FAQ

Dox Music

Welcome to Dox Music Services (incorporating Doxmedia Aggregation). If you are a songwriter, performer or creative we are here to offer expert advice and help you thrive and survive in today's music industry. With over 20 years experience of working in all aspects of the creation, copyrighting and distribution of music we can support you in many areas, from an original idea to the finished project and beyond.
Welcome to Doxmedia Aggregation. We are your easy 'one-stop' gateway to the digital music world for your music. We are here to help artists and record labels make your music available on every major online digital music store and streaming site WORLDWIDE. So if you want your music to be readily available everywhere, from iTunes through to Spotify, and everyone inbetween across the globe, then you need to talk to us.
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DOX MUSIC SERVICES
DOXMEDIA AGGREGATION

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are questions we have been, and are still, frequently asked. We welcome your questions and are very open. Not only will we tell you everything we can do, we’ll also tell you the things we can’t do! Please take the time to read through all of them, we think it will be worth your while.

Click on any of the questions below and the answer will scroll down.

WHAT SITES CAN DOXMEDIA GET MY RELEASE ONTO AROUND THE WORLD?

Our list of contact sites is continually growing and expanding. Also, some of our contacts are continually adding sites to their own listings. We can confidently say that we have all the ‘big players’ across the world. You can see a list of companies and sites that we have received royalties from via our contacts on our Aggregation page (see the right hand side bar). This list continues to grow and expand.

DOES THE RELEASE(S) I/WE WISH TO SUBMIT TO DOXMEDIA HAVE TO ALREADY HAVE BEEN, OR IN FUTURE WILL BE, A 'PHYSICAL' RELEASE - SUCH AS A CD?

No – absolutely not! Indeed, many artists now choose to do ‘digital only’ releases. The beauty of what we offer you is the chance to get any and/or all of your music available to that potential worldwide audience without you having the expense of manufacturing and distributing a physical product such as CDs. You can create and submit a release made up of a track or a collection of tracks. This can take the form of a single, EP or album. You can submit an ‘old’ album (or single or EP) that is now ‘out of print’ as a physical release but you would like to be still available in some form to potential and/or faithful fans. Or, new compilations of your material or different mixes of songs… anything!

CAN I/WE SUBMIT A RELEASE IF THE CD (PHYSICAL) VERSION OF THE RELEASE HAS BEEN OUT FOR A WHILE AND IS STILL AVAILABLE ON CD?

Of course you can!You can make available anything and everything you want – no restrictions will be placed on you by Doxmedia. We want your business and we want people to hear, appreciate, love and download your music!

NOTE: With regards to the last two questions above, our answers have assumed that you own the copyright in all of the recordings (not the songs) or have the permission of the copyright owner to place the masters with us.

DOES DOXMEDIA WORK WITH ANY PARTICULAR TYPES OR STYLES OF MUSIC?

Absolutely not! We want to work with everyone and hopefully encapsulate every genre of music that is currently performed around the world. We know most musicians, performers and small labels quite rightly want to write, create and perform music, not spend loads of valuable time and effort wading though masses of administration, contracts and procedures. So, Doxmedia is here to take on that burden and to make it easy for artists, performers and small labels to get their music digitally available globally leaving them free to concentrate on what they love and want to do – making and performing great music!

WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY A REGISTRATION & ADMINISTRATION CHARGE FOR EACH RELEASE?

Because we do!Doxmedia has to pay a ‘set-up’ charge to each of its contacts for each and every release it submits to them. These charges cover the administration and the time taken by each of our contacts in processing and up-loading the audio and metadata (used to be known as paperwork in the old days!) for each release onto their on-line sites, stores etc. The registration and administration charge that Doxmedia charges its clients for each release is made up of all of the collective charges its contacts charges them, plus a very small additional charge to cover our own time and administration in collating, entering and distributing each release to all of its contacts.

HOW DOES DOXMEDIA ACCOUNT FOR ROYALTIES TO IT'S CLIENTS?

