FAQs

• YouTube Content ID CMS Management: Organization of CMS structure, application of global file naming protocol, addition of new assets, management of reference files, prioritization of asset conflicts resolution, and resolution of claim disputes.
• Performance Right Administration: Collection of royalties, organization of metadata, management of issues related to ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.
• Mechanical Right Administration: Collection of royalties, organization of catalog metadata, management of issues related to the platforms and services The Harry Fox Agency, Music Reports, Inc., The Mechanical Licensing Collective, and CMRRA represent—including Tik Tok, Facebook, Twitch, and digital service platforms (DSPs) such as Spotify, Pandora, TIDAL, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, etc.
• Sound Recording Performance / Neighboring Right Administration: Collection of royalties, organization and submission of metadata, management of issues related to digital sound recording performance rights with SoundExchange.
• Digital Distribution: Organization and management of metadata and sound recordings, ingestion to platforms, management of release on various digital platforms, and royalty collection.
• Global Sub-Publishing: Administration of compositions, collection of royalties, organization of metadata, management of issues related to music publishing in the World ex-US & Canada.

For songwriters, recording artists, music publishers, record labels, and audiovisual companies, we act as back office support so you can keep doing what you do best, whether that’s creating music, film, and television or creatively representing it.

Our client list remains private. We represent songwriters, recording artists, music publishers, record labels, YouTube channel owners, collective management organizations, licensing agencies, television rights owners, and film production companies.

Confidentiality agreements prevent us from sharing information about our client roster. Referrals can be provided upon request via support@exploration.io. Exploration represents almost 300 clients and more than five million copyrights for the world’s most valuable media.

We are a remote-first company with staff in Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, Miami, and Manila. Our main office is located at 171 Pier Ave., #251 Santa Monica, CA 90405.

Exploration is an industry leader in data management, customer service, and multi-platform rights management. Our team is committed to continuous attention and availability to our clients — no questions left unanswered, no royalties left unclaimed. Give us an opportunity to show you how we are different and we will not disappoint.

We account royalties monthly.

Please use the following Song Delivery Template to submit new compositions and/or sound recordings to support@exploration.io if you are an existing client. For digital distribution, please also include the following Distribution Metadata Template.

We take pride in our customer service and will respond to your email query within hours. Our support staff is available 24/7. If this is an urgent matter, please call +1 (310) 739-5482.

Schedule a meeting with our Business Development team to get started.

Provided all the information you deliver to Exploration is correct and free to represent, you should expect to receive your first royalty accounting within three months after signing.

Not if you are still under contract terms with this publisher or representative. The rights to compositions and/or recordings that you submit to Exploration must be free and clear from any other representation. We suggest you contact the representative directly for payment.

Exploration does not charge any upfront fees. We operate based on a commission of the royalties we collect for you. Contact the Business Development team for additional information.

No.

Email support@exploration.io or call +1-310-739-5482.

support@exploration.io

Drop us an email to support@exploration.io and we will send you the original publisher’s contact information.

A Performing Rights Organization (PRO) issues performance licenses to users of music and pays performance royalties to owners of copyrights. PROs in the United States include ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR. Learn more about music industry Performing Rights Organizations.

No, but it is recommended that you affiliate with a PRO. These organizations are responsible for collecting your songwriter’s share of performance royalties and will pay them to you directly.

1. Full service backend rights monetization for all asset types, including web, music video, sound recording, composition share, film/TV, and art tracks.
2. Matching unclaimed sound recordings, managing the claims queue, resolving ownership conflicts, researching mis-embedded assets, cleaning up asset metadata, managing reference file overlaps, manual claiming, and royalty accounting.
3. Access to dedicated, Youtube Certified-experts who provide valuable insights on improving your channel to increase subscribers and views, including verification for Official Artist Channels, regular content scheduling, and more.

No.

Yes.

Simply fill out our audit request form and we will have it back to you within 3-5 business days.

• No fees.
• Low commission - Contact the Business Development team for additional information.
• A dedicated group of professionals who will assist you in gathering and uploading all the sound recording information required by digital services providers.

A completed Distribution Metadata Template along with high-quality audio file(s), artwork and lyrics can be emailed to support@exploration.io or ramon.mondigo@exploration.io.

No, other than managing artist YouTube channels.

No.

Yes, Exploration’s services are platform specific, meaning you can pick and choose from a menu the platforms for which you need representation for your music.

Yes, Exploration will represent only what you deliver to us for representation, including partial catalogs within a United States-based PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR).

Yes, in that case we will need your account login information. Since payment will be sent to you directly from the platform, you will then be invoiced by Exploration for our commission.

No, we use a third party aggregator to onboard your music to various platforms. For more information, contact the Business Development team.

Yes.

Yes.

Via Transferwise.

Please email to support@exploration.io.

Yes, view a sample royalty statement.

Please contact Linda Sorell or Selene Alcala.

Yes, contact the Business Development team for additional information.

