write, including:

1. straightforward covers;
2. remixes, mashups, or interpolations of existing recordings;
3. translations of existing songs;
4. new arrangements of existing compositions; and
5. new performances of traditional or folk songs that may still be under copyright.

6.2 Mechanical License Required

Before uploading a cover, you must hold a valid mechanical license (or equivalent license) from the rights holder of the underlying composition.

In the United States, mechanical licenses are typically available through the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) or through services such as Songfile, Easy Song Licensing, or directly from the publisher. Outside the United States, licensing must be obtained through the relevant collective management organization or directly from rights holders.

6.3 Traditional and Folk Music

Songs that you believe to be in the public domain or "traditional" may still be protected by copyright in some jurisdictions. It is your responsibility to verify rights status before uploading. Dewel does not assume that any song labeled as "traditional," "folk," or "public domain" is actually free of copyright.

This is particularly important for music drawing on Eritrean, Ethiopian, and other regional traditions, where rights ownership may be complex, contested, or held by parties not immediately obvious. Where a song is associated with a known composer or arranger (whether living or whose estate retains rights), assume the song is protected unless you have written confirmation otherwise.

6.4 Documentation

You must keep records of all licenses for cover songs and derivative works. Upon written request from Dewel, you must provide copies of your licenses within ten (10) business days.

6.5 Sample Clearances

If your Content contains samples of other recordings or compositions, you must clear:

1. the master sample (rights from the owner of the original recording); and
2. the composition sample (rights from the owner of the underlying song).

Both clearances are typically required. Failure to clear samples is one of the most common sources of copyright disputes and is treated as a serious violation under these Standards.

7Prohibited Content

You may not upload Content that:

1. infringes any third party's copyright, trademark, publicity, privacy, or other rights;
2. contains child sexual abuse material or any sexual content involving minors, in any form or context;
3. sexualizes minors in any way;
4. contains explicit instructions for committing violence, self-harm, or terrorism;
5. promotes, glorifies, or incites hatred or violence against people based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability;
6. contains malware, viruses, or other malicious code;
7. is fraudulent, including Content that misrepresents the identity of the artist or the origin of the work;
8. is generated primarily by artificial intelligence and submitted in a manner that misrepresents it as a human performance, where doing so misleads Listeners or violates third-party rights;
9. contains personally identifying information of others without their consent, including phone numbers, addresses, government identifiers, or identifying photos;
10. violates any applicable law in the United States or in jurisdictions where Content is made available; or
11. is otherwise reasonably objectionable to Dewel.

8Review Process

8.1 Review Required

All paid Content is subject to review before going live. Dewel staff review uploads for compliance with these Standards, the Artist Agreement, and applicable law.

8.2 Review Outcomes

Reviewed Content may be:

1. Approved — made available to Listeners;
2. Rejected — not made available, with a reason provided where possible; or
3. Conditionally approved — approved subject to changes such as updated metadata, replacement of cover art, or replacement of audio.

8.3 Review Timing

We aim to complete reviews promptly, often within twenty-four (24) to forty-eight (48) hours, but we do not guarantee any specific review time. Review time may be longer for high-volume periods, complex Content, or Content requiring additional verification.

8.4 Re-Submission

If your Content is rejected, you may revise and re-submit. Repeated rejections of substantially similar Content may result in account restrictions.

9Removal and Withdrawal

9.1 Withdrawal by Artist

You may withdraw approved Content from sale at any time through the artist dashboard. Effects of withdrawal are described in Section 10 of the Artist Agreement.

9.2 Removal by Dewel

Dewel may remove Content for reasons described in Section 10 of the Artist Agreement, including violations of these Standards.

9.3 DMCA Takedowns

Content subject to a valid DMCA takedown notice will be removed in accordance with our DMCA Policy. The repeat infringer policy in Section 10.5 of the Artist Agreement applies to repeated DMCA strikes.

10Strikes and Account Consequences

10.1 Strike System

Validated violations of these Standards (including DMCA strikes, fraud findings, and serious metadata violations) are recorded against your account.

10.2 Consequences

Severe violations — including willful copyright infringement, identity fraud, or upload of prohibited Content under Section 7(b), 7(c), or 7(d) of these Standards — may result in immediate termination on the first occurrence.

10.3 Right to Appeal

If you believe a strike or removal was issued in error, you may appeal by emailing legal@dewelnetwork.com within thirty (30) days of the action. Provide the affected Content, the basis of your appeal, and any supporting evidence. We will review and respond within a reasonable time.

11Right to Modify

Dewel may update these Content Standards at any time to reflect operational, technical, legal, or policy changes. Material changes will be communicated to you, and where they would change your obligations as an artist, we will require acceptance through the Service.

12Contact