We account to our clients four times a year with periods ending 31st March, 30th June, 30th September and 31st December. Our aim is to send out royalty statements and payments (currently by bank transfer, via PAYPAL or by cheque –  and in sterling) to our clients within a month of the royalty period ending date.

DOES DOXMEDIA HAVE A MINIMUM AMOUNT FOR ROYALTIES TO BE PAID OUT?

Yes we do. If royalties due for a three month period total less than £10.00 (after commission) then any royalties earned will be carried forward to the next royalty accounting period. A statement will still be issued (via email) so our client will still be aware of the royalties earned even though a payment is not made for that period.

WHAT COMMISSION DOES DOXMEDIA TAKE FROM ITS CLIENTS ROYALTIES?

Doxmedia takes 10% commission from all royalties received.

CAN DOXMEDIA GUARANTEE A LEVEL OF ROYALTIES RECEIVED?

This is an important (and often asked) question – No we can’t.

What we are able to offer our clients is getting their music listed and available on our many global contact sites. Obviously, we will try to promote your release in any way we can with our contact sites in the hope of getting your release featured in the new release section etc on any and all sites but these decisions are totally in the hands of our contact sites and beyond our control or influence.

In our experience, the best way by far to get people to buy/listen to your music on-line is by doing live performances – telling people at your gigs/concerts that your music is available on-line. Plus, making full and effective use of social networking sites (such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace), your own website(s) and the internet in general (eg placing any videos etc on youtube). Obviously, there is your own fan base and then there is any TV and radio appearances/airplay should the opportunity arise.

IF SOMEONE ALREADY HAS THEIR MUSIC ON A PARTICULAR DIGITAL DOWNLOAD SITE IN A SPECIFIC TERRITORY (for example on iTunes in the UK) CAN THEY 'OPT OUT' OF THAT SITE WITH DOXMEDIA?

Unfortunately no. We have spent a lot of time and negotiations setting up our contracts and working procedures with each and all of our contacts and to try and deal with any kind of ‘opt outs’ or ‘opt ins’ is currently unworkable and impossible for us to deal with on a case by case basis. In such a case, your release will appear on that particular site twice (something that can occur with major artists and releases when more than one party has access or an ownership claim to a particular release).

DOXMEDIA STATE THAT THEIR CONTRACT IS 'NON-EXCLUSIVE'. WHAT DOES A NON-EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT MEAN?

We have been involved in numerous aspects of the ‘music business’ for well over 20 years now, but always at the “grassroots” level, so we are fully aware of how important it is for artists (and small labels) to be flexible and to be able to take advantage of opportunities and openings that may come their way.

By non-exclusive we mean that you are free to sign any other contract with any other person or organisation to do whatever you both agree with your music/release(s), anywhere in the world (as long as the other party agrees to your Doxmedia contact being in place and running at the same time until the end of your Doxmedia contracted time).

This is also the reason why we’ve made the minimum contract length only one year. Again, because we know how much things can change for an artist (and small labels) within a year. Obviously, we want to, and are very happy to, keep your music with us for as long as possible but after the year is up (from the date on your contract) we will happily remove your release from our contacts sites at your request – no questions asked.

MY MASTERS HAVEN'T BEEN MASTERED BY A MASTERING ENGINEER OR STUDIO. DOES THIS MATTER?

No it doesn’t.Doxmedia will accept any masters from a client (barring any obvious errors or faults). However, having your music mastered by a mastering engineer or studio will definitely enhance and add a finishing touch to your release master. They can also add your ISRC codes to all of your tracks. If you have the budget available we would always recommend that you have your music professionally mastered and if you do not have access to or know any mastering engineers we can recommend one to you.

WHERE CAN I GET SOME BASIC INFORMATION ON 'INTERNATIONAL STANDARD RECORDING CODES' (ISRC)?

You can download a useful and helpful document, in either Word (.doc) or PDF format from the CONTRACT & INFO SHEETS section on the right hand side of this page.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE MASTERS SUPPLIED TO DOXMEDIA ARE NOT IN ONE OF YOUR LISTED FORMATS?

