Why We Have Guidelines
Every release we distribute reaches DSPs, collection societies and audiences under the RIA Entertainment name. These guidelines keep the catalogue clean, keep royalties flowing correctly, and keep every artist on the roster in good standing with the platforms we deliver to.
They apply to every release submitted through RIA, whether distributed under our own catalogue or on behalf of a label partner.
Ownership & Rights
- You must own or control the rights to every element of your submission — the recording, the composition, any samples, and the artwork
- Cover songs require the appropriate mechanical licence for the territories you are distributing to
- Samples, interpolations, and any third-party material must be cleared before submission
- Featured artists and co-writers must be credited accurately in the release metadata
Prohibited Content
- Content that infringes on another party’s copyright or trademark
- Hate speech, or content that promotes violence or discrimination against any group
- Content that harasses, defames, or violates the privacy or safety of an individual
- Fraudulent, misleading, or impersonating content, including fake artist names impersonating real people
- Malware, spam, or content designed to manipulate streaming or chart data
Explicit content is permitted and should be flagged accurately using the explicit content tag at submission — misrepresenting explicit content as clean will result in a takedown.
Metadata & Quality Standards
- Track titles, artist names and release dates must match what appears on the audio and artwork — no keyword stuffing or unrelated terms in the title field
- Audio must be a final master, minimum 16-bit/44.1kHz WAV or FLAC — no watermarks, DJ drops, or streaming rips
- Cover art must be a minimum of 3000x3000px, with no blurred/pixelated images, no social handles, contact information, or store logos, and no content that would need its own separate rights clearance
- Release dates must be submitted with enough lead time for DSP review and, where relevant, editorial pitching — we recommend at least 3 weeks
Streaming & Chart Integrity
We have zero tolerance for artificial streaming, bots, click farms, or any service that manipulates play counts, chart positions, or playlist placements. Releases found to be using these services will be removed from distribution, and repeat violations will result in account termination. DSPs increasingly penalize entire catalogues for this, not just the individual release, so this policy protects everyone on the roster.
Takedowns & Enforcement
If a release is found to violate these guidelines, or we receive a valid rights claim against it, we will:
- Notify you and request supporting documentation or a correction
- Take the release down from active platforms if the issue is not resolved, or immediately for serious violations (fraud, hate content, non-consensual material)
- Escalate to account suspension for repeat or severe violations
If you believe your content was removed in error, contact us and we will review it.
Reporting a Concern
If you believe a release on our platform infringes your rights or violates these guidelines, email info@riaentertainment.com with the release details and a description of the issue. We aim to respond within 5 business days.
