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YouTube Content ID

About YouTube Content ID

YouTube Content ID is a fingerprinting system designed for creators like you, making it easy to track how your music is being used in videos across the YouTube platform, even when a license hasn't been purchased. When you submit your tracks for YouTube Content ID through Winamp for Creators, they are sent to YouTube, where each track is analyzed and assigned a unique fingerprint—a digital identifier that allows YouTube to recognize your music whenever it's used in a video, regardless of when it was uploaded.

When a match is found, the video creator receives a Copyright Infringement Notification, or claim, and YouTube places advertisements on the video. The revenue from these ads, typically around $0.00087 per monetizable view, goes directly to you.

To learn more about YouTube Content ID, check out the video below, or read this article from YouTube's Help Center.


Monetizable Views

Monetizable Views are to video views that generate revenue, through ads or YouTube Premium subscriptions.

  1. Ad Revenue If ads are placed on a video that contains your music, you earn a share of the revenue from those ads. This is the most common source of YouTube Content ID earnings. The type of ad (pre-roll, banner, etc.) and the viewer’s location can impact how much revenue is generated.
  2. YouTube Premium Revenue Some users pay a monthly subscription to watch YouTube without ads (YouTube Premium). When these users watch a video containing your music, you earn a share of the subscription revenue, based on how much of your content they consumed.

Remember that not all views result in revenue. A video view is only monetiziable if there is an ad is actually shown or if the video is viewed by a YouTube premium subscriber.


Rights enforced by YouTube Content ID

YouTube Content ID enforces your sound recording right, the rights to the actual audio recording you've uploaded.

If you also own the composition rights, the rights to the underlying music and lyrics, YouTube can enforce those as well, helping ensure you’re paid when your copyrighted work is used without permission.

Eligibility Criteria

Before submitting your track for Content ID on Winamp for Creators,  make sure that it meets YouTube eligibility criteria:

  • The track hasn't been generated by AI.
  • You're submitting only one version of your track. We recommend submitting an original.
  • The track is registered under:
  • The track isn't a cover, medley, sample, or remix of another artist's song.
  • The track isn't a live performance, speech recording or podcasts.
  • The track isn't in public domain.
  • The track isn't an alternate version of a track already distributed for CID.
  • The track isn't distributed for Content ID by another distributor, for example Jamendo, Haawk, Tunecore, RouteNote, Believe,..
  • The track's duration is longer than one minute.
  • The track doesn't contain audio made available for free from Garage Band, Logic, Fruity Loops, Abelton, and other Digital Audio Workstations

Each track that fails to meet the requirements outlined below will be declined and consequently excluded from consideration for YouTube Content ID.

If you're still unsure about whether your track meets the eligibility criteria for Content ID, please feel free to reach out to us or visit this article from YouTube Help Center.

Start using Winamp Content ID

To submit your tracks to Winamp Content ID, start by uploading and publishing the tracks you want to submit via the Media in the Winamp artist dashboard and adding their metadata.

Each eligible track will appear in the media selection in the Content ID tab.

Click on the track you want to submit to Youtube Content ID and click Monetize.

 

After selecting a track, you'll be prompted to confirm that your track:

  • Your track does not contain public domain recordings or songs;
  • Your track does not contain sounds from video games, television and movies;
  • Your track does not contain any audio from other peoples' YouTube videos;
  • You currently don't use Content ID through another company;
  • That all your statements are true.

Finally, click Subscribe & submit.

Once submitted, your track will undergo processing by the moderation team which normally takes up to 3 working days to be completed.

 Win-Tip

Before signing up for Winamp's Content ID service, ensure you haven't registered for YouTube Content ID through your current distribution provider if your music is already distributed by another platform. Signing up for Content ID services with multiple providers, will result in an Ownership Conflict. This means that YouTube will pause the monetization of your music and you will not be able to receive your revenue before the conflict is resolved.

Understanding Content ID Statuses

Once you submit your track(s) to Winamp Content ID, your track might receive one of the following statuses. 

Status

Description

Not Eligible

Indicates that the metadata completed for this track does not align with YouTube's and Winamp's requirements set for monetization.

In Moderation

Indicates that we are currently verifying whether the metadata you've completed and the audio quality align with YouTube's and Winamp's requirements set for monetization. This process usually takes up-to 3 business days.

Accepted

Indicates that following moderation, the metadata you've completed and the audio quality align with YouTube's and Winamp's requirements set for monetization. The monetization of your track using Content ID has started.

Active

Indicates that moderation was successful, and your tracks have been provided to AdRev, where the content ID services are being performed.

CID Conflict

Indicates that your track has been submitted to the YouTube Content ID program with another provider, and as a result, a Content ID conflict has arisen. The monetization of your track has been paused and YouTube will not release any of your earnings until the conflict is resolved.

