Artist Agreement

License to catalog.fm:

By uploading music, artwork, or other content ("Artist Content") to catalog.fm, you grant catalog.fm a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to:

• Stream, reproduce, and distribute your Artist Content to users of the platform
• Display album artwork, artist images, and metadata in connection with the Service
• Create temporary reproductions as necessary for streaming delivery and caching
• Use your name, likeness, and Artist Content in promotional materials for the platform only with your prior consent, which may be requested on a case-by-case basis

Ownership:

You retain full ownership of your Artist Content. This Agreement does not transfer any ownership rights to catalog.fm. The license granted above is solely for the purpose of operating the Service.

Non-Exclusivity:

This Agreement is non-exclusive. You are free to distribute your Artist Content through other platforms, services, or channels without restriction.

Fair Payment Model:

catalog.fm uses a user-centric payment model. Each subscriber's subscription fee is distributed among the artists they actually listened to during that billing period, proportional to their listening activity. This ensures your payouts are directly tied to your listeners, not aggregated platform-wide streams.

Payout Schedule:

Payouts are processed on a monthly or quarterly basis, at your discretion. You may configure your preferred payout frequency in your artist dashboard. You will receive payment for the prior period's streaming activity, subject to a processing period of up to 30 days after the end of the payout period.

Minimum Payout Threshold:

Payouts are subject to a minimum threshold of $25.00 USD. If your accrued balance does not meet the minimum threshold, it will roll over to the following payout period until the threshold is met.

Payment Processing:

Payments are processed through Stripe Connect. You must complete Stripe Connect onboarding, including identity verification and bank account setup, before you can receive payouts.

Tax Obligations:

You are solely responsible for reporting and paying any taxes owed on earnings received from catalog.fm. Tax documentation (such as a W-9 or W-8BEN) is collected through our payment processor, Stripe, during payout onboarding. catalog.fm may report your earnings to tax authorities as required by applicable law.

Acceptable Content:

catalog.fm welcomes original music across all genres. Artist Content should be complete, properly mastered, and include accurate metadata (track titles, album title, artwork, credits).

Prohibited Content:

The following content may not be uploaded to catalog.fm:

• Content that infringes on the intellectual property rights of others
• Content that is unlawful, defamatory, obscene, or promotes violence or hatred
• Content that is fully generated by AI tools
• Low-effort content designed solely to manipulate streaming counts or payout calculations
• Content that contains malware, viruses, or harmful code

AI-Generated Content:

Artificially generated or AI-generated music is not permitted on catalog.fm. Content that is fully generated by AI tools may not be uploaded to the platform. Content that incorporates AI-assisted elements (such as AI-assisted mixing, mastering, or partial composition) may be permitted on a case-by-case basis and must be disclosed during upload. catalog.fm reserves the right to update this policy as community standards and industry practices evolve.

Takedown Procedures:

catalog.fm complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and similar laws. If we receive a valid takedown notice regarding your Artist Content, we will remove the content and notify you. You may submit a counter-notification if you believe the takedown was made in error. Repeated copyright infringement may result in termination of your artist account.

Data You Receive:

As part of our commitment to transparency, catalog.fm provides artists with access to listening data, including:

• Aggregated play counts and streaming statistics
• Listener demographics and geographic data (anonymized)
• Payout breakdowns showing how your earnings were calculated
• Trends and listening patterns over time

Restrictions on Data Use:

You agree not to:

• Attempt to identify individual listeners from anonymized data
• Share raw listener data with third parties without catalog.fm's prior written consent
• Use listener data for unsolicited marketing or communication outside of the catalog.fm platform
• Sell, license, or commercially exploit listener data

Termination by Artist:

You may terminate this Agreement at any time by requesting removal of your Artist Content and closing your artist account. Upon termination, catalog.fm will remove your Artist Content from the platform within 30 days.

Termination by catalog.fm:

catalog.fm may terminate this Agreement and your artist account if you violate this Agreement, the Terms of Service, or any applicable law. We will provide notice before termination except in cases of severe or repeated violations.

Effect of Termination:

Upon termination of this Agreement:

• Your Artist Content will be removed from the platform within 30 days
• Any accrued and unpaid royalties above the minimum payout threshold will be paid out in the next regular payout cycle
• Accrued royalties below the minimum payout threshold will be paid out within 90 days of termination
• The license granted to catalog.fm under this Agreement will terminate, except for any content already downloaded or purchased by users prior to termination
• Provisions that by their nature should survive termination (such as representations, warranties, indemnification, and limitation of liability) will remain in effect