Frequently Asked Questions

GenRock Music is an all-in-one music distribution and artist development platform built specifically for independent artists, producers, and record labels. It allows you to publish and monetize your music across 150+ major streaming services worldwide, reclaim your mechanical and digital royalties, and grow your audience—all while retaining 100% ownership and creative control over your music.

GenRock is built with the realities of independent music creators in mind:

• Tailored for Independent Artists (India & Worldwide): Direct local payment support and localized artist management.
• Rapid Direct Support: Fast resolution via WhatsApp, phone, email, and Instagram with typical response times within 0–24 hours.
• Indian & Global Payment Methods: Full support for UPI, Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, Net Banking, Indian Debit/Credit cards, and Bank Transfer (NEFT/IMPS).
• Fast-Track Moderation: Manual track review and store delivery within 0–48 hours.
• 100% Royalty Model: You keep 100% of your net royalties earned from digital streaming platforms.
• Lifetime Upload Guarantee: Your music never gets taken down if your subscription expires.
• Marketing & Label Services: Editorial playlist pitching, YouTube Content ID management, Official Artist Channel (OAC) setup, and CRBT / Caller Tune delivery.

GenRock delivers to over 150+ digital streaming platforms (DSPs) and social audio libraries globally, including:

• Global DSPs: Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, Pandora, Shazam, Qobuz, Boomplay.
• Indian DSPs & Telecoms: Wynk Music, JioSaavn, Gaana.
• Social & Video Libraries: Instagram Audio Library, Facebook Music, TikTok, Snapchat.

You do. You retain 100% legal ownership of your music, master recordings, publishing, and underlying copyrights. GenRock only operates under a non-exclusive distribution license to deliver your music to digital platforms on your behalf. You are never locked into an exclusive contract.

No. GenRock operates on a 100% artist royalty model. We take 0% commission on your digital streaming royalties. Every rupee and dollar disbursed by the streaming platforms for your catalog is credited directly to your account.

By default, standard releases are published with GenRock Music as the record label name in store metadata and credits. On Artist Plus and higher plans, you can specify your own custom record label name (e.g., Your Name Records or Self-Released), giving your releases a fully independent, professional label imprint across Spotify, Apple Music, and all stores.

No. Your songs stay online indefinitely.

GenRock provides a Lifetime Upload Guarantee. Unlike platforms that pull down your catalog the moment an annual fee lapses, tracks distributed through GenRock remain live on Spotify, Apple Music, and all DSPs even after your subscription ends.

• Your catalog continues generating royalties uninterrupted.
• Your accumulated royalties remain accessible and withdrawable at any time.
• You only need an active subscription if you wish to upload new releases or access priority support channels.

No. There are zero hidden fees, annual storage fees, or per-song maintenance costs. You only pay for your chosen plan or any optional standalone premium services you choose to order (such as custom marketing campaigns or extra label seats).

We support all major payment methods:

• UPI: Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM, and any UPI app.
• Cards & Net Banking: All Indian Debit & Credit Cards, Net Banking across all major banks.
• International: PayPal and International Credit/Debit Cards.

Digital streaming platforms enforce strict digital quality standards. Audio files failing these checks are rejected by automated store feeds:

• Accepted Format: WAV (.wav) ONLY.
• Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz or 48.0 kHz.
• Bit Depth: 16-bit or 24-bit.
• Channels: Stereo.
• Strictly Prohibited: .mp3, .m4a, .aac, .flac, .wma, or manually converted/renamed files (e.g., renaming an MP3 extension to .wav will fail the binary decoder test). Always export a fresh master WAV file directly from your DAW.

Your cover art must meet the following mandatory specifications:

• Dimensions: Minimum 3000 x 3000 pixels, maximum 5000 x 5000 pixels.
• Aspect Ratio: Perfect square (1:1). Rectangular banners, non-square images, or widescreen crops will be rejected.
• File Format: JPG or PNG (RGB color mode only; CMYK color profiles cause store ingestion errors).
• Resolution: Crisp, high-resolution (300 DPI recommended), without blurriness, compression artifacts, or pixelation.

1. No Borders: Do not include white, black, or colored negative borders or frames.
2. No Third-Party Logos: Logos of Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Instagram, QR codes, or barcode graphics are strictly forbidden by DSP guidelines.
3. No Promotional Copy: Do not include text such as "Out Now", "Latest Single", "Stream Everywhere", pricing info, contact numbers, or social handles (@yourhandle).
4. Metadata Discrepancies: Any text that appears on the artwork (Artist Name, Song Title, Featuring Artist) must match your submitted release metadata letter-for-letter.

• Cover Songs: Yes, but you must obtain the appropriate mechanical licenses for distribution. You cannot opt cover songs into YouTube Content ID.
• Remixes & Samples: You must own commercial rights and clearances for every sample, dialogue snippet, or loop used. Unauthorized remixes of Bollywood songs, 90s tracks, or commercial releases will be rejected or taken down for copyright infringement.
• Leased Beats / Type Beats: You may distribute tracks using leased beats only if your lease agreement explicitly permits commercial distribution. Leased beats are strictly ineligible for YouTube Content ID.

