Artist Terms

Artist Terms

Effective: November 2025

Plain-English Summary

This section is a non-binding summary for convenience only. The full legal terms below govern your use of Unreleased.

  • ✓You keep full ownership of your music and creative work.
  • ✓You grant Unreleased a limited licence to host, stream, and display your content so the platform can operate.
  • ✓Unreleased charges a 10% platform fee on sales processed through Stripe. You receive the remainder after Stripe's processing fees.
  • ✓You're responsible for any royalties, taxes, or third-party payments related to your music.
  • ✓We can remove content or suspend accounts that violate these terms or applicable laws.

1.Definitions

"Artist Content"
audio recordings, compositions, artwork, metadata, and any other materials you upload to the Platform.
"Fan"
an end user who accesses or purchases Artist Content through the Platform.
"Platform"
the Unreleased website, apps, and related services operated by Unreleased Ltd.
"Unreleased", "we", "us", or "our"
Unreleased Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 15528126), with its registered office at 23b Trinity Church Square, London, England, SE1 4HY.
"You" or "Artist"
the individual or entity that uploads Artist Content to the Platform.

2.What Unreleased Is (and Is Not)

2.1. Platform services only

We provide technology and marketplace services that let you distribute and sell music directly to Fans. We are not a record label, publisher, or distributor in the traditional sense and do not acquire ownership of your intellectual property.

2.2. No employment or partnership

Nothing in these Terms creates an employment, agency, or partnership relationship between you and Unreleased. You remain an independent creator.

3.Intellectual Property & Licence

You retain all ownership and copyright in your Artist Content. These Terms do not transfer any intellectual property rights to Unreleased.

By uploading Artist Content, you grant Unreleased a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to host, cache, stream, display, reproduce, and distribute that content solely for the purposes of operating and promoting the Platform and your presence on it.

This licence includes the right to:

  • Make your content available to Fans
  • Create promotional clips or thumbnails
  • Format and transcode files for compatibility with different devices

The licence ends when you remove the content from the Platform or close your account, except where retention is required by law or where copies have already been legitimately acquired by Fans.

4.Payments, Fees, and Payouts

4.1. Payment processing generally

Fan payments are processed by Stripe and are subject to Stripe's terms and policies. Unreleased is not a bank and does not provide regulated payment services. Depending on the payment configuration used for a given transaction, the charge may be processed on (i) Unreleased's Stripe account or (ii) your Stripe connected account.

4.2. Transaction definitions

For each purchase of Artist Content (a Transaction):

  • Gross Transaction Amount: the total amount paid by the Fan for the Transaction (excluding any separate shipping charges, and excluding taxes where Stripe or Unreleased collects/remits those taxes separately).
  • Platform Fee: 10% of the Gross Transaction Amount (unless a different fee is agreed in writing).
  • Stripe Fees: Stripe's payment processing, dispute, and other fees charged in connection with the Transaction (which vary by payment method, country, and settings).

4.3. How Unreleased collects the Platform Fee (two modes)

Unreleased may use either of the following methods, and may change methods over time (including on a per-Transaction basis) to support product features, risk controls, fraud prevention, and operational requirements.

Mode A — Stripe Connect (connected account payouts)

Where you have a connected Stripe account, Stripe can route funds between you and Unreleased. In this mode, the Platform Fee is collected via Stripe Connect mechanisms (for example, an application fee and/or transfer mechanics) and Stripe pays out to you according to Stripe's payout schedule and your Stripe settings. Stripe's fees, dispute handling, and negative-balance responsibility depend on the specific Connect charge type used for the Transaction.

Mode B — Unreleased as seller of record for payment collection (off-Stripe payout by Unreleased)

Where Connect is not used (or is not available), the Fan is charged on Unreleased's Stripe account. Unreleased will calculate your earnings for the Transaction and pay you out to a payout method we support (which may include bank transfer or other methods), on a schedule we specify in the Platform. Unreleased may net Platform Fees, refunds, chargebacks, and Transaction-related adjustments from amounts otherwise payable to you.

4.4. Your earnings and examples

Unless stated otherwise in the Platform:

  • Artist Earnings (before adjustments) = Gross Transaction Amount − Platform Fee − Stripe Fees (and minus any taxes collected/remitted where applicable).
  • Refunds, chargebacks, disputes, and reversals may reduce Artist Earnings and may be debited from future payouts (see 4.5).

Illustrative example (for illustration only; Stripe Fees vary):
If Gross Transaction Amount is £10.00, Platform Fee is £1.00, and Stripe Fees are £0.44, then Artist Earnings would be £8.56.

4.5. Refunds, chargebacks, disputes, and negative balances

If a Transaction is refunded, charged back, disputed, reversed, or otherwise invalidated, the associated amounts (including Stripe dispute fees and other third-party fees) may be deducted from your payouts. If you have insufficient payouts to cover these amounts, you authorise Unreleased (and/or Stripe, where applicable) to recover the shortfall from future payouts.

4.6. Payout timing

Payout timing depends on the payment method used:

  • In Mode A (Stripe Connect), payout timing is determined by Stripe's payout schedule and your Stripe account settings.
  • In Mode B, payout timing is determined by Unreleased's payout schedule as displayed in the Platform.

5.Taxes

You are responsible for determining, collecting, and remitting any taxes (including VAT, sales tax, or income tax) arising from your earnings on the Platform. Unreleased may withhold or report amounts as required by law but does not provide tax advice.

6.Royalties and Third-Party Payments

You are solely responsible for paying any royalties, mechanical fees, performance rights fees, or other amounts owed to co-writers, producers, labels, publishers, collecting societies (e.g., PRS, ASCAP, PPL), or any other third parties in connection with your Artist Content.

7.Acceptable Use and Enforcement

7.1. Your warranties

You represent and warrant that:

  • You own or control all rights necessary to upload and distribute the Artist Content
  • Your content does not infringe any third-party intellectual property, privacy, or other rights
  • Your content does not violate any applicable law or regulation
  • You will comply with all applicable laws in your use of the Platform

7.2. Enforcement

We reserve the right, but have no obligation, to review, remove, or disable access to any Artist Content that, in our sole discretion, violates these Terms or applicable law. We may suspend or terminate your account for serious or repeated violations.

8.Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Unreleased, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or related to (a) your Artist Content, (b) your breach of these Terms, or (c) your violation of any law or third-party rights.

9.Liability

9.1. Limitation

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Unreleased's total liability to you for any claims arising under or related to these Terms shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to Unreleased (if any) in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

9.2. Exclusion

We shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, data, or goodwill.

9.3. Platform availability

We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation of the Platform. Access may be suspended for maintenance, security, or operational reasons.

10.Changes to the Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email or through the Platform at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

11.Contact

For questions about these Terms or the Platform, please contact us at support@unreleased.art.