Stem FAQs

Master Royalties

Stem processes payments for master (sound recording) contracts on the 15th of every month.Once we process these, please allow for an additional 3-5 business days for the payment to hit your PayPal or bank account. For a list of upcoming master payment dates, please see our FAQ.

Mechanical Royalties

Stem admins mechanical royalties (composition) from digital downloads in the U.S. and pays them to songwriters and publishers directly on the first business day of each quarter (if we have successfully verified the shares). For a list of upcoming mechanical royalty payment dates, please see our FAQ.

Stem does not share this metadata with the platforms at this time, but we will soon.

When uploading content that does not include any explicit material, it is falls under one of two categories; CLEAN: An edited version of an explicit track to remove any expletives or NON-EXPLICIT: Content that contains no explicit material initially.

For example:For example, the song "Let It Go" from Frozen is NON-EXPLICIT. However, Kendrick Lamar's "Swimming Pools (Drank)" has both an EXPLICIT and CLEAN version of the track.

Artists can claim their Apple Music profile & upload their photo via Apple Music For Artists. If you have any trouble on this site, there is a Helpdesk at the bottom of the page.

Bio's & Header's need to be submitted to the All Music/Rovi Database (which is also used to pull default artist images & bio's for Pandora, Spotify, and Apple). Please see below...

Guide: https://www.allmusic.com/product-submissions

Instructions for digital submissions only...To submit to the Rovi Database, please send an email to [email protected] containing any of following information that you'd like to submit...-Artist biography- Artist Image-The attached template (download link for the template here: https://www.allmusic.com/assets/template/Tivo_Music_Data_Template.xlsx )

If you are interested in transferring your catalog to Stem, it is important to note that you give your account manager a heads up that you are transferring content, and that you do not request your current distributor to take down your content right away. Your first step will be to upload viaMANAGE CONTENTand selectingTRANSFER CONTENT.

Content should be delivered to Stem with all metadata and codes matching the original delivery exactly:

Titles (album and track names)

Artist names & roles

UPCs

ISRCs

Audio files

Duration

Original release date

Chances of track-linking decrease with each differing piece of metadata between the two recordings.

When uploading content, please input the platform live date at least7daysout.Note that the app will automatically do this for you.

After content has been submitted, processed and goes live, you may see duplicate versions of your release for a short amount of time on the platforms.Once you see it live on the platforms, please tell your previous distributor to remove their version. You may want to reach out sooner if you selected YouTube content ID as assets may have an ownership conflict.

** Please note that if the metadata & reference files provided to Stem are not identical to that provided to your current distributor, we cannot guarantee the data will merge.

Risks

iTunes

Ratings and reviews will be lost

Popularity bar should remain intact

No access to prior analytics

Apple Music

Stream counts should remain intact

Playlisting should remain intact

Spotify

Playlisting should remain intact

Stream counts should remain intact

Track linking is never 100% guaranteed.

The best chance of seeing seamless track-linking is to follow the guidelines outlined above.

In order to be paid in a given month, your payment information must be inputted into Stem by the end of the month prior.

For example, to be eligible for payment in June, your deadline for entering/updating payment information is May 31st.

To upload content to Stem, please log in to your account from a computer and navigate to MANAGE CONTENT.

It's important to note that you must upload content via a computer. From our desktop website, you will be guided through our upload flow.

If you are not seeing the MANAGE CONTENT tab in your dashboard, please apply for upload privileges at stem.is/apply-now.We vet applicants to ensure that every artist planning to release content through our platform can be paired with the right internal support to help elevate that individual's career & help guide their releases.

Also, please note that you currently have a Stem account in the "Anything else we should know?" section.

With the holidays approaching we advise that you plan ahead and allow for plenty of extra time in advance of your releases as a high volume of deliveries and updates are received starting in mid-October through the start of the holiday break.

Wednesday, 11/27, Thursday, 11/28, & Friday, 11/29, in observance of Thanksgiving

Account Management Team operating hours, content deliveries and edits will resume onMonday, 12/02.

