This article is a part of Be Musix’s Audio Content Guidelines.
- Live recording version information
- Re-recorded & remastered version
- Soundtrack version information
- DJ Mixes & remix version information
- Karaoke, Tribute, Parody, and Cover version information
Live recording version information
If the audio is from a live recording, the title version must be indicated as “Live.” Territory-specific versions (” Ao Vivo” in Portuguese, and “En Vivo” or “En Directo” in Spanish) should be used. Do not use “Live” for Standup/Comedy albums.
Live Albums, Alternate Takes, Rare Recordings, Early Recordings, Radio Broadcasts, Interviews, and other albums commonly referred to as “Bootlegs” may be hidden based on editorial discretion.
If the version includes time and venue, it should be formatted as Live at Place, Year/Date.
For music videos to be considered Live, audio and video must match and be from the same performance. Prerecorded audio set to different performance footage is not considered Live.
Re-recorded & remastered version
Re-recorded version. If a track is rerecorded, the track title must include “Rerecorded.”
A rerecorded track may be hidden by Apple for editorial reasons if the original “hit” version is live.
Remastered Versions and New Mixes of Previously Released Recordings. The year of remastering should be included in the title version to properly indicate the version of the master. For example, 2017 Remastered Version. Albums or tracks that are designated as Remastered in the title version should be delivered with the first-known release date of the original version of the recording.
In cases where an entirely new mix has been created for a previously released album, the album should also be delivered with the first-known release date of the original version of the album. The year of the new mix should also be noted. For example, 2013 Mix.
Soundtrack version information
Soundtracks and scores must include version information in the album title, enclosed in parentheses or brackets.
O.S.T. abbreviation should not be used as an album or song title version for scores, movies, TV, musicals, or video games.
If the tracks are compiled from different soundtracks, each track title must indicate the soundtrack (From “Soundtrack Name”).
Singles from the soundtrack should have the same album and track title in the format Track Title (From “Movie Name”).
Soundtrack remixes must not include the movie title if the track is not from the original soundtrack.
Musicals must reference the year and location of the performance or release. Do not use the word “Original” if the performance is not the initial staging or release of the production.
Music videos taken from musical films must contain a title version that refers to the film such as (From “Name of Film”).
DJ Mixes & remix version information
DJ Mixes version. DJ Mix albums should include a title version of “DJ Mix” in the album-level version information. Mixed tracks appearing on a DJ Mix must include the title version [Mixed] after all other version information.
Remixes collection version information. Albums that are a collection of remixes of the same track must indicate this in the album title. To avoid identical track titles, the titles must include enough information about the remixes to differentiate them.
If an artist is featured on the original song, the remix should be formatted as “Title (feat. Artist) [Remix].” If an artist is not featured on the original song, the remix should be formatted as “Title (Remix) [feat. Artist].”
Karaoke, Tribute, Parody, and Cover version information
Titles. The album title must not begin with the original artist name.
Track or ringtone titles for cover, parody songs, or tributes must not make reference to the original artist. Do not use phrases such as “Originally Performed By,” “In the Style of,” “Tribute to,” or “Cover of.”
Cover content.
Sound-alikes, cover by cover band, or tribute songs that sound very similar to the original, aren’t accepted. Recordings that include a similar name, title, or image of a popular artist in the content title or cover art may be hidden for editorial reasons. This content may not violate copyright law, but it can cause customer confusion.
Tracktype Cover: Interpretation of a well-known song. Author & composer needs to be correctly credited. Tracktype must be set on “Cover”.
Tracktype Cover by Cover Band: Covers intended to sound like clones of the original with no artistic interpretation added. (see section generic/Fake artist names)
Karaoke. Karaoke track titles can refer to the original artist. You must use clarifying language to ensure that consumers will not think those artists are performing. You should use phrases such as “Originally Performed By… (original artist name).”
Titles of karaoke albums and tracks must indicate that they are an instrumental or karaoke version.
