Beatport Requirements

Beatport is the world’s largest electronic music store, serving DJs and producers worldwide. Distributing to Beatport requires meeting specific standards for genre, quality, and metadata.

Enabling Beatport for Your Label

Beatport distribution is self-service. You can enable it when creating a new label or by editing an existing label.

Option 1: During Label Creation (Wizard)

When creating a new label, enable Beatport in the wizard:

Navigate to Catalogue → My Labels and click Add Label
Complete Steps 1-4 (General, Genres, Publishing, Social Media)
In Step 5: Distribution Settings, check the Beatport checkbox
Step 6: Beatport Distribution appears—indicate if your label is already on Beatport and provide details
Step 7: Beatport Genres appears—select all genres your label releases
Complete the remaining steps and submit

Option 2: For Existing Labels (Edit Form)

To enable Beatport on a label that already exists:

Go to Catalogue → My Labels
Click on your label, then click Settings
Go to the Retail tab
Toggle Beatport Enabled to On
A setup modal appears with two steps:
- Step 1: Indicate whether your label is already on Beatport. Either way, you need to provide your Record Label Name, your associated artists, and your planned release schedule. If your label is already on Beatport, you also need a link to your latest release.
- Step 2: Select your Beatport genres (at least one required)
Click Submit to send your Beatport application

After Submission

Once you submit your Beatport enablement request:

Your application is reviewed by the LabelGrid team, which typically takes up to 36 hours
We then submit your label to Beatport for approval
Beatport approval for a new label typically takes 5-14 business days

Submitting the form also opens a support request for you. It arrives by email and appears in your help desk, and it is where any questions from our team reach you — so keep an eye on it, and contact support if that email never turns up.

How to tell when your label is approved

Your label settings show a Beatport status chip on the Retail tab. It appears once Beatport is enabled and saved — switching the toggle on without saving does not produce it. While your request is outstanding the chip reads Beatport access requested. Once your label is marked as approved for Beatport distribution, it reads Approved by Beatport.

There is a second signal, on your releases: once your label is approved, Beatport appears as an option in the release’s Outlets tab. Until then it stays hidden, even though your Beatport Enabled toggle is On. That is expected, and it does not mean anything went wrong.

Enable Beatport before you schedule a release

Because approval takes 5-14 business days, enable Beatport well ahead of any release you want to sell there. Count business days — a fortnight of calendar time can be nine working days once weekends and holidays are in it.

If your release date falls inside the approval window, the release will not reach Beatport on time. Either enable Beatport earlier or move the release date back. You can check the date maths against Distribution Lead Times, which covers delivery once your label is already approved.

Is Beatport Right for Your Music?

Beatport is specifically for electronic and dance music. Before opting in, consider:

Ideal Content for Beatport

✅ House, Techno, Trance, Drum & Bass
✅ Dubstep, EDM, Electro, Breaks
✅ Deep House, Tech House, Progressive
✅ Ambient, Downtempo (electronic)
✅ DJ tools and remixes
✅ Electronic productions with clear genre fit
✅ Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop, Latin (open-format genres added in 2025 — DJ-oriented or electronic-adjacent content is the best fit)

Not Suitable for Beatport

❌ Country, Folk, Acoustic music
❌ Classical (traditional), Jazz (traditional)
❌ Spoken word, Podcasts
❌ Religious, Devotional content
❌ Sound effects, ringtones

Audio Requirements

Format Specifications

Specification	Requirement
File format	WAV or AIFF
Sample rate	44.1kHz minimum
Bit depth	16-bit or 24-bit
Quality	Mastered, DJ-ready

Why High Quality Matters

Beatport customers are DJs and producers who need:

Club-quality audio for performance
Clean masters without distortion
Proper levels for mixing with other tracks

Mastering Tips for Beatport

Ensure peak levels stay below 0 dBFS (no clipping)
Avoid excessive limiting or compression
Ensure clean low-end (critical for club play)
Check your mix on club-style monitors if possible

Metadata Requirements

Genre Selection

Beatport maintains a curated taxonomy of 36+ genres organized in a two-tier system (main genre + subgenres). Here are some of the main genres:

Main Genres	Key Subgenres
House	Deep House, Tech House, Afro House, Funky/Groove House, Progressive House
Techno	Peak Time/Driving, Raw/Deep/Hypnotic, Hard Techno, Minimal/Deep Tech
Trance	Progressive Trance, Psy-Trance, Uplifting Trance, Tech Trance
Drum & Bass	Liquid, Neurofunk, Jump Up, Jungle, Halftime
Dubstep	Deep Dubstep, Riddim, Brostep
Bass	Bass House, UK Bass, Future Bass, Midtempo
Breaks	Breakbeat, UK Breaks, Nu Skool Breaks
Downtempo	Chillout, Ambient, Electronica, Lo-Fi
Hard Dance	Hardstyle, Hardcore, Gabber
DJ Tools	DJ Intros, DJ Edits, Acapellas, Loops

Featured Artists

Featured artists must be entered in the “Featuring” field, not in the Artist dropdowns. This is one of the most common rejection reasons on Beatport.

