> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wavjunkie.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting Started with WAVjunkie

> Set up your artist account and ship your first release.

Welcome to WAVjunkie! This guide will help you get set up as an artist and start sharing your music with the world.

***

## What is WAVjunkie?

WAVjunkie is a platform designed exclusively for **independent artists** to upload, share, and sell their music. Whether you're creating AI-generated music, electronic beats, or original compositions, WAVjunkie gives you the tools to reach listeners and monetize your creativity.

### Key features

* 🎵 **Upload & sell** — Share your music and earn from every sale
* 💰 **Fair revenue** — Keep 80% of every sale (20% platform fee)
* 📊 **Analytics** — Track plays, downloads, and earnings
* 🎨 **Artist profiles** — Build your brand with customizable pages
* 🔒 **Secure delivery** — High-quality WAV downloads for buyers

***

## Eligibility requirements

### Independent artists only

WAVjunkie is exclusively for independent artists who are:

* ✅ Not currently signed to a record label
* ✅ Not under any exclusive music distribution agreement
* ✅ Able to grant WAVjunkie a master use license for hosting and sales

### Age requirement

You must be **18 years or older** to use WAVjunkie.

### Content ownership

You must own or have obtained all necessary rights to the music you upload, including:

* Original compositions you created
* Properly licensed samples (with documentation)
* Cover versions with mechanical licenses

***

## Creating your account

### Step 1: Sign up

1. Visit [wavjunkie.com](https://wavjunkie.com)
2. Click the **User Icon** in the navigation bar
3. By default, this opens signup but always confirm this is correct
4. Select **Artist** account type
5. Enter your display name or artist name
6. Enter your email address and create a password

<Note>You can also sign up with Google.</Note>

### Acknowledgements

As an artist, you'll need to acknowledge:

* You are an independent artist (not signed to a label)
* You grant WAVjunkie a master use license for your music
* You agree to our Terms of Service

### Step 2: Complete your profile

Make your artist page stand out:

* **Display name** — Your artist name
* **Bio** — Tell listeners about yourself
* **Avatar** — Upload a profile picture
* **Social links** — Connect your Instagram, YouTube, etc.

***

## Understanding your dashboard

Once you're set up as an artist, you'll have access to your **Artist Dashboard**.

### 📈 Overview

* Total earnings (lifetime)
* Available balance for payout
* Pending earnings (in 7-day hold)
* Recent sales activity

### 🎵 My Releases

* View all your uploaded releases
* Edit release details
* Delete releases
* See analytics per release

### 💰 Payouts

* Track your earnings progress
* Connect with Stripe to receive payouts securely
* Request payouts (quarterly after reaching \$25)
* View payout history

### ❤️ Favorites

* Music you've liked from other artists

### 📥 Downloads

* Tracks you've purchased from other artists

***

## Artist plans

WAVjunkie offers three plans for artists:

| Plan | Uploads/month | Artist profiles | FM included | Price                        |
| ---- | ------------- | --------------- | ----------- | ---------------------------- |
| Free | 20 tracks     | 1               | FM Free     | \$0                          |
| Grow | 50 tracks     | 5               | FM Standard | \$59.99/year                 |
| Pro  | 100 tracks    | Unlimited       | FM Pro      | $14.99/month or $129.99/year |

All artists start on the Free plan. You can upgrade at any time from **Settings → Plans** in your dashboard. Grow and Pro plans include FM features (subscriber management, email campaigns) at no extra cost.

### Multiple artist profiles

Grow and Pro plans support running multiple artist identities from a single account — useful for side projects, aliases, or labels managing several acts. Each profile has its own public page, slug, release history, and Fan Mail audience. Plan billing, Stripe payouts, and account-level settings stay on the parent account.

Manage profiles from **Settings → Artist Profiles**. The feature is rolling out in stages; if you don't see it yet, it will be enabled automatically when your account is included in the rollout.

***

## Your first upload

1. **Navigate to Upload** — Click "Upload" in the navigation
2. **Choose release type** — Single, EP, or Album
3. **Upload your tracks** — WAV files only (16-bit or 24-bit)
4. **Add cover art** — Eye-catching artwork (min 1400×1400px)
5. **Enter metadata** — Title, genre, credits, and more
6. **Set your price** — Choose how much to charge
7. **Publish or schedule** — Release now or set a future date

For detailed instructions, see the [Uploading Music guide](/artists/uploading-music).

***

## How earnings work

### Revenue split

When you make a sale:

* **You keep: 80%**
* **Platform fee: 20%**

**Example**: $8.99 sale = $7.19 for you

<Note>Artist net amounts are rounded to the nearest two decimal places.</Note>

### Payout requirements

1. **Minimum threshold**: Earn at least \$25 total
2. **7-day hold**: Each sale is held for 7 days
3. **Quarterly processing**: Payouts processed in March, June, September, December

For complete details, see the [Payout Guide](/artists/payout-guide).

***

## Best practices for success

### Optimize your releases

* ✅ Use high-quality cover art
* ✅ Write compelling descriptions
* ✅ Add accurate genre and mood tags
* ✅ Include proper credits

### Engage your audience

* ✅ Complete your artist profile
* ✅ Link your social media
* ✅ Respond to listener engagement
* ✅ Release consistently

### Price strategically

* Consider your target audience
* Compare with similar releases
* Experiment with different price points

<Note>WAVjunkie has a minimum track price of \$1.</Note>

***

## Content guidelines

### What you CAN upload

* ✅ Original music you created
* ✅ AI-generated music
* ✅ Collaborations (with permission from all parties)
* ✅ Cover versions (with proper mechanical license)
* ✅ Remixes (with proper authorization)

### What you CANNOT upload

* ❌ Music you don't own rights to
* ❌ Copyrighted material without authorization
* ❌ Content that infringes on others' intellectual property
* ❌ Harmful, illegal, or defamatory content
* ❌ Malware or harmful code

***

## Getting help

### Support resources

* **Email**: [admin@wavjunkie.com](mailto:admin@wavjunkie.com)
* **Documentation**: You're reading it!
* **Dashboard messages**: Admins can reach you directly

### Common issues

**My upload failed. What should I do?**
Ensure your file is a valid 16-bit or 24-bit WAV file. Try re-uploading.

**I can't see my release after publishing.**
Check if it's set to "visible" and not scheduled for a future date.

**My payout request hasn't been processed.**
Payouts are processed quarterly. Check your dashboard for status updates.

**My share link shows the WAVjunkie logo instead of my cover or profile image.**
Social platforms aggressively cache link previews. After updating your profile picture or release cover art, it can take a few minutes for previews to refresh. To force a refresh, paste your share link into the platform's own debugger (Facebook Sharing Debugger, X Card Validator, or LinkedIn Post Inspector) and request a re-scrape.

***

## Legal information

By using WAVjunkie as an artist, you agree to:

* [Terms of Service](https://wavjunkie.com/terms-of-service)
* [Terms & Conditions](https://wavjunkie.com/terms-conditions)
* [Privacy Policy](https://wavjunkie.com/privacy-policy)
* [DMCA Compliance](https://wavjunkie.com/dmca)

***

## Ready to start?

1. 📝 [Create your account](https://wavjunkie.com/auth)
2. 🎨 Complete your artist profile
3. 🎵 Upload your first release
4. 💰 Start earning!

Welcome to the WAVjunkie community! 🎶