Terms and Conditions

Effective Date: September 2026

PARTIES: THE AMERICAN RECORD (THE "DISTRIBUTION NETWORK") AND THE LICENSING ARTIST/LABEL (THE "OPERATOR")

1. RECLASSIFICATION OF DISTRIBUTION ASSETS

"The Distribution Network": The American Record, encompassing its master ingestion servers, DSP routing channels, telecom aggregators, and algorithmic delivery syndicates.

"Master Catalog Ingestion": All sound recordings (including human-originated, hybrid, and authorized synthetic/AI-generated masters), stems, underlying musical compositions, cinematographic music videos, cover artwork, liner typography, metadata arrays, and acoustic fingerprint data uploaded to the network.

"Digital Service Provider (DSP) Matrix": Streaming platforms, download storefronts, social video sync repositories (e.g., short-form video libraries, cloud radio, and video-on-demand), and telecom carrier networks worldwide.

"Territory": Global and extra-territorial; all sovereign nations, international waters, and digital distribution endpoints accessible via open or closed protocols.

2. INGESTION STANDARDS & STRICT METADATA HYGIENE

Asset Legitimacy: The Operator certifies 100% legal ownership, commercial licensing rights, or exclusive global control of every master recording, beat license, sample clearance, synthetic model generation license, and lyric asset submitted for distribution.

Prohibition on Bad-Faith Derivative Variants:

• Bootlegs, unauthorized remixes, unapproved "sped-up" / "slowed+reverb" cuts, and unlicensed cover versions remain strictly barred.
• Ingesting duplicate audio under disguised artist monikers, fraudulent ISRC/UPC tags, or catalog-stuffing SEO tactics triggers instant platform banishment.

Enforcement & Revenue Freeze: Any third-party infringement alert, right-of-publicity claim, or intellectual property strike will cause immediate distribution takedowns across all DSPs and permanent escrow quarantine of all pending artist earnings.

3. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) MUSIC DISTRIBUTION POLICY & COMPLIANCE

The Distribution Network authorizes the distribution of music created using Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Generative Algorithmic Tools, subject strictly to the following mandatory compliance covenants:

Authorized Commercial Chain of Title:

• Audio tracks, stems, or compositions synthesized using third-party generative AI models must be generated under an active, verifiable paid commercial tier granting commercial distribution rights.
• The Operator warrants that outputs from non-commercial, trial, educational, or free tiers shall not be submitted for ingestion.

Prohibition of Unauthorized Voice Clones & Biometric Mimicry:

• Tracks incorporating vocal synthesis, deepfake vocal modeling, or timbre conversion that clones or intentionally mimics the recognizable vocal identity or likeness of any living or deceased artist without documented, written authorization are strictly forbidden.
• Any track flagged by a downstream DSP for right-of-publicity violations or unauthorized vocal cloning is subject to immediate unilateral deletion, with zero liability accrued to the Distribution Network.

Mandatory AI Metadata Disclosures (DDEX Standards):

• The Operator must accurately declare the presence and nature of AI elements during ingestion in accordance with prevailing DDEX ERN release delivery standards.
• The Operator shall tag all releases specifying whether AI was utilized for (a) Master Generation, (b) Instrumental Stems, (c) Vocal Synthesis, or (d) Mix/Master Assistance. Attempting to conceal generative origin constitutes a material metadata breach.

Zero Tolerance for Streaming Farms, Dilution & AI Mass-Spam:

• Bulk uploading of procedurally generated functional audio (e.g., ambient soundscapes, white noise loops, micro-tracks below 30 seconds) designed to harvest DSP algorithmic pools or inflate stream counts is prohibited.
• If a downstream DSP detects artificial traffic, bot-stream loops, or catalog spam patterns associated with the Operator's AI releases, the Distribution Network reserves the right to pass through any fines or DSP penalties directly to the Operator’s balance.

4. STREAMING, TELECOM & SYNC RIGHTS TRANSFER

The Operator grants the Distribution Network operational delivery rights to monetize and distribute the Master Catalog (including eligible AI-generated assets) across commercial pipelines:

• Digital Streaming & Download Storefronts: Routing of master tracks to global streaming services, on-demand platforms, digital download stores, and algorithmic cloud playlists.
• Telecom & Mobile Value-Added Services (VAS): Monetization rights for Caller Ring-Back Tones (CRBT), master tones, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) platforms, and telecom-bundled media hubs.
• Formatting & Technical Processing: Authority to transcode, downsample, normalize LUFS levels, generate acoustic preview clips, and inject digital watermarks for compliance and tracking.
• Emerging Audio Technologies: Authorization to distribute catalog assets into newly discovered, post-execution formats—including spatial audio formats, neural/ambient streaming arrays, and interactive virtual environments—without requiring supplementary addenda.

5. ROYALTY AUDITING & DISBURSEMENT PROTOCOLS

Net Revenue Split: The Distribution Network calculates Net Ingestion Receipts from DSPs and credits seventy percent (70%) of these funds directly to the Operator’s ledger. The network retains thirty percent (30%) as its baseline routing and pipeline management commission.

Disbursement Timelines:

• Telecom and VAS royalties post within 90 days following regional network operator reconciliation.
• DSP and digital streaming revenues process and post to the Operator portal on a quarterly calendar cycle.

Levies and Transaction Costs: The Operator bears sole responsibility for wire transfer fees, banking overhead, currency conversions, applicable withholding taxes, and GST deducted at withdrawal.

6. TERM, VOLUNTARY TAKEDOWNS & TERMINATION (NO LOCK-IN)

Open Ongoing Term: These Terms and Conditions take effect upon account registration and asset ingestion, remaining active on an ongoing basis until terminated by either party. There is no mandatory lock-in period.

Takedowns on Demand: The Operator retains the right to request a takedown, delisting, or removal of any release or the entire catalog at any time through the dashboard or written notice.

Deprovisioning Window: Following a validated takedown or termination request, the Distribution Network transmits de-delivery instructions to downstream DSPs within seven (7) business days. Standard downstream platform caching and catalog removal procedures apply (typically completed within 30–90 days).

7. PLATFORM INDEMNITY & LEGAL POWER OF ATTORNEY

Complete Insulation: The Operator indemnifies and shields the Distribution Network and its retail downstream DSPs against all copyright infringement actions, sample clearance litigation, AI model training liability, right-of-publicity claims, and financial losses arising from the uploaded audio catalog.

Independent Enforcement Rights: Under Section 18(2) of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the Distribution Network is empowered to issue digital takedown notices, handle anti-piracy enforcement, and initiate infringement litigation against unauthorized distributors or streaming platforms in its own name, without joining the Operator as a co-party.

Direct Contact Prohibition: The Operator is barred from communicating directly with, demanding accounting from, or raising disputes with the Distribution Network's downstream DSP partners or DSP licensing teams.