What content is eligible and ineligible for monetization?

Adding your music to video monetization services such as YouTube Content ID and Facebook Rights Manager is powerful because it automatically generates claims against other people’s videos that match any portion of your music. Even if you exclusively own all of the content, not all content is suitable for claiming through these matching systems. Some genres are not appropriate for this service because they generate incorrect results called false claims. We automatically exclude those genres. 

It is very important that the music you are opting in is eligible to avoid falsely claiming other user’s content. These rules apply equally to YouTube and Facebook.

What is eligible?

✔ Your content must be original. If you have used ANY content you did not create yourself, please review below to see if your content is eligible.

Specific to YouTube Monetization: 

✔ Your release must be delivered to YouTube Music.

✔ Your release must have NO territory restrictions.

What is not eligible?

The following examples are ineligible and cannot be used for YouTube or Facebook Monetization:

• Content licensed non-exclusively from a third party (such as samples or beats that are not exclusively licensed)
• Content released under Creative Commons or similar free/open licenses
• All cover songs, regardless of cover license, including karaoke versions
• Public domain footage, speeches, recordings, or compositions
• Clips from other sources used under fair use principles
• Video gameplay footage (by anyone other than the game’s publisher)
• Songs already monetized on YouTube by another distributor
• Content containing any audio library samples, sound effects, or production loops (such as GarageBand loops)
• Any content that is not exclusive to you

Compilations:

Compilations such as mashups, countdown lists, continuous DJ mixes, or full-album sound recordings that play within a single track are not eligible for Content ID.

Check out this video for more details:

Important: Violations of these guidelines may lead to permanent blocking of your track(s) from this service.

* Requirements - Your release must be both opted into YouTube Music AND have NO territory restrictions to also take part in YouTube Content ID.

If CD Baby has claimed a video on your behalf but you would rather monetize it on your own, please dispute our claim from within your YouTube account. Click here to see how.

Why was my music removed?

Our Social Video Monetization team is responsible for enforcing compliance to our partners guidelines, as such they will periodically audit the content delivered to Facebook/Instagram and YouTube. If they find content that violates these guidelines, or are made aware of violations, they will remove the content without notice. This is covered by our Terms of Service.