What Counts as Explicit Content?
A release should be marked Explicit if it contains any of the following in lyrics, samples, or spoken word:
- Profanity or strong language
- Graphic descriptions of violence, sexual activity, or drug use
- Hate speech or discriminatory language
If you are unsure, err on the side of labelling as explicit — it is always easier to request a clean version be added than to have a release wrongly distributed as clean.
How to Set the Explicit Flag
During the upload process, you will be prompted for each track to set the content rating. Choose one of the following:
- Explicit — contains strong language or adult themes
- Clean — radio-safe, no profanity (even if a song exists in an explicit version elsewhere)
- Not Set — use only if your release has no lyrics at all (instrumentals)
What Happens on DSPs?
When a track is marked Explicit:
- Spotify displays a black "E" badge on the track and album
- Apple Music shows an orange "EXPLICIT" label
- Explicit tracks may be hidden from listeners with parental controls enabled
- Some platforms restrict explicit content from certain territories (e.g., family-oriented charts)
Releasing Both Explicit and Clean Versions
If you want both versions available on streaming platforms:
- Distribute the Explicit version first as your main release. Use the standard metadata and mark it Explicit.
- Create a separate release for the Clean version. Label each track as Clean.
- In the title of the Clean release, add "(Clean)" at the end of the title — e.g., "Song Name (Clean)".
- Use different ISRC codes for the clean versions since they are technically different recordings.
What If I Get This Wrong After Distribution?
If your release was distributed with the wrong explicit/clean label, submit a support ticket under Troubleshooting. We can request a metadata correction with DSPs, but note that updates can take 5–10 business days to reflect across all platforms.