True North Distribution Terms & Conditions

1. Who we are & how these terms work

These Terms & Conditions (the “Terms”) govern your access to and use of True North Distribution’s music distribution, monetization, and related services (the “Services”). The agreement is between True North Distribution, LLC (or the relevant affiliate, “True North,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) and the artist, label, or other rightsholder (“you”). Using the Services constitutes acceptance of these Terms.

We may offer different service plans (for example, subscription or revenue-share models). Any order form, checkout page, dashboard selection, or signed addendum that you accept (“Plan Terms”) becomes part of these Terms. If Plan Terms conflict with this document, the Plan Terms govern for that plan.

2. Key definitions

• Content. The sound recordings (masters), musical compositions embodied in those recordings, artwork, metadata, images, clips, lyrics, and any other materials you submit to the Services.
• DSPs. Digital service providers such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, TikTok, Instagram, and similar platforms.
• Gross Receipts. Amounts actually received by True North from DSPs or other partners that are directly attributable to the exploitation of your Content via the Services, excluding sums that are never received by us.
• Net Receipts. Gross Receipts minus: (i) our Distribution Fee (if applicable); (ii) payment processing, transfer, or currency conversion fees; (iii) refunds and chargebacks; (iv) taxes, tariffs, or mandatory withholdings; and (v) any amounts attributable to fraud or prohibited activity.
• Streaming Receipts. Gross Receipts derived from on-demand streaming and UGC/audio platforms (for example, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music/Content ID/Shorts, TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook).
• Other Receipts. Gross Receipts from non-streaming uses (for example, downloads, ad-supported sales outside streaming, or physical sales reported via DSP partners).

3. Account, eligibility & security

You must be at least the age of majority in your jurisdiction (and at least 18 years old) and have the authority to bind the rightsholder to these Terms. You are responsible for the security of your account credentials and for keeping all account, payout, and tax information accurate and up to date.

4. Non-exclusive grant of rights (you retain ownership)

You retain all ownership rights in the Content. You grant True North a non-exclusive, worldwide, transferable, sublicensable license during the Term to: (a) reproduce, adapt, distribute, publicly perform, communicate to the public, display, and otherwise make the Content available on or through DSPs and partner platforms; (b) create or authorize the technical adaptations needed to operate the Services (for example, transcodes, clips, fingerprints, and ID files); (c) use your approved name, likeness, trademarks, and biographies to identify and promote the availability of the Content; and (d) collect, receive, and administer royalties and other income from DSPs in connection with the Content.

Except for the license above, no ownership interest transfers to True North. You may work with other distributors unless you sign a separate exclusive agreement. Withdrawal rights are described in Section 12.

5. Your responsibilities & clearances

You represent and warrant that you own or control all rights necessary for the distribution described in these Terms, including all master, composition, and artwork rights. You must secure and timely pay for all required licenses and permissions (for example, writer and publisher mechanical licenses, sample clearances, producer and mixer agreements, artwork and photo rights, and any required union or guild payments). The Content and your use of the Services must not infringe, misappropriate, or violate any third-party rights or laws.

Covers & samples. If you distribute a cover or a recording containing samples, you are solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining all required licenses. We may reject or remove Content that lacks proper clearances.

Prohibited conduct. You will not use the Services for illegal, deceptive, defamatory, pornographic, or harmful purposes; introduce malware; or engage in activity that creates a security, legal, reputational, or platform-policy risk. You will not participate in artificial streaming, bots, click-farms, or other fraud. We may suspend payouts and/or remove Content that we reasonably believe is fraudulent or non-compliant.

6. Pricing & plans

We currently offer two plans. The selection you make in the dashboard or checkout experience (the Plan Terms) governs plan-specific details.

Tier 1 – Flat fee distribution

• Price: $39 per year (per artist profile or account).
• Distribution fee: 0% on Streaming Receipts and downloads reported through DSPs.
• Add-ons: Optional services (for example, UGC/YouTube monetization) may carry additional splits or fees.
• Included features: delivery to supported DSPs (no territory exclusions), routine quality control, catalog and metadata tools, artist/client portal access, periodic statements, standard royalty accounting, and basic collaborator split support.

If you enable the UGC/YouTube monetization add-on for a release, royalties reported by YouTube or UGC platforms are allocated 70% to you, 10% to True North (administration fee), and 20% to Revelator (platform provider). The split applies only to UGC receipts for the enabled release and is deducted before payout. You can enable or disable the add-on per release; DSP processing timelines apply.

Tier 2 – Revenue share

• Distribution fee: 15% of Streaming Receipts (streaming only).
• Downloads and other non-streaming receipts: 0% distribution fee.
• Minimum: $60 per account per 12-month contract year, applied against earnings (shortfalls may be invoiced).
• Payout frequency: Monthly statements on or about the 25th; payouts triggered within 24–48 hours after statements (subject to receipt of funds).
• Minimum withdrawal: $25.
• UGC/YouTube add-on: Same 70/10/20 split described above, applied to the enabled release(s).

6B. Fees & refunds

All fees—including subscriptions, minimums, and add-ons—are non-refundable once any release has been delivered to a DSP, unless required otherwise by law.

7. Statements, payouts & taxes

• Statements & timing. We provide monthly statements on the 25th of each month and trigger payouts within 24–48 hours after statements are generated, subject to our actual receipt of DSP funds (industry reporting lags are typically 60–90 days).
• Payout method. Payouts are executed through Stripe Connect (Express). You must complete Stripe onboarding and know-your-customer requirements.
• Thresholds & fees. Minimum withdrawal threshold is $25. You are responsible for third-party transfer, payout, and currency conversion fees deducted by payment providers or intermediaries.
• Compliance holds. We may withhold or delay payments (and request additional KYC documentation) if we suspect fraud, infringement, account compromise, sanctions issues, or inaccurate tax information.
• Tax forms. Provide valid W-9/W-8 (or local equivalent) forms. We may withhold amounts as required by law. You are solely responsible for your taxes.
• Recoupment & offset. We may offset overpayments, chargebacks, clawbacks, or DSP adjustments against current or future sums owed to you.