We will most likely have to return your masters to you and ask you to re-submit them to us in one of our required formats – please see the YOUR AUDIO section on the ‘How does it work?’ page.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE ARTWORK/IMAGES SUPPLIED TO DOXMEDIA ARE NOT IN ONE OF YOUR LISTED FORMATS?

We will try to change them to a usable format but if we cannot easily change them to a suitable format we will have to ask you to re-supply your artwork in one of the required formats – please see the IMAGES section of the ‘How does it work?’ page.

DO DOXMEDIA CHECK SONG LYRICS AND WOULD THEY EVER REFUSE SONGS BECAUSE OF THEIR LYRICAL CONTENT?

We do check all lyrics where possible. The reason for this is because all of our contact sites demand that we advise them of any material that they would want to label as “explicit” on their various sites. The reason for this is to warn people using their site who may be offended by any such lyrics and also to protect minors (children). “Explicit” material generally means any words that would be considered to be strong swear, sexual or crude words or material of a strong sexual nature.

With regards to refusing songs based on lyrical content. We fully respect artistic freedom of expression and no ‘view’ will be taken on any material or subject matter submitted except for one exception. Any material that is deemed to promote or encourage hatred or violence against any one individual, group, section of society, faith, race or country will not be accepted by Doxmedia. We reserve the right to refuse such material.

CAN DOXMEDIA AGGREGATE/DISTRIBUTE VIDEO AS WELL AS MUSIC?

Not at this moment in time. We are working on this and will obviously let you know as soon as this changes.

CAN DOXMEDIA GIVE INSTANT UPDATES/REPORTS ON SALES/DOWNLOADS OF OUR MUSIC?

No we can’t. All we can currently do is give you a brief ‘summery’ of what your royalties are made up on each royalty statement. We have expanded the information supplied on our royalty summery but if you are keen to receive current and/or detailed updates and sales/download information for whatever reason, then please be aware that we are not set up for this.

It can take several months to receive some royalties (and the accompanying information) from some territories and/or some of our contacts. We do promise to collect and account for every sale but we are not a chart information service.

CAN DOXMEDIA GET 'DIGITAL BOOKLETS' ONTO iTUNES AS PART OF OUR RELEASE(S)?

Yes we can, but only on album releases. A ‘digital booklet’ is basically a PDF document of the CD book. It can only be downloaded when the whole album is bought. There are very specific specifications (set by iTunes) for digital booklets which we can supply to you on request.

There is no additional cost for uploading a digital booklet that is supplied to the exact required specifications. We can help with setting up/creating a digital booklet but we do have to charge for this service. We will supply a quote on a case by case’ basis once all content is supplied to us.

ARE THERE ANY LIMITS TO THE LENGTH OF TRACKS THAT CAN SUBMITTED?

No. Currently our shorted listed track is only 10 seconds long and our longest is over 13 minutes. The only situation that you may encounter with a longer track is that our contact sites may deem it to be an ‘album only’ track. This means that the person wanting to buy/download the track can only do so if buying/downloading the whole release (album) because the contact sites deem the track too long to justify the price of a single track download.

This decision is purely down to our individual contact sites and they all have differing lengths at which point a track/song becomes an ‘album only’ track.

I/WE ALSO WRITE OUR OWN MATERIAL. DO I/WE LOSE OUT ON MONEY IF MY SONGS ARE NOT PUBLISHED?

If you are members of your territory’s performance royalty collection agency (such as PRS in the UK) then you should eventually receive the songwriter/publisher performance royalties in one of your royalty distribution pay outs. Just be aware that this may take some time to filter through/back to you.

If you are not a member in your own right of said agency but your music is published by a publisher who is a member of your territory’s royalty collection agency (as all proper commercial publishers will be) then you will receive your royalties via your publisher, less their usual commission (this will be stated on your publishing contract). If you are not a member of the said agency and also not published then you will lose out on these royalties. This is one area where DOX MUSIC SERVICES can supply expert advice!

CAN I/WE SET THE DOWNLOAD PRICE THAT WE WANT OUR TRACKS/ALBUMS TO BE SOLD FOR?

For the larger download sites – iTunes and Amazon – yes you can. Make your requests clear to us when submitting your music.