Understanding production sounds

CD Baby accepts many music recordings, but production-sound releases such as noise tracks, ambient recordings, sound effects, and language lessons have additional restrictions and may not qualify for all services.

What counts as production sound

Examples include white, pink, black, or green noise; nature and field recordings; ASMR; room tone; machine or vehicle sounds; sound effects; silence; and language-learning audio.

CD Baby does not accept colored-noise recordings. It also does not accept ambient or nature recordings without music, stand-alone sound effects or field recordings, language-learning releases, or music generated in whole or in part by AI, even when you have a license.

Limits on eligible production sounds

Eligible production-sound content is not available for CD Baby Boost or any of its services (including MLC, SoundExchange, and sync licensing) or social video monetization.

Technical terms in metadata such as frequency numbers, Hz, Binaural, Subliminal, or 8D may be removed by a service. Spotify may label eligible noise content and applies its own minimum-duration and payment rules; tracks under two minutes may be removed or unpaid. Spotify’s noise-content decisions are final.

Deezer may remove tracks that receive no plays for 12 months or repetitive versions of the same recording.

Keep your release eligible

Do not repackage or resubmit previously rejected production-sound content as a new release. Partner rules can change, and acceptance now does not guarantee future eligibility.

Submitting prohibited AI-generated material or repeatedly attempting to distribute rejected content can lead to removal or no longer doing business with your content.