Rejected

Indicates that following moderation, the metadata you've completed and the audio quality did not meet YouTube's and Winamp's requirements set for monetization.

Take down requested

Indicates that you have requested that your track be removed from the Content ID program.

Taken down

Indicates that your request to remove your track from the Content ID program has been processed.

Whitelisting your Own YouTube Channel

If you have your own YouTube channel where the tracks you've submitted for Content ID are already uploaded, you can request a Content ID channel whitelist through Winamp for Creators to prevent your videos receiving a copyright claims. To do this, please reach out to us via our contact form. Make sure to provide your YouTube Channel ID, in addition to the channel name. 
This will ensure your channel is properly whitelisted, allowing you to freely upload and share your music without triggering Content ID on your own content.

YouTube Ownership Conflicts

A YouTube Ownership Conflict occurs when two or more parties claim rights to the same piece of content within YouTube’s Content ID system. This type of conflicts occur when more than one Content ID provider submit claims for the same track. YouTube sees this as duplicate ownership and flags it as an ownership conflict.

As a result, monetization will be paused temporarily until the conflict is resolved.


Conflict Resolution

When an ownership conflict arises, you will receive an automated email from Winamp for Creators, asking you to provide us with a written confirmation that:

  • You will remain exclusively with Winamp for Content ID services.
  • You will cancel any agreements with other Content ID providers you may have registered with.

The confirmation should be sent at artists@winamp.com. Once we receive your confirmation, we can request the release of your payments.

Earnings and Revenue Share

The revenue earned through the Winamp Content ID program is based on a revenue share model.
You are entitled 75%-85% of the gross revenue received by Winamp from YouTube.

Subscription Plan

Artist Revenue Share

Winamp Revenue Share

Early Adopters*

80%20%

Essential

75%

25%

Standard

80%

20%

Ultra

85%

15%

Enterprise​

Custom

Custom

*The Early Adopters subscription plan is an exclusive offer, available to everyone who subscribed to Winamp for Creators between 2nd April and 30th June, 2025.


Revenue Reports

Your Content ID revenue reports and payments will be available in your Wallet once Winamp processes the earnings received from YouTube. These reports are typically imported monthly and reflect sales from two months prior. For example, revenue earned in January will be imported in your Wallet by the end of March.


Payment Schedule

After your Content ID revenue is imported into your account, you can request a payment one month later. Once requested, your payout will be processed between the 1st and 10th of the following month, ensuring timely access to your earnings.

Winamp will provide you with details of all earnings owed to you in the "Revenue" section of Admin tab in your Winamp for Creators account.

Requests for payout made after the 25th of any month will be processed in the following payout run. 

Your top questions answered

The purpose of YouTube Music and YouTube Content ID are entirely different. 

Youtube Music is a music streaming platform, just like Spotify or Deezer. YouTube Content ID is a copyright management and monetization system for rights holders, which enforces your sound recording and composition rights, helping you earn revenue from unauthorized use of your music.

If you have your own YouTube channel where your music is posted, please contact us so that we can whitelist your channel. 

Make sure to provide your channel ID in addition to the name of your YouTube channel.

Unfortunately, you are unable to receive payments for your tracks that were used in YouTube videos without your authorization before you began using YouTube Content ID.


Content ID agreements are exclusive. This means that you can only work with one service provider at a time.  Signing up for Content ID with multiple providers will result in a YouTube Ownership Conflict, and you won't be able to access your Content ID revenue until the issue is resolved. 

If you want to switch to Winamp's Content ID service from your previous provider, please contact them to cancel your current service before signing up with Winamp for Creators.

Many distribution platforms provide Content ID services, and you may have already signed up for this service with them.

Content ID agreements are exclusive, which means that you can only work with one service provider at a time.  If you sign up for Content ID with more than one provider, this will result in a YouTube Ownership Conflict. As a result, YouTube will pause monetization of your tracks and you won't be able to access your Content ID revenue until the issue is resolved.

When submitting music for Content ID, not every track will qualify. 
Tacks may be rejected for the following reasons:

  • AI-Generated: Content ID is designed for original music; AI-generated content will not qualify.
  • Multiple Version Submission: Only submitting one version of your track reduces acceptance chances. We recommend submitting an original version. 
  • Derivative Works: Covers, medleys, remixes, and sampled works are not eligible.
  • Non-Music Recordings: Live performances, speeches, podcasts, or similar recordings are not accepted.
  • Public Domain: Tracks that are in the public domain cannot be claimed.   

Each track that fails to meet the requirements outlined in the Eligibility Criteria of this page will be declined and consequently excluded from consideration for YouTube Content ID.