8. Delivery standards & technical processing

You must follow our published delivery specifications (including audio formats, metadata accuracy, ISRC/UPC/EAN codes, territories, release dates, marketing rights, lyrics, and clean or explicit flags). We may edit or re-format metadata and transcode audio to meet DSP requirements. We may refuse or request takedown of Content that fails quality control or platform policies.

9. Platform rules & takedowns

DSPs maintain their own policies and may refuse, remove, geo-block, or reclassify Content at any time. True North is not responsible for third-party decisions or timing. If we receive a copyright complaint (DMCA or equivalent), we may remove or disable access to the Content and notify you. If you submit a valid counter- notice, we will process it consistent with applicable law. Repeated or egregious violations may result in account termination.

10. Marketing, name/likeness & promotion

You grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use your approved names, trademarks, logos, and likenesses to identify you and to promote the availability of your Content through the Services and DSPs. We will not falsely imply your endorsement of third-party products without your consent.

11. Third-party services

We rely on trusted third-party providers to operate portions of the Services. Without limitation, we currently use: (a) Revelator for catalog management, deliveries to DSPs, client and artist portal access, and royalty and statement administration; and (b) Stripe Connect (Express) for onboarding, identity verification, and payouts.

Your agreement for the Services is with True North. Using third-party providers does not create a customer relationship between you and those providers, though their terms and privacy practices may apply to the components they power. We may change providers at any time without materially reducing the Services.

12. Term, termination & keeping releases live

These Terms begin when you create an account or first use the Services and continue until terminated. You may remove specific releases or close your account by giving 30 days’ notice through the dashboard or support channels, after which we will request takedowns from DSPs. Timing of removals depends on DSP processing.

We may suspend or terminate the Services or your account for breach, legal or compliance reasons, platform policies, business changes, inactivity, or for any reason with reasonable notice when practicable.

Post-cancellation policy (Tier 1). If you cancel Tier 1 ($39/year), releases remain live on DSPs; however, your account enters maintenance mode: we retain 15% of Streaming Receipts (downloads remain at 0%), UGC/YouTube monetization and other optional features are disabled, and support is limited to critical compliance matters. You may resubscribe to restore Tier 1 benefits at any time.

Upon termination or takedown, we will account for and pay Net Receipts actually received up to the effective date. Sections that by nature should survive (for example, payments due, warranties, indemnities, limitations of liability, and dispute resolution provisions) remain in effect.

13. Warranties & compliance

By you. You warrant that: (i) all metadata you provide is accurate and not misleading; (ii) no Content contains undisclosed samples; (iii) you have paid and will pay all contributors and rightsholders; and (iv) your activities comply with sanctions, export, and anti-bribery laws.

By us. The Services are provided “as is” and “as available.” We disclaim all warranties not expressly stated in these Terms, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement. We do not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation or specific results on any DSP.

14. Indemnity

You will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless True North, its affiliates, and their directors, officers, employees, and agents from any third-party claims, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of: (a) the Content; (b) any breach of these Terms or your warranties; (c) failure to secure or maintain required licenses or to pay contributors; (d) fraud or prohibited conduct; or (e) your use of the Services.

15. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law: (a) neither party is liable for indirect, special, incidental, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages; and (b) each party’s total liability for all claims in the aggregate is capped at the greater of (i) the amounts paid or payable by you to True North in the 12 months preceding the claim or (ii) USD $100. Nothing in these Terms limits liability for fraud, willful misconduct, or amounts that cannot be limited by law.

16. Dispute resolution & class-action waiver

Governing law & venue. These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to its conflicts of law principles. The exclusive venue for any action not subject to arbitration is the state or federal courts located in Palm Beach County, Florida, and each party consents to personal jurisdiction there.

Arbitration. Except for claims seeking injunctive relief or matters that qualify for small-claims court, any dispute will be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by JAMS under its applicable rules. Class actions are waived. Judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. You may opt out of arbitration by providing written notice within 30 days of account creation. Details are available upon request.

17. Changes to the Services or these Terms

We may modify the Services or these Terms prospectively. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email or through the dashboard. Continued use after the effective date of the updated Terms constitutes acceptance. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Services and request removal of your Content.

18. Privacy

Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share information. By using the Services, you consent to our data practices as described in that policy.

19. Notices

You may contact us for legal or account notices through the dashboard support channel or via legal@truenorthdistro.com. Stripe Connect (Express) is our payment processing and payout provider.

20. Miscellaneous

• Independent parties. Nothing in these Terms creates a partnership, employment, or fiduciary relationship.
• Assignment. You may not assign these Terms without our prior written consent; we may assign them to an affiliate or in connection with a merger, sale, or reorganization.
• Entire agreement. These Terms and any applicable Plan Terms constitute the entire agreement and supersede prior understandings related to the Services.
• Severability & waiver. If a provision is unenforceable, it will be modified to achieve the parties’ intent, and the remainder remains in effect. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver.
• Force majeure. Neither party is liable for delays or failures caused by events beyond reasonable control (for example, platform outages, network failures, strikes, government action, war, terrorism, or natural disasters).

21. Plan schedule

By clicking “I Agree” or using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms & Conditions.