Monday, 12/23 through Thursday, 01/02, for the Winter Holiday

Account Management Team operating hours, content deliveries and edits will resume onMonday, 1/06/2020.Any contentuploaded by 5:00PM PDTon theFriday prior to long holiday breaks, will be delivered prior to our break. If you have a release scheduled during our holiday closure and content has already been delivered, you may disregard this deadline as your release will not be impacted.If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact our Account Management Team team.

The holiday season is a time for relaxation, celebration with loved ones, and in many cases, releasing great content.

Stem HQ & our DSP partners will be closed Monday December 23, 2019 through Friday January 3, 2020 and we've outlined some important holiday deadlines to keep in mind.

Release Date

Delivery Deadline

November 22- 29, 2019

Friday, November 15, 2019

November 30, 2019-December 13, 2019

Friday, November 22, 2019

December 14- 20, 2019

Friday, December 6, 2019

December 21, 2019-January 3, 2020

Friday, December 13, 2019

If you have a release scheduled during our holiday closure and content has already been delivered, please disregard this deadline as your release will not be impacted.Content deliveries, edits and regular operating hours willresumeMonday January 6, 2020.

Holiday Pitching Deadlines

We also work off of the holiday pitching deadlines set up by our partners at the DSPs. Please see below!

Release Date

Pitching Deadline

November 22, 2019

Thursday, October 31, 2019

November 29, 2019

Thursday, November 7, 2019

December 6, 2019

Thursday, November 14, 2019

December 13, 2019

Thursday, November 21, 2019

December 20, 2019

Monday, November 25, 2019 .

December 27, 2019

Thursday, December 12, 2019

January 3, 2020

Thursday, December 19, 2019

We're here to help you have a smooth holiday. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

If you need to edit your release AFTER it has already been delivered to Spotify, the uploader must submit an edit request in Stem. Please note the request must come from the uploader to be processed.

To submit an edit request on an approved or released piece of content, please complete the following steps after logging into your Stem account:

Go to MY CONTENT

Select the release you wish to edit

On the top right, select EDIT

Complete the form to the best of your ability and hit Submit

Please note that edits on approved content can take7-10 business daysto be completed.

Special Considerations:

Edit requests within 7 days before the the expected Live Date are not guaranteed to be reflected when the product goes live.

Changes to a Live Date cannot happen within 3 days before the expected live date.

We encourage you to double check your edits and/or use the save draft feature in Stem prior to hitting submit.

The Digital Service Providers (DSP's such as Spotify) require that content is delivered at least five (5) business days before the earliest Live Date specified in the metadata. This is why the soonest live date you can select when uploading content is 7 days from the date of upload.If you are submitting a new release after 5pm PST, the soonest Live Date you can select is 8 days from the date of upload.

It is strongly encouraged that you allow for more than the minimum turn-around time to allow for changes that need to be made to your drafts or for promotional planning.

Note:The delivery timeline is subject to change during holidays and office closures. We will always send advance notice via email with the a schedule at that time.

Spotify requires that content is delivered at least five (5) business days before the earliest Live Date specified in the metadata. This is why the soonest live date you can select when uploading content is 7 days from the date of upload.

It is strongly encouraged that you allow for more than the minimum turn-around time to allow for changes that need to be made to your drafts or for promotional planning.

Note:The delivery timeline is subject to change during holidays and office closures. We will always send advance notice via email with the a schedule at that time.

If your content is still under review by our team, you can easily edit your release in Stem by following these steps:

Go to MY CONTENT

Go to UNDER REVIEW

Select EDIT on the release you would like to update

Note: Dont forget to hit SUBMIT once you are finished making changes.

If you need to edit your release AFTER it has been approved, the uploader must submit an edit request in Stem. Please note the request must come from the uploader to be processed.

