Community & Distribution Guidelines
How we keep ONCE good for creators
These guidelines explain how we expect people to behave on ONCE, what we will not tolerate, and how enforcement works. They exist for one reason: to protect the artists and creators doing honest work from the small number of people who try to abuse the platform.
At a glance: We value music and we value creators. We have zero tolerance for fraud. We use automated fraud detection plus human review. A confirmed violation is a strike; three strikes and the account is closed for good, along with any associated accounts. After the third strike there is no appeal, and serious fraud can end an account on the first one. If our rules are not right for you, there are hundreds of other distributors and we are happy to help you find one.
Who these guidelines apply to
These guidelines apply to everyone who uses ONCE: visitors to this website, artists and labels distributing through us, and anyone using a product, front, or integration built on ONCE infrastructure, including releases submitted through our MCP server and API. The same standards and the same enforcement run on every surface, because they run in the pipeline, not on any one brand. They work alongside the terms you agree to when you create a ONCE account.
What we value
ONCE was built in Nashville by musicians, for creators. We want this to be the easiest, fairest place to get your music heard, whether it is human-made, AI-assisted, or fully AI-generated. Most people who use ONCE are exactly who we built it for, and almost none of this page will ever apply to you. We are direct about enforcement so the honest majority never has to pay for the dishonest few.
What we do not allow
Some behavior puts every creator on the platform at risk, gets releases removed by streaming services, or damages trust in the catalog as a whole. The following are not allowed on ONCE:
- Streaming fraud and manipulation. Bots, click farms, artificial streams, or any scheme designed to inflate plays, chart position, or royalty payouts.
- Rights violations. Uploading music, samples, vocals, artwork, or other content you do not own or have a clear license to distribute.
- Impersonation and misleading metadata. Pretending to be another artist, hijacking an existing artist profile, or using fake, deceptive, or keyword-stuffed titles, names, or credits.
- Hidden or undisclosed AI. Routing around AI provenance and disclosure when a platform requires it. ONCE scans uploads and handles disclosure so you can release AI music the honest way.
- Payment and chargeback fraud. Stolen cards, fraudulent chargebacks, coupon or referral abuse, or any attempt to game pricing and credits.
- Abuse of people and agents. Harassment of our team, and deliberate manipulation or abuse of the automated agents that handle support and review.
- Ban evasion. Creating new or additional accounts to get around a suspension or to continue activity we have already stopped.
How enforcement works
We rely on a combination of automated fraud detection and human review. Our systems flag suspicious activity, and our team reviews the evidence before we act. We would rather get it right than act fast, so genuine mistakes get corrected. Confirmed abuse does not.
When a violation is confirmed, it counts as a strike:
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| First & second strike | The violating release is removed and you are warned. We tell you what crossed the line so it does not happen again. |
| Third strike | The account is permanently closed. After three strikes there is zero tolerance and no path back. |
| Associated accounts | Any other accounts tied to a closed account are also closed. |
| Severe fraud | Clear, serious fraud can result in immediate permanent removal on the first strike, without the steps above. |
Strikes follow the person, not just the login. We take this seriously because streaming services hold distributors accountable, and one bad actor can put delivery for thousands of honest releases at risk.
Suspensions and appeals
We review the evidence before suspending an account, and we will reverse a genuine mistake. But for confirmed fraud, suspensions are final and appeals are generally not granted. That is a deliberate choice. We hold this line precisely because we value music and the creators doing honest work, and every hour spent re-litigating clear fraud is an hour taken from them.
If ONCE is not the right fit
These policies are not for everyone, and that is genuinely okay. There are hundreds of other distributors out there, and we know and respect many of the people who run them. If our approach to fraud, AI disclosure, or anything else does not work for you, we would rather help you land somewhere that fits than have a relationship that does not. Reach out through our contact page and tell us what you are looking for. We are happy to point you toward a better home. If you want to see how we stack up first, our distributor comparisons are honest about where other services do things differently.
Reporting a problem
If you have spotted streaming fraud, impersonation, or a release that infringes your rights, please tell us. Email the team through our contact page with links and any details that help us review it quickly. Reports from creators are one of the best signals we have, and we act on them. Email is the official channel for reports and account questions, but if you just have a good-faith question about these guidelines, you are also welcome to ask in our Discord community.
Changes to these guidelines
We may update these guidelines as the platform, streaming-service rules, and AI landscape evolve. The current version always lives at this page, and meaningful changes are reflected here. Continuing to use ONCE means these guidelines apply to you.
Frequently asked questions
What does ONCE not allow?
Fraud of any kind: streaming manipulation and bot farms, uploading music you do not have the rights to, impersonation, fake or misleading metadata, chargeback and payment fraud, and abuse of our team or automated agents. These put every honest creator on the platform at risk.
What is the three-strikes policy?
We use automated fraud detection and human review to flag abuse. A confirmed violation is a strike. Three strikes and the account is permanently closed. After the third strike there is zero tolerance, and serious fraud can end an account on the first strike.
What happens to my other accounts if I am banned?
They go too. When we close an account for fraud, any other accounts associated with it are also closed. Creating a new account to get around a ban is itself a violation and will be shut down when detected.
Can I appeal a suspension?
We review the evidence before we act, and we will correct genuine mistakes. But for confirmed fraud, suspensions are final and appeals are generally not granted. We hold this line precisely because we value music and the creators doing honest work.
What if ONCE is not the right fit for me?
That is completely okay. There are hundreds of other distributors, and we know and respect many of the people who run them. If our policies are not right for you, reach out and we will gladly help point you toward a home that fits better.
How do I report a problem or abuse?
Email the team through our contact page. If you have spotted fraud, impersonation, or a release that infringes your rights, tell us what you saw and include any links or details so we can review it quickly.