YouTube Sound Recording Revenue Collection Service: Frequently Asked Questions – TuneCore

1. What does the TuneCore YouTube Sound Recording Revenue service do to collect the money I’ve earned?
This artist service tracks down and collects revenue for artists when their sound recordings are used anywhere on YouTube.

2. What are the basic benefits of the TuneCore YouTube Sound Recording Revenue Collection service?

Artists choose which tracks they want to collect money on (monetize).
Artists include or exclude (whitelist) their own YouTube Channel.
TuneCore submits eligible tracks to YouTube.
YouTube Content ID system identifies artists’ sound recordings & revenue.
TuneCore collects the revenue from YouTube.
TuneCore deposits money directly in artists’ TuneCore Accounts—monthly.
Artists pay a one-time setup fee and keep 80% of collected revenue!
Setup fee covers all the artists’ current and future sound recordings.

3. What are the basic steps in the TuneCore YouTube Sound Recording Revenue collection service process?

1. When you select tracks, they go through a vetting process. At this stage, your YouTube Sound Recording Revenue Dashboard will show these tracks are processing.

2. The tracks that are found eligible, under our terms and conditions, are sent to YouTube. If a track is found ineligible, you will also see that on your dashboard.

3. YouTube makes a fingerprint of the eligible tracks (digital indicator), and it is sent out over their entire system to find videos where your music is used.

4. TuneCore collects the revenue from the videos that use your sound recordings and sends it to your TuneCore Account.

4. What qualifies as sound recordings?
There are two kinds of "rights:" 1) Audio. 2) Composition. Sound recordings are the audio part, and the YouTube Sound Recording Revenue service monetizes the "audio" part.

5. What do the terms "monetization" and "monetize" mean regarding YouTube?
"Monetization" is the act of making money on goods or services. Artists earn money from their sound recordings on YouTube videos when ads have been placed on the videos. YouTube Money service "monetizes" (identifies and collects revenue from) those sound recordings for you.

6. What's the difference between "eligible" sound recordings that I can monetize and "ineligible" sound recordings that I can not monetize on YouTube, through the YouTube Sound Recording Revenue collection service?
Eligible : You can submit specific tracks to YouTube for revenue collection that:

Use only your own material for which you have exclusive rights.
Use third-party material for which you have exclusive rights.

Ineligible : You can not submit tracks to YouTube for revenue collection that:

Contain public domain clips or speeches
Contain any audio library samples, sound effects, or production loops (such as GarageBand loops)
Contain any third party content that you do not have exclusively licensed (such as samples you do not have exclusively licensed)
Are karaoke versions or sound-a-like cover versions
Are part of a compilation/various artists' albums
You have previously licensed to a third party, on an exclusive basis
Are already monetized on YouTube by another distributor
Are video game soundtracks (unless you are the video game publisher)

(Violations of these guidelines may lead to permanent blocking of your account from this service.)

7. Does TuneCore monetize my sound recordings if they have been included in videos other people uploaded to YouTube?
Absolutely. If you purchase this service, we will monetize (collect money from) YouTube videos in which other people have used your music and ads have been placed on those videos. We'll even monetize your tracks on your own YouTube channel unless you decide to whitelist (exclude) it.

8. What are the types of ads that can appear on my videos?

Display ads (i.e. banners)
Overlay in-video ads
TrueView in-stream ads
Non-skippable in-stream ads

These ads can range from a simple banner to an actual commercial. More than one advertisement may be linked to your video at any given time, which can mean additional monetization income for you.Give you honest and independent reviews of your music from genuine music fans. You can see more about the different types of ads here .

9. How much money can I make on YouTube?
It depends on various factors, including on how often your music is used. The more people upload and stream your music, the more you can earn from your sound recordings.

10. When I release new singles or albums, can I add them to this service without paying another fee?
Yes. You pay a one-time set-up fee for this service. The service is good for all current and future releases. As you release new music, you can hand-pick which eligible tracks will be monetized.

11. Can I monetize my music on YouTube by myself?
In order to collect the most money from the use of your music in other people's videos, you need access to YouTube's system, and access is typically restricted to large labels, publishers and distributors. Plus, you need the training and knowledge to navigate YouTube's complex system to collect revenue and manage rights disputes. The YouTube Sound Recording Revenue service can manage these monetization tasks for you. Generally, you can monetize your own channel , if you want.

12. Who gets notified when the TuneCore YouTube Sound Recording Revenue collection service claims my sound recordings on YouTube?
Because you are a customer, you and other people using your music on YouTube will get a YouTube notification stating that TuneCore has claimed your sound recording. The notification means that TuneCore is officially collecting money on your behalf.

13. What does it mean for me to whitelist my YouTube channel?
Whitelist means to "exclude." If you do not want TuneCore to collect revenue for your sound recordings on your channel, you can set your Channel Preferences to whitelist (exclude) your YouTube channel.

14. If I whitelist my YouTube channel, will this service still collect revenue that does not come from my channel for me?
Yes, we will still monetize videos that are not part of your channel.

15. How long does it take for videos to become monetized on YouTube?
Once you've signed up for the YouTube Sound Recording Revenue Collection Service it can take up to a few months for videos to become monetized on YouTube.

You can sign up for TuneCore's YouTube Sound Recording Revenue Collection Service here .

Articles in this section

Related articles