To submit an edit request on an approved or released piece of content, please complete the following steps after logging into your Stem account:

Go to MY CONTENT

Select the release you wish to edit

On the top right, select EDIT

Complete the form to the best of your ability and hit Submit

Please note that edits on approved content can take7-10 business days to be completed.

Special Considerations:

Edit requests within 7 days before the the expected live date are not guaranteed to be reflected when the product goes live.

Changes to a Live Date cannot happen within 3 days before the expected live date.

We encourage you to double check your edits and/or use the save draft feature in Stem prior to hitting submit.

Qwil Inc. is a platform that provides easy payments and financial tools for independent contractors (e.g. Stem users). Stem has chosen to partner with Qwil because they enable us to pay our users through both Direct Deposit (ACH transfer) and PayPal. Qwil is currently the only option for Stem users who wish to receive payment.

For more detailed information about Qwil, please visit their FAQ by clicking here.

Stem remits master (sound recording) royalty payments via Direct Deposit (ACH) or PayPal.

You will only be eligible to receive payment if the following conditions are met:

You've entered complete payment information by the end of the month prior.For example, to be eligible for payment in June, your deadline for entering/updating payment information is May 31st.

Your contracts have reached consensus by the end of the month prior. You and all shareholders have accepted your splits.

You're owed at least 50 USD.

Please note that Stem has partnered with Qwil Inc. to process your payments securely and effectively. Please visit our article for more details: What is Qwil?

There are a few different places that you can find your Apple Artist ID.

In the iTunes/Apple Music app:

Click the "..." button

Hover over "Share Artist"

Click CopyLink

Paste the Apple URL into the search box in Stem. Delete "https://music.apple.com/us/artist/example-artist/" leaving only a string of numbers.

From a browser:

Copy everything after "https://music.apple.com/us/artist/example-artist/". This is the Apple ID. It should look similar to: "1234567890"

Paste the Artist ID into the Stem Artist Information Search field!

There are 3 ways to know if you've chosen the right profile.

Verify the Artist Artwork

Verify the Artist Name

Verify the Artist ID ( how to do that )

Stem's upload flow allows you to select which artist page(s) your content will be placed on. Using our integrated search functionality, you can ensure that your release is mapped to the correct artist page(s) upon upload or after any subsequent edits.

When you're uploading a New Release or Editing Content:

On the Album Info step of the New Release or Edit Content work flow, scroll to the Artist Information Card.

On the Artist Information card:

Fill in the Artist Name exactly how it is listed on Spotify or Apple Music

Select the Role: Primary or Featured

Indicate that this artist is already on Spotify or Apple Music

Search the Spotify or Apple Music Profile by the Name or the Artist ID

Tip: The unique identification number can be found in the Spotify URI: spotify:artist:4XquDVA8pkg5Lx91No1JxB

Tip: The unique identification number can be found in the Apple Music URL:https://music.apple.com/us/artist/example-artist/1234567890

If needed, add more Primary or Featured artists to the Album. Each product is required to have at least 1 Primary Artist.

6. If your release has multiple songs, proceed to the next step. Note that the Artist Information will carry-over into each track from the Album Info step. Edit song-level artists by adding or removing artists. Each song is required to have at least 1 Primary Artist.

Setting up a payment account that is based outside of the United States is a two-part process that requires you to visit both the Stem and Qwil applications.

First, submit basic personal information through the Stem app. This can be done by visiting the Payments section within your Account page. Since you're outside of the US, we only require your first name, last name, and country.

Second, finish adding payment details in the Qwil app. Once you've completed the first step, you will receive an email inviting you to fully set up your account through Qwil. Click through this email and follow their subsequent instructions.

Please note that, if your bank account is outside of the United States, you will need to make subsequent edits to your payment information in the Qwil app and will be unable to do so in the Stem app.

Whether you have questions about your content or your Stem account, the Artist & Client Relations team can help. Reach us via [email protected] Monday - Friday 7am-6pm PDT.

Tip: Always include the UPC if you have questions regarding specific content in your support requests.

Yes, Qwil is currently the only option for Stem users who wish to receive payment.

