We are grateful to eagle eyed MTP reader asdfasdfasdf who posted this comment that I thought was important and warranted its own post.  (asdfasdfasdf is known to us for you MTP comment policy mavens, so don’t start with me.)  This would qualify as Lie #6 or at least #5A.

Independent artists can *not* use Content ID via companies like Tunecore or Audiam:

The vast majority of all recording artists today use commercially cleared and 100% legitimate, but non-exclusive samples from common keyboards, synthesizers, drum kits and commercial sample libraries such as Kontakt or BFD.

And that kind of cleared, legitimate content is a no-no for aggregators like Audiam.

How do I know that?

I asked all these companies (Audiam, Tunecore and CDBaby) about their policies on
cleared samples – and they all have the same rules.

Here’s what Tunecore said:

“You cannot submit tracks to YouTube for revenue collection that
Contain any audio library samples, sound effects, or production loops
(such as GarageBand loops) -Contain any third party content that you
do not have exclusively licensed (such as samples you do not have
exclusively licensed)”

I also asked Audiam if they had the same rules as Tunecore:

”Yes, you must exclusively control the rights to the
content you submit. These rules are not set by Tunecore or Audiam, but
by Youtube.”

[Audiam’s reply was not correct, however: YouTube does indeed allow artists to monetize tracks that include the type of non-exclusive legitimate samples I mention here, but content owners need to sign up with Content ID directly, as opposed to using a middle man, and most indies can’t do that so we’re back to square one.]

And CD Baby has similar rules:

“As far as YouTube goes you would have to monetize the content on your
own as we can not monetize this type of content [i.e. legitimate and
cleared but non-exclusive samples] as it is often disputed or
removed.”