Digital streaming rights & royalty split

Rights first

Artists and labels retain their rights. A track is offered publicly only after DMT Music records clearance for the master recording, musical work and other necessary permissions in the relevant territories. A DMT upload alone does not clear samples, publishing or other owners' rights. Disputed or suspended tracks are hidden while the rights are reviewed.

What is an eligible play?

1. A signed-in listener starts an authorised track on DMT Music.
2. The server delivers audio and receives plausible playback progress over time.
3. At least 30 seconds of listening time is credited without counting seeks, inactive gaps or repeated requests as extra listening.
4. The play enters a provisional review queue. A reviewer checks anomalies, repeat activity and rights status before approving or excluding it with a recorded reason.

Tracks shorter than 30 seconds do not qualify under this initial rule; a separate short-form rule requires agreement. A provisional or approved play is an accounting record, not proof that a human heard every second. Historical request counts are not retroactively eligible.

Proposed future revenue allocation

This proposal applies only when DMT Music offers a licensed, revenue-generating streaming product and its rightsholders have accepted a streaming royalty schedule.

Adjusted streaming receipts = eligible subscription and in-player music advertising receipts minus refunds, chargebacks, applicable transaction taxes and payment processing fees. The music-rights pool first meets the composition, publishing and other licensed obligations under the applicable agreements; the remaining master-rights pool is allocated by each track's share of approved eligible plays for that period. If a mandatory licence requires more than this proposal allocates, the legal licence obligation prevails and DMT must resolve the difference before launch. The rights pool and accounting terms require written agreements; the current system does not calculate a rand amount per stream.

Illustration only: if adjusted receipts are R10,000, the proposed music-rights pool is R7,000 and DMT's share is R3,000. The R7,000 is not automatically paid entirely to the uploader: composition and other rightsholders may have separate claims and agreements.

Separate income

The 85% artist / 15% DMT split applies to verified direct track sales, not streaming. The R150 generic event-ad listing fee belongs to DMT and is excluded from the music-streaming pool. A future advertisement within the music player would be included only under an adopted streaming schedule. A bespoke ad using a recording, artist image or endorsement requires separate permission and compensation.

Statements, disputes and launch status

When activated, monthly statements should show adjusted receipts, licensed deductions, approved eligible plays, pool allocations, corrections and balances. The proposed payout cycle is within 30 days after month-end for balances of at least R100, subject to signed agreements. An artist may challenge an exclusion or accounting entry with supporting evidence; DMT records the review and correction.

Current status: DMT Music records provisional and approved play counts for review. No streaming royalty pool, subscriptions, in-player ad revenue ledger, collective-rights settlements or automated streaming payouts are active. This page is a draft; it is not an offer of a fixed per-stream rate.

See the full streaming rights draft and sales and advertising policy draft.