If you have specific questions or concerns about our partnership with Qwil, please reach out to Support at [email protected]

Artist Profile Links (also known as "Artist URLs") are unique identifiers assigned to artists by each platform. Platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music may have multiple artists that share your exact name, which could lead to improperly aggregated artist profiles or incorrectly mapped content. Stem collects those links in an effort to more accurately map your distributed content to the correct artist profile.

On Spotify, your Artist Profile Link can be accessed by selecting "Copy Artist Link" from your artist profile page. Your URL should follow this format: " https://open.spotify.com/artist/201hHZdbTCLrri6i89XFxN "

On iTunes and Apple Music, your Artist Profile Link can be accessed by selecting "Copy Link" from within the Share Artist menu on your artist profile page. Please note that iTunes and Apple Music share the same URL for your artist profile and your Apple ID is the series of numbers at the end of your profile link. Your URL should follow this format: " https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/sideproject-ep/1102096070 "

At this time, we are making improvements to our feed with SoundCloud, and in the meantime have temporarily removed the option to distribute to their platform.

Note: If you have older releases distributed to SoundCloud, we will continue to monetize unless you have issued a takedown.

On the My Content page, we visualize content that has been taken down from all platforms with a yellow "T" icon.

Here is everything you need to know about getting paid with Stem:

We pay master and mechanical royalties. To see a comprehensive list of the dates, click the following links: master royalty payment dates, mechanical royalty payments dates.

To be eligible for payments, please ensure each shareholder has added/updated their payment information. See our FAQ to find out when by clicking here.

Contracts must be finalized for both the sound recording and composition splits in order for us to pay you. Note:May appear in your statements as Qwil Inc.

Incorrect profile mappings can occur when at least one other artist on a platform shares your artist name.

If your release has been mapped incorrectly, please follow the instructions for an Edit Request and make sure you select the correct Artist Profile.

Feel free to also reach out to your Account Manager with amessage that includes the following:

Subject: REMAP REQUEST FOR <platform_name>

UPC

Artist Name

Link to your content (e.g. URL or URI)

Artist Profile Link to the correct profile

We will contact you to confirm that we have received your request and continue to communicate any updates to you until the issue is resolved.

There are a few different places that you can find your Spotify Artist ID.

In the Spotify app:

Click the "..." next to the "Follow" button

Click Share

Click Copy Spotify URI

Paste the Spotify URI into the Search Box. Delete "spotify:artist:" leaving only the Spotify ID.

From a browser:

Copy everything after "https://open.spotify.com/artist/". This is the Spotify ID. It should look similar to: "4o4tLTIJ3eWMFerz73atcT"

Paste the Artist ID into the Stem Artist Information Search field!

Content ID is YouTube's automated, scalable system that enables content owners to identify user-uploaded videos which contain content they own.

There are 3 ways to know if you've chosen the right profile.

Verify the Artist Artwork

Verify the Artist Name

Verify the Artist ID ( how to do that )

Stem admins mechanical royalties from digital downloads in the U.S. and will process them quarterly. Please see a list of payment dates below:

Payout Date: January 31stFor Period: October - DecemberInput Payment info by: January 1st

Payout Date: April 30thFor Period: January - MarchInput Payment info by: April 1st

Payout Date: July 31stFor Period: April - JuneInput Payment info by: July 1st

Payout Date: October 31stFor Period: July - SeptemberInput Payment info by: October 1st

Stem visualizes earnings and performance data (in USD) on Dashboard and Content Detail pages on the 5th of each month by the end of the day. If you've been paid, Stem will visualize details about your payments on the Payments page by the 15th of each month.

Please note that Stem receives reports from platform partners (e.g. Spotify, Apple Music) every 30-60 days. For example,if you release content in May, Stem will begin to receive performance reports for it around the end of June and will visualize data in July.

Stem supports two different YouTube policies through our Manage Content flow: monetize and block.

