Terms of Use

DemoTape is a platform for independent artists to upload, share, and sell their music directly to listeners. We're built on a simple belief: artists should keep most of what they earn.

By creating an account, you're agreeing to these terms. If you're under 18, you need a parent or guardian's permission. If you're using DemoTape on behalf of a business or group (like a band), you're confirming you have the authority to agree on their behalf.

DemoTape is operated by DemoTape Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales. These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

This is the most important section. When you upload music to DemoTape, you keep 100% ownership of your masters and publishing rights. We never claim ownership of your work. Ever.

By uploading, you grant DemoTape a limited licence to host, stream, display, and distribute your music through our platform — solely for the purpose of running the service. If you remove your music, that licence ends (except for copies already purchased by buyers).

If someone uploads your music without permission, see Section 08 on how to report it.

To sell music on DemoTape, you need to set up an artist profile and connect a payment method for receiving payouts. You set your own prices. We don't dictate what your music is worth — you do.

When you list a track or album for sale, you're confirming that you have the legal right to sell it, that you've declared all rights holders accurately, and that the audio is your original work (or that you have the proper licences for any samples used).

DemoTape reserves the right to remove any listing that violates these terms or that we reasonably believe infringes on someone else's rights.

DemoTape operates a revenue share model where artists retain the majority of all sales generated through the platform. Here's exactly how the split works:

All figures are calculated after Stripe payment processing fees have been deducted.

DemoTape also offers subscription tiers with additional features and tools for artists. Details and pricing for tiers are displayed on the platform and may be updated from time to time.

Payment processing: All payouts are processed via Stripe Connect directly to the artist's verified bank account. Processing typically takes 3–5 business days from the payout date. DemoTape is not liable for delays caused by the artist's banking institution or Stripe.

Chargebacks & disputes: In the event of a chargeback or disputed transaction, the relevant amount will be deducted from the artist's pending balance. Artists will be notified of any deductions with full reasoning provided.

Currency: All payouts are processed in GBP by default. Multi-currency support will be introduced in a future platform update.

Taxes: Artists are solely responsible for declaring and paying any taxes due on income received through DemoTape. DemoTape does not withhold tax on behalf of artists. We recommend consulting a tax professional regarding your obligations.

When you buy a track or album on DemoTape, you're purchasing a personal, non-commercial licence to listen to that music. You can download it, keep it forever, and play it for personal enjoyment.

DemoTape is a community built on respect for artists and music. To keep it that way, here's what we ask of everyone:

Don't upload music you don't own. This is the big one. If you didn't create it, produce it, or have written permission from the rights holders, don't upload it.

Don't game the system. Fake plays, fake purchases, bot accounts, or any attempt to manipulate rankings or metrics will result in account termination.

Don't harass anyone. Threats, abuse, hate speech, or targeted harassment of other users won't be tolerated.

Don't upload harmful content. This includes content that promotes violence, contains illegal material, or violates anyone's privacy.

Don't abuse our infrastructure. Automated scraping, DDoS attempts, or anything that disrupts the platform for others.

DemoTape allows artists to sell merchandise alongside their music. There are two ways to sell merch on the platform: embedding a third-party store widget, or listing self-fulfilled products natively.

Commission on native merch sales:

Commission applies only to native merch listings sold through DemoTape checkout. Embed-only widgets (Shopify, Big Cartel) are processed entirely by the third-party platform — DemoTape does not take a commission on those sales.

Self-fulfilment responsibilities:

When you sell physical products, clothing, or print-on-demand items through DemoTape, you are the seller of record. This means:

Listing requirements: Self-fulfilled listings must include a valid contact email and shipping configuration (supported regions, rates, and estimated handling time). Listings without these will not be published.

Operational policy defaults:

These defaults are starting points and may be adjusted as the platform evolves. We'll notify sellers of any material changes to operational policies.

If you believe someone has uploaded your music without permission, you can report it using the flag button on any track page, or by emailing us directly. We take every report seriously.

Here's what happens when a track is disputed:

We'll notify both parties (the person who reported and the uploader). The disputed track will be temporarily removed from sale while we investigate. Both parties can submit evidence of ownership. We'll review and make a decision, usually within 7 working days. If we can't determine ownership clearly, the track stays down.

We comply with the UK's copyright framework and will respond to valid takedown requests. If you repeatedly upload content that isn't yours, your account will be permanently terminated.

We collect only what we need to run the platform. Here's a straightforward breakdown:

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data at any time. You can also request a copy of all data we hold about you. Just email us and we'll sort it within 30 days.

We use cookies for essential platform functionality and basic analytics. We don't use tracking cookies or third-party advertising cookies. You can manage cookie preferences in your browser settings.

Payment processing is handled entirely by Stripe. We never see or store your full card details — they go straight to Stripe's PCI-compliant infrastructure.

DemoTape is provided “as is.” We work hard to keep the platform running smoothly, but we can't guarantee 100% uptime or that everything will always work perfectly. We're a startup — things break sometimes, and we fix them as fast as we can.

We are not responsible for the content uploaded by users. While we do our best to moderate and respond to reports, the person who uploads content is ultimately responsible for ensuring they have the right to do so.

DemoTape's total liability to you for any claims arising from your use of the platform is limited to the amount you've paid us in the 12 months before the claim. We're not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.

If there's a dispute between you and another user (for example, over track ownership), DemoTape may assist in mediation but is not a party to that dispute.

We may update these terms from time to time. When we do, we'll bump the version number at the top of this page and notify you via email if the changes are significant. If you keep using DemoTape after changes take effect, that counts as acceptance.

If you have any questions about these terms, your account, or anything else, get in touch:

Thanks for being part of DemoTape.