A copyright flag is not an accusation, and it does not mean you have done something wrong. It means an automated check found audio on your release that matches a recording someone else has registered. Sometimes that match is real. Often it is not.
The hold happens automatically, before anyone from our team has looked at it. That is not a judgment on your music — it is the system pausing things so a person can review the case properly.
Every track gets scanned
When you upload a track, EVEN runs it through a copyright check in the background. You do not start it and you cannot skip it. Most tracks clear it quietly and you never hear about it.
The scan runs on:
Every track on a new release
Every track you add to a release you already created — including one that is already live
This applies to releases published on or after 7 August 2026. Anything you published before that date is not affected.
What happens when a track is flagged
If the release is not live yet, you cannot publish it. Publishing stays blocked while the flag stands.
If the release is already live, it is pulled from sale automatically. It stops being available for fans to buy, and it moves to a Disputed status. This happens as soon as the match is detected, which means it can happen mid-campaign.
You will see an alert in two places in Backstage, both tied to that specific release:
The Release page — next to the tracks themselves
The Payments page — next to the money attached to that release
Only that release is affected. Your other releases keep selling normally.
You cannot lift a Disputed status yourself
Disputed is set automatically and the option to change it will not appear in Backstage. That is deliberate. A copyright question needs a human review behind it, not a toggle.
Disputed is a holding state, not a verdict. It stays in place while our team works the case, and it lifts when the case is resolved.
Why tracks get flagged
The most common reasons we see:
An uncleared sample or interpolation. The check hears the source recording underneath your track.
A cover. Your version matches the original registration.
The same track distributed elsewhere. If the recording is already live through a distributor or label, that registration can match your EVEN upload — even when you own both.
A false match. Automated systems flag similar-sounding audio, short vocal phrases, and common drum or loop material more often than you would expect.
You do not need to work out which one applies before you contact us.
Get the case reviewed
Email us at support@even.biz and include:
Your artist name on EVEN
The name of the release
The flagged track, if you know which one it is
Any paperwork for the audio — a sample clearance, a sync or mechanical license, a split agreement, or a distribution statement showing the release is yours
The paperwork is what moves a case fastest. If you do not have it yet, still write in. Sales are paused while the release sits in Disputed, so the sooner the case opens, the sooner it can close.
If the release was already live, say so in your first email. A release pulled mid-campaign is our priority.
What happens next
Our team pulls the flag details, reviews them against what you have sent, and comes back to you. If we need more from you, we will ask for something specific rather than leaving you guessing. Once the case is settled, we update the status on the release from our side and let you know.
If fans bought the release before it was pulled, contact us and we will work through those purchases with you. How they are handled depends on the case.
Two things not to do
Do not delete the release. Deleting it does not clear the flag, and it makes the case harder to sort out.
Do not re-upload the track to try to get a clean pass. The scan runs again on anything you upload and will land in the same place. Write in instead.
AI detection is a separate check
EVEN also scans for AI-generated audio. That check is not the copyright check, and it works differently: it adds a disclosure tag to your release that fans can see. It does not block your release, pull it from sale, or move it to Disputed.
If your release has an AI disclosure tag and its incorrect please reach out to support.
Questions about a specific release? Email support@even.biz. We answer Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM ET.