Monetize:We will create an asset for the sound recording, composition share, music video or web video which will scan all of YouTube's catalog looking for anyone using a portion of the reference file in their videos. This will then run ads against any videos that contain your content.

Block: We will create an asset for the sound recording, composition share, music video or web videowhich will scan all of YouTube's catalog looking for anyone using the track in their videos. Content will be blocked from being uploaded when picked up by Content ID.

Note:If you would like to allow another person to upload content with your sound recording asset, please send us the link of the video and we can remove our claim.

To take down a single piece of audio content, take the following steps:

Go to My Content, and click on the Album you want to take down.

Click on the "Actions" button in the top-right corner of the page.

Click "Take Down" and follow the provided instructions to initiate the take down. Please allow5-7 business days for your takedown to be processed.

Account Management team

To take down multiple pieces of audio content you've uploaded,take the following steps:

Go to My Content, and click on the Take Down button.

Select each Album, Single, or EP you'd like to take down.

Click "Take Down" and follow the provided instructions to initiate the take down. Please allow5-7 business days for your takedown to be processed.

Please also note that completing this process will initiate a take down from all platforms to which your content was distributed. If you want to take down your content from a select group of platforms, please reach out to our for assistance.

Disclaimer: If you are transferring your content off of Stem to a different distributor, please keep in mind that takedowns should take place only after the content distributed by another company has gone live on all platforms.Issuing takedowns before the content is live could result in the loss of streaming numbers.

We cannot currently pay PayPal users located outside of the United States. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you.

If you have further questions, please reach out to our Support team at [email protected].

To accept splits, follow these steps:

Log into your Stem account

Go to My Content

Click into each asset listed

Go to Splits

Hit Accept

If the splits appear to be incorrect, please dispute them and reach out to the uploader. For composition splits, please ensure you have double checked that the publishing information is correct prior to accepting.

Content that is submitted before5pm PSTin a given a business day will likely go out the same day it was submitted if Approved. Content submittedafter5pm PSTduring the business day and during the weekend will be processedthe next business day.

It is very important to note that metadata errors can cause a delay in delivery. The Support team will reach out to uploaders should any issues with metadata arise.

Note:The delivery timeline is subject to change during holidays and office closures. We will always send advance notice via email with the a schedule at that time.

Once you hit submit in Stem, your content is reviewed for metadata accuracy, sound quality, etc. Stem assigns a UPC once your release has been approved.

Once your submission has been approved for distribution, you can find your UPC by following these steps after logging into your account:

ISRC

Select MY CONTENT

Select the release in question at the album level

Select the METADATA tab

Scroll down and you will find the UPC

Please note that the UPC is different than the.

International Standard Recording Codes(ISRCs) are the international identification system used for sound recordings.

ISRCs are important to have, as they are tracked by SoundScan for potential Billboard charting, and also by the RIAA when calculating album equivalents.

If you are releasing new content through Stem, we can assign you one. Just let us know by checking the ISRC box in the Metadata section of the upload flow.

If you have previously released your content digitally, you already have unique ISRCs for those. If you are having trouble finding your ISRCs, you should be able to obtain them by contacting your distributor.

Payment information entered in Stem will be securely shared with Qwil in order to get you paid in an accurate and timely manner.

1) Log in to Stem on web.

2) View Account or simply click on your avatar photo, then navigate to the Payment tab.

3) Complete the steps to input your payment information and select your preferred method.

Please note that if you are a user with a bank account outside of the United States, you will be prompted to input your first name, last name, and country only. You will then receive an email from Qwil redirecting you to their platform to complete your payment account set up.

Stem has direct, worldwide deals with Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Content ID, YouTube Art Tracks, Amazon, Pandora, Tidal, Google Play, Deezer, Napster, Tencent, iHeart, and Saavn.

Copyright laws protect original works and ensure proper permissions have been granted prior to public usage. All master recordings submitted to Stem must be 100% original to avoid copyright issues and remain compliant with our Terms of Service. Should you submit a cover, you must secure mechanical licenses to distribute your re-recording commercially.