Track Titles for Beatport

Electronic music has specific title conventions:

Original Mix:

Track Name (Original Mix) - Standard format
Track Name - Acceptable for singles

Remixes:

Track Name (Remixer Name Remix)
Track Name (Remixer Name Extended Remix)
Track Name (Remixer Name Dub)

Versions:

Track Name (Extended Mix) - Full-length club version
Track Name (Radio Edit) - Shortened version
Track Name (Instrumental)
Track Name (Dub Mix)

BPM Information

BPM is required for Beatport and critical for DJ mixing:

Enter accurate BPM to 1 decimal place (e.g., 126.5 BPM)
Use actual tempo (e.g., Drum & Bass is 170-180 BPM, not half-time 85-90)

Key Information

Musical key helps DJs with harmonic mixing:

Indicate key in Camelot notation or standard musical key
Example: 8A or A minor
Accuracy is important for DJ functionality

Release Types

Singles

Typically 1-4 tracks
Include Original Mix + Remixes
Each track can have multiple versions

EPs

4-6 tracks typical
Cohesive body of work
Can include guest remixers

Albums

Full artist albums
Less common on Beatport
Should be strongly electronic-focused

Compilations

Various artist collections
Must have cohesive genre/label theme
Each track requires proper licensing

Exclusivity and Pricing

Exclusivity and pricing options may vary. Contact support for details about current exclusivity options and pricing structures available for your releases on Beatport.

Artwork for Beatport

Technical Requirements

Specification	Requirement
Dimensions	1400 × 1400 pixels minimum (3000 × 3000 recommended)
Format	JPG or PNG
Aspect ratio	1:1 (square)
File size	Under 10 MB

Style Considerations

Beatport artwork should:

Be visually professional
Work at small thumbnail sizes
Not contain URLs, QR codes, competitor branding, phone numbers, or social media handles
Not use low-resolution or non-square images

Common Rejection Reasons

Genre Mismatch

Problem: Music doesn’t fit electronic/dance genres Solution: Only submit electronic music to Beatport; use other stores for other genres

Poor Audio Quality

Problem: Master is distorted, clipped, or unprofessional Solution: Remaster with proper levels and quality

Metadata Issues

Problem: Incorrect formatting, missing information Solution: Follow Beatport’s title conventions and include all required metadata

Artwork Problems

Problem: Low resolution or inappropriate imagery Solution: Use high-quality, professional artwork

Best Practices

For Maximum Beatport Success

Know your genre - Select the most accurate Beatport genre
Master properly - Professional, club-ready masters
Use proper naming - Follow remix and version conventions
Include BPM/Key - Help DJs find your tracks
Quality artwork - Matching electronic music aesthetics
Release timing - Consider Beatport chart cycles (Friday releases)

Building a Beatport Presence

Consistent release schedule
Quality over quantity
Engage with Beatport’s promotional tools
Focus on specific genres to build following

Beatport Charts

How Charts Work

Beatport charts are based on:

Sales performance
Genre-specific rankings
Time-based (daily, weekly)

Chart Types

Chart	Basis
Top 100	Overall sales/streams
Genre Top 100	Per-genre sales/streams ranking
Hype Top 100	Emerging tracks from smaller labels
DJ Charts	Curated by established DJs/artists
Staff Picks	Beatport editorial selection

Beatport vs Other Platforms

Feature	Beatport	Spotify	iTunes
Focus	Electronic only	All genres	All genres
Format	High-quality WAV	Streaming	AAC download
Audience	DJs, producers	General listeners	General listeners
Features	BPM, Key, DJ tools	Playlists, Radio	Downloads

Troubleshooting

Release not appearing on Beatport

Check if it passed genre review
Verify all requirements were met
Allow processing time (can be longer than other stores)
Check delivery status in LabelGrid

Rejected for genre reasons

Re-evaluate if the content fits Beatport
Consider other platforms for non-electronic content
If borderline, contact support for guidance

Sales not showing

Beatport reporting has specific schedules
Check royalty reports in the appropriate period
Sales update weekly, not in real-time

Promotional Tools

Once your label is enabled for Beatport and your releases are live, take advantage of Beatport’s promotional features.

See Beatport Promotional Tools for:

Creating DJ Charts
Exclusivity options and visibility
The Hype Program for emerging labels
Chart position sharing tools

Need Help?

If you have questions about Beatport distribution or requirements, contact our support team.

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