Almost every rejection comes from one of five categories: audio file problems, artwork that breaks platform rules, metadata errors, rights issues, or content flags. The most common single causes are artwork containing text, URLs or social handles, artist name mismatches between your submission and your existing profile, missing composer and lyricist credits, uploading a compressed MP3 instead of a WAV, and releasing a cover without a mechanical licence. Nearly all are fixable within an hour, and nearly all are avoidable with a pre-submission check. The real damage is rarely the rejection itself, it is the missed release date while you wait for support to explain what went wrong.<\/b><\/p>\n
That is the summary. Below is every common cause with its specific fix, ordered by how often it happens.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* export a fresh WAV from your session or ask your engineer for the master, and do not send it through any messaging app that compresses files.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* trim to a clean start, leave a short natural tail.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* re-master with headroom rather than pushing for maximum loudness.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* check the platform’s stated minimum, and split very long content into parts if needed.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* artist name and release title are fine; everything else comes off.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* export at the correct size rather than upscaling a small image, which fails quality checks.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* use the original high-resolution file, never a screenshot or a messaging-app copy.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* use original artwork, properly licensed stock, or AI artwork that does not imitate a real person or brand.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* choose one exact spelling and capitalisation and use it identically on every release forever.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* enter the legal names of the actual writers, not stage names, and not the band name.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* clean titles only. Use the version field for “Remix” or “Live”, and the featured-artist field for features.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* tag the actual language and the actual genre.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* obtain the licence before submitting. The process is in the <\/span>cover song legal guide<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* clear it, replace it, or re-record the part yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n *Fix:* choose a distinct name and verify it is not already in use before your first release.<\/span><\/p>\n Not strictly rejections, but they cause the same delay: undeclared explicit content, AI-generated material submitted without disclosure where the platform requires it, and mass uploads that trigger spam filters. Declare accurately and release at a normal cadence.<\/span><\/p>\n A five-minute pre-submission check catches almost everything:<\/span><\/p>\n Keep a text file with your exact artist name spelling, writer credits and label name, and paste from it every time rather than typing. Typos and autocorrect cause a surprising share of rejections, especially when submitting from a phone.<\/span><\/p>\n Timing context matters here: with a fast distributor a rejection can be fixed and re-delivered within days, while a slow review cycle turns one error into a missed month. Typical timelines are in <\/span>how long distribution takes<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Artwork containing text, URLs or social handles, followed by artist name mismatches and missing writer credits.<\/span><\/p>\n No. Platforms require lossless audio, normally WAV at 16-bit or higher and 44.1kHz or above.<\/span><\/p>\n Usually text or promotional elements on the cover, insufficient resolution, non-square dimensions, or imagery you do not have rights to use.<\/span><\/p>\n Yes, increasingly it is mandatory, and the credits must use the writers’ legal names rather than stage or band names.<\/span><\/p>\n Only with a mechanical licence for the composition. Unlicensed covers are rejected before release or removed afterwards.<\/span><\/p>\n The fix itself is usually under an hour. What varies is how quickly your distributor tells you what is wrong and re-delivers, which is why review speed and support access matter, as covered in the <\/span>12-point distributor checklist<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Rejections feel personal and almost never are. They are automated checks catching predictable errors, and the same fifteen causes account for the overwhelming majority of them.<\/span><\/p>\n Run the eight-point check before you submit, keep your metadata in a text file you paste from, and choose a distributor that tells you exactly what is wrong quickly enough to still make your date. <\/span>The Black Turn<\/span><\/a> delivers in 1-3 days with support reachable by phone and WhatsApp rather than a ticket queue, alongside one-time pricing per song and free Content ID at 0% cut. Get the boring details right once, and rejection stops being part of your release process.<\/span><\/p>\nCategory 1: Audio File Problems<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Category 2: Artwork Problems<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Category 3: Metadata Problems<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Category 4: Rights Problems<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
The Bonus Category: Content Flags<\/b><\/h2>\n
How to Avoid Rejection Entirely<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
What to Do When You Are Already Rejected<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
FAQ: Release Rejections<\/b><\/h2>\n
What is the most common reason songs get rejected?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Can I use an MP3 for distribution?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Why was my artwork rejected?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Do I need to credit composers and lyricists?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Can I release a cover song?<\/b><\/h3>\n
How fast can a rejection be fixed?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n