Click here to view our FAQ regarding how abnormal streaming patterns could impact the status of your Stem account.

Here are some key points to help avoid issues with your content on the digital stores.

Copyright infringements

The best way to avoid copyright infringement is to submit content that is 100% original and free of any samples.

If you have recorded a cover song, you must obtain a license for the underlying composition. If you are sampling a sound recording, you will typically need to acquire both a license for the underlying composition as well as a license for the use of the sound recording.

Should a copyright infringement occur, action will be taken. This may result in the removal of your content from all digital stores. To avoid this, please make sure you have secured all the appropriate rights to release your content prior to uploading to Stem.

Abnormal Streaming

It is very important to note that any promotional service that offers guaranteed streams in return for money should not be used. Such uses will put content at risk of removal.

For more information from Spotify on this topic, please click here.

No, Stem is unable to complete deliveries to our own platform on behalf of our users. If it is easier for you to send to us than it is for you to upload it, then we're doing something wrong.

Between May 31 and July 15, we are allowing Stem users to opt-in to having their Stem content transferred over to TuneCore. For full details about our partnership and answers to other relevant questions, you can read our FAQ here.

To opt-in,take the following steps:

Log in to your Stem account and navigate to your Account page.

Click the "TuneCore" tab and follow the subsequent steps.

Please note that you can change the status of your opt-in any time before July 15.

If you'd like to send any of your previously uploaded releases to new platforms, please perform the following actions...

1. Visit your Stem dashboard from a computer at app.stem.is

2. SelectMANAGE CONTENT

3. SelectREDISTRIBUTE

4. Select your album, proceed to the platforms page, and select to redistribute this release to your platforms of choice

5. Select a new live date for this redistribution (that is at least 5 business days away) and submit

[email protected]

The redistribute feature will capture previously saved metadata and splits information, so you won't have to re-enter them again. Reach out to your dedicated Stem Direct Rep if you have any questions (or ).

Because of Classical music's unique metadata structure (Movements, Composer Names, etc.), we do not currently distribute music within this genre.

When payments are first sent to your bank or PayPal account, they may appear with a status of "Pending." Please note that, while the status is Pending, the payment will be displayed as having come from "QWIL OBO Stem".

Once the status of your payment is "Complete," the payment will be displayed as having come from "Stem."

In MY CONTENT, you will find three sections: Drafts, Under Review, and Catalog.

Drafts is where we keep your content that you have not yet submitted for release. These are uploads that you've started in Manage Content but have not finished. You'll find your rejected drafts here, too.

Under Review is for the drafts that you have submitted that are currently being reviewed. While you can edit submissions that are listed on this page, please note that you'll need to re-submit edited drafts for approval before they can be reviewed for distribution.

Catalog shows your approved content, including albums, songs and videos. Content that you see here cannot be edited the same way drafts can, so you'll need to use this form in order to request metadata updates from our team.

When you submit in MANAGE CONTENT, we will send you an email notifying you that we've received your submission. Before we distribute your content, we take extra steps to ensure that all of your content's metadata aligns with platform style guides. While your content is under review, you will be sent an email with a Draft ID.

If you wish to make changes to your content before it is approved, you can do so by clicking Edit on your submission within MY CONTENTS "Under Review" page.

We will notify you upon approval or rejection of your submitted content for distribution. At the time of approval, a UPC and ISRC(s) will be assigned.

It is up to the uploader and shareholders to ensure that all split information is correct before content is uploaded and also at the time shares are accepted. If at any time the split information is incorrect, shareholders should not accept their splits and contact the uploader instead.

Tip: If the uploader has not confirmed accurate splits while uploading, the uploader should not submit the content for review. Instead, use our Save Draft feature by clicking the black button in Manage Content.

NOTE: If your submission hasnot been approved for distribution, you can click Edit on your submission within My Content's "Under Review" page, make changes to your splits, and re-submit your content.