Our moderation team reviews submissions within 0 to 48 hours (1 to 2 business days). During review, we check your audio format, verify artwork dimensions, and ensure your metadata complies with DSP standards.

• Awaiting Approval: Your submission has been received and is currently in line for manual review by our ingestion team.
• Approved: Your release has passed quality control and has been dispatched to streaming platforms.
• Returned: Your submission requires a fix (such as non-compliant artwork, metadata mismatch, or wrong audio format). You will receive an email/ticket detailing the exact reason and how to re-submit.
• Rejected: Your track cannot be distributed (e.g., copyright violation, unauthorized sample, or platform terms violation).

Once approved and delivered by GenRock, DSPs process and index your music at different speeds:

• Spotify & YouTube Music: Live within 2 to 5 business days.
• Apple Music & iTunes: Live within 3 to 7 business days (Apple performs strict manual quality reviews).
• JioSaavn, Wynk, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal: Live within 5 to 7 business days.
• Instagram Audio Library & TikTok: Typically searchable within 5 to 8 business days.

Yes, release planning is critical.

• Recommended Lead Time (15 to 20 days in advance): Allows your release to be delivered early, enabling you to pitch your song for Spotify Editorial Playlists via Spotify for Artists and secure automated placement on your followers' Release Radar.
• Standard Lead Time (7 to 14 days in advance): Guarantees your release goes live simultaneously across all global platforms on your chosen date.
• Less than 7 days: Stores may not ingest your track simultaneously, and you will forfeit the editorial playlist pitching window.

Yes. You can select your preferred release date during submission. To ensure that your release date is honored across all stores simultaneously, submit your track at least 7 to 14 days prior.

New releases often go live before Spotify’s public search index updates. Search indexing can lag by 24 to 48 hours after a song goes live.

• Check your song directly through your Spotify for Artists dashboard or your artist profile discography.
• If you cannot find it after 48 hours, reach out to GenRock support with your Track Title, Artist Name, and ISRC, and we will provide your direct Spotify track link.

Yes. You can request metadata and artwork edits on live releases:

• Open a support ticket with your UPC, Track ISRC, and the exact fields to update (e.g., Lyricist, Producer credits, or updated 3000x3000px artwork).
• Metadata and artwork updates typically take 5 to 10 business days to reflect across all streaming platforms.

You can replace an audio file (for example, to upload an improved master or fix a mixing glitch) only if the song duration, lyrics, and structure remain identical.

• You cannot replace an audio file with a completely different song.
• Send the new master file in standard WAV format along with the track ISRC to support.
• Audio replacement updates take 7 to 10 business days to propagate across stores.

• Primary Artist: The main artist under whose primary discography the release should appear.
• Featuring Artist: A guest performer on the track. They will be credited in the title as "Track Name (feat. Artist Name)", and the song will be linked to their profile in their "Appears On" section.
• Producers, Lyricists & Composers: Credited in the backend metadata. These credits do not alter the main song title header but are displayed in the DSP "Show Credits" window.

This is known as a mapping mismatch, which happens when another artist shares your exact stage name and store algorithms automatically group the songs together.

How to fix: Submit a ticket titled "Artist Profile Separation Request" containing:

1. Track Title, ISRC, and UPC.
2. The link to the incorrect profile where your song is currently displayed.
3. Your correct Spotify Artist URI / Apple Music Artist URL (or state: "Please create a brand new artist profile" if this is your first release).

Resolution Time: Profile separations take 1 to 2 weeks to be processed by DSP editorial metadata teams.

Distributors do not create passwords for Spotify. You claim your profile directly through Spotify:

1. Ensure your first release has been delivered or is live.
2. Go to artists.spotify.com and click Get Access.
3. Select Artist or Manager and search for your artist name or paste your Spotify Artist profile link.
4. Log in with your standard Spotify account.
5. Verify your identity by connecting your official Instagram or Twitter account.
6. Once approved (usually within 24–72 hours), your profile automatically receives the verified Blue Checkmark.

1. Visit artists.apple.com or download the Apple Music for Artists app on iOS.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
3. Click Request Artist Access and paste your Apple Music artist profile URL.
4. Complete the identity verification steps to finish claiming your profile.

YouTube Content ID is an automated digital fingerprinting system developed by Google. When you distribute music with Content ID enabled through GenRock, YouTube scans all uploaded videos across the platform against your audio fingerprint. Whenever your music is used in any video, a monetization claim is placed, and ad revenue generated by that video is collected and paid out to you with your royalties.

Do not worry. This is not a copyright strike, and your channel is completely safe.

• When you distribute a track with Content ID, YouTube detects the audio on your own channel and places an automated monetization claim on behalf of GenRock Music CMS.
• Option 1 (Keep the claim): You can leave the claim as is. The ad revenue generated by your video will flow directly into your GenRock royalty balance.
• Option 2 (Release the claim): If you prefer your video to remain unclaimed, open a support ticket with your YouTube Video Link and Track Title. We will release the claim within 24 to 48 hours.
• Option 3 (Channel Whitelist): Send your official YouTube Channel URL to support to have your entire channel permanently whitelisted from all future Content ID claims.