Yes, we have a number of CMS training materials that we are able to share. Contact the Business Development team for additional information.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes, we can represent your full music catalogue wherever you retain rights. Contact the Business Development team for additional information.

Yes, this is our standard method of paying out royalties.

No. You are responsible for copyrighting your compositions and recordings. Visit www.loc.gov for additional information.

No, not yet.

No, not yet. The Exploration client dashboard is still under development.

From Reggaeton to rockabilly, we represent all genres.

No.

Yes, as part of our Digital Distribution service, we procure our clients’ mechanical licenses for no additional fees.

Watch What is the MLC? Music Industry - 5 Mins or Less. Read about the Music Modernization Act.

Watch What Is Metadata? Music Industry - 5 Mins or Less.

Watch What's the Difference between a Sound Recording and Composition? Music Industry - 5 Mins or Less. Read about compositions. Read about sound recordings.

Watch What is an ISWC? Music Industry - 5 Mins or Less. Read about ISWCs.

Watch What is HFA & MRI? Music Industry - 5 Mins or Less. Read about The Harry Fox Agency. Read about Music Reports, Inc.

Watch What Is A DSP? Music Industry - 5 Mins Or Less. Read about digital streaming.

Watch What is SoundExchange? Music Industry - 5 Mins or Less. Read about SoundExchange.

Yes. Watch Do I need to report my Royalties on my Taxes? Music Industry - 5 Mins or Less.

As a general rule, we require that your good quality audio files, high resolution artwork, credits, and lyrics be submitted to Exploration at least two weeks prior to a release date. If a third party mechanical license is required, then we need all material no less than four weeks prior to the release date in order to secure the licenses.

Main artist, featured artists, songwriter(s), producer, and if applicable, remixer.

Yes, we can distribute your explicit tracks as long as you do so indicate on the Distribution metadata template. Any track or artwork determined to be explicit in language or imagery will be hidden from the stores or rejected if not indicated beforehand.

Explicit tracks and/or artwork are any songs or artwork that are sexual, violent or offensive in nature. If a track is marked explicit, then the entire album is marked explicit.

No. You are responsible for paying the publisher and/or the owner of the composition for Downloads.

No. The digital service providers pay rights holders directly.

The Exploration Distribution template provides a space for you to include a link to your artist page (Spotify and Apple Music) so that there is no confusion with the artist's name.

Yes, once you submit a recording to both stores, the artist page will be automatically created.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes, Exploration has a skilled Conflict Resolution Team that utilizes strong industry relationships to address publishing conflicts.

To begin, contact Exploration’s business development team so we can guide you through a smooth transition with your current CMS representative. Next steps may require:

1. Requesting a list of your assets in a report from your current provider.
2. A termination request and termination date from your current provider.
3. Upon termination and notification to Exploration of a termination date, Exploration will assert ownership on the termination date, moving your assets into conflict with the previous provider.
4. Exploration will then work with your previous provider to transition all assets out of conflict, allowing no revenue to go uncollected for any period of time.

It depends. Provide as much detail as possible in an email to our business development team.

It depends. A number of factors influence how much revenue YouTube attributes to a video per view, including geography of viewer, time of day, whether the video was set to monetize, etc. This highlights the importance of a CMS representative to ensure any and all royalties are paid.

Exploration can help you collect your SoundExchange Label Share. Once Exploration registers and claims your label share you are automatically registered to receive your artist share.

Yes. We need four weeks notice prior to the release date in order to secure a mechanical license for the cover version.

• Do not include the vocalist's name
• Do not include extra text (ex: "intro", "chorus", social media links, etc.)
• Repeated lines must be written out. Don't write "Chorus 2x" etc.
• Begin each line with a capital letter
• Do not use punctuation at the end of a line
• Do not include blank lines except between verses or chorus
• Avoid entering excessively long lines. One sentence per line
• Don't censor explicit words unless the words are dropped/bleeped in the audio recording (Example: Don't enter "F***", unless the word was dropped or bleeped)
• For complete list of store requirements, visit Musixmatch and Apple guidelines

Yes. We can distribute your song as long as you have written permission from the song’s original publisher granting you permission to use the sample.

Yes. We can distribute your master recording as long as you have written permission from the original owner of the sampled master recording granting you permission to use the sample.

1. You will need to ascertain that your agreement with your current distributor has been terminated.
2. Gather all metadata for your recordings. Your existing distributor should be able to provide you with that information which should include: Title, ISRC code, UPC number, songwriters, producer, and first release date.
3. Send Exploration the metadata along with the audio (.wav or better quality) and high resolution artwork (minimum 1000x1000pixel; 3000x3000 is optimal).
4. You and the Business Development team will determine the date of your release based on the mechanical licensing needs of your album or single.

Exploration pays royalties monthly. Once your catalog is registered and distributed to the platforms we represent, you will receive a statement via email on the 25th of each month accounting for your earnings. Your corresponding payment will be transferred to you according to the banking details you provide.

Exploration provides royalty statements in .csv format.

We can have a release date any day of the week, but it is preferred to have it on weekdays.

The artwork is required upon submission.