YouTube enforces strict legal rules. Content ID cannot be enabled for:

• Leased or non-exclusive beats (e.g., purchased from BeatStars or YouTube type-beat producers where other artists have access to the same instrumental).
• Cover songs, parodies, or tributes.
• Tracks containing third-party samples, movie dialogue, or sound effect loops.
• Devotional chants, mantras, or public domain compositions.
• Ambient white noise, nature sounds, or generic sound effects.

To merge your personal YouTube channel and your automated Topic Channel into an Official Artist Channel:

Requirements:

1. You must own a personal YouTube channel representing your artist brand.
2. You must have at least 1 to 3 official tracks distributed to YouTube Music via GenRock.
3. A YouTube-generated Topic Channel (e.g., Artist Name - Topic) must already exist.

How to apply: Open a support ticket titled "Request for YouTube OAC Upgrade" with your Personal Channel link, Topic Channel link, Artist Name, and latest ISRC.

Timeline: YouTube processes OAC upgrades in 2 to 4 weeks, consolidating all your subscribers and music into your main verified channel.

The minimum payout threshold is ₹500. As soon as your available royalty balance reaches or exceeds ₹500, you can request a direct bank withdrawal from your dashboard.

• Payout Schedule: Royalty withdrawals are audited and processed in monthly cycles at the end of each month.
• Bank Credit Window: Funds are disbursed via NEFT/IMPS and reflect in your registered bank account during the first week of the following month (typically between the 1st and 7th).
• Bank Details: Ensure your registered Account Number, IFSC Code, and Account Holder Name match your legal PAN identity to prevent bank verification failures.

Streaming services operate on an industry-wide 3 to 4-month financial reporting lag:

• January Streams: Reported and credited in April or May.
• February Streams: Reported and credited in May or June.
• March Streams: Reported and credited in June or July.

You can migrate your entire catalog seamlessly without losing your stream counts, playlist placements, or algorithm history by following this exact sequence:

1. Collect Your Metadata: Note your original ISRC, UPC, track titles, artist names, and retain the exact original master WAV file.
2. Upload to GenRock First: Create the release on GenRock. Enter your existing ISRC and UPC codes in the metadata fields. Ensure the audio file and track details match identically.
3. Wait Until It Goes Live on GenRock: Wait for the release to go live across stores through GenRock. When both versions exist simultaneously, Spotify and Apple match the identical ISRCs and automatically merge your stream counts and playlist placements.
4. Issue Takedown on Old Distributor: Only after the GenRock release is live, submit a takedown request on your old distributor.
5. Disable Old Content ID: Turn off YouTube Content ID on your old distributor before delivery to avoid dual-claim conflicts.

If you ever need to remove a release from streaming platforms:

• Submit a support ticket titled "Takedown Request - [Song Title]" with your Track Title, Artist Name, ISRC, UPC, and reason for takedown.
• Takedowns are dispatched to store feeds within 24 hours. DSPs delete and unindex releases within 2 to 7 business days (some stores may take up to 14 days).

• Automated Delivery: GenRock automatically delivers your music and metadata to Indian telecom ingestion partners (Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea).
• Telecom Curation: Caller tunes are curated by telecom operators based on regional demand, language, licensing, and audio clarity. An active CRBT code is not guaranteed for every uploaded track.
• Custom Timestamp Snippet: If you want a specific 30-second chorus assigned as your caller tune, raise a support ticket with your track ISRC and your desired Start & End Timestamps (e.g., 01:10 to 01:40).

Yes. GenRock provides comprehensive artist support:

• Editorial Pitching: If you submit your music 15–20 days in advance, we ensure your release is submitted for editorial playlist consideration.
• Canvas & Video Assets: Support for Spotify Canvas integration and promotional graphics.
• Custom Promotion: Bespoke PR, digital marketing campaigns, and playlist outreach packages tailored to your release strategy.

Artificial streaming refers to illegitimate, manipulated streams generated by automated bots, server click farms, or shady pay-for-play playlist rings.

• Store Penalties: Spotify and Apple Music use advanced fraud detection algorithms. Spotify imposes financial fines (starting at $10 / €10 per track) and can remove tracks or permanently ban artist profiles caught using artificial streaming.
• How to stay safe: Never pay third-party promotion services promising "guaranteed streams" or "guaranteed playlist spots".
• If Flagged: If your track is flagged, support will guide you to invite GenRock as a team viewer on your Spotify for Artists dashboard to audit traffic sources and appeal illegitimate flags.

Yes. GenRock provides customized enterprise solutions for independent record labels and artist management collectives:

• Multi-artist management.
• Automated royalty split calculations.
• Dedicated relationship manager and priority moderation queues.

Contact the enterprise partner desk:

• Email: nikhil@genrockind.com / contact@genrock.in
• Direct Partner WhatsApp: +91 8169456321

Our customer support team is available Monday through Saturday:

• Support Ticket Portal: Log in at genrock.in and submit a ticket.
• Email Helpdesk: support@genrock.in
• General Enquiries: contact@genrock.in
• WhatsApp & Phone Support: Available for Artist Plus, Pro, and Label tier subscribers.