Why Were my Lyrics Rejected?

Streaming services have pretty specific requirements for submitting your lyrics:

• Do not include the vocalist's name
• Do not include extra text (ex: "intro", "chorus", social media links, etc.)
• Repeated lines must be written out. Don't write "Chorus 2x" etc.
• Begin each line with a capital letter
• Do not use punctuation at the end of a line
• Do not include blank lines except between verses or chorus
• Avoid entering excessively long lines. One sentence per line
• Don't censor explict words unless the words are dropped/bleeped in the audio recording
  Example: Don't enter "F***", unless the word was dropped or bleeped

The most common reasons that streaming services reject lyrics are:

1. No line breaks between sections (verse/chorus/bridge/etc.)
   
   Do not format your lyrics like this:
   
   
   So I pointed my fingers
   And shouted few quotes I knew
   As if something that's written
   Should be taken as true
   But every path I had taken
   And conclusion I drew
   Would put truth back under the knife
   And now the only piece of advice that continues to help
   Is anyone that's making anything new only break something else
   When my time comes
   Oh oh oh oh
   When my time comes
   Oh oh oh oh
   
   Do format your lyrics like this:
   
   

   So I pointed my fingers
   And shouted few quotes I knew
   As if something that's written
   Should be taken as true
   But every path I had taken
   And conclusion I drew
   Would put truth back under the knife

    

   And now the only piece of advice that continues to help
   Is anyone that's making anything new only break something else

    

   When my time comes
   Oh oh oh oh
   When my time comes
   Oh oh oh oh
   
   
2. Too many line breaks (unnecessary spaces between each line)
   
   Do not format your lyrics like this:
   
   
   There's traffic on the bridge
   
   But the skyline shines with a certain light
   
   I know you're sick of it
   
   Do format your lyrics like this:
   
   
   There's traffic on the bridge
   But the skyline shines with a certain light
   I know you're sick of it
   
   
3. Too many grammar/spelling/capitalization errors
   
   Do not format your lyrics like this:
   
   2day is gona b the day
   That their gonna throw it back to u
   By now u shouldve some how
   Realized what u gotta do
   I dont believe that n e body
   Feels the way I do about u now
   
   Do format your lyrics like this:
   
   Today is gonna be the day
   That they're gonna throw it back to you
   By now you should've somehow
   Realized what you gotta do
   I don't believe that anybody
   Feels the way I do about you now
   
   
4. Punctuation at the end of lines
   
   Do not format your lyrics like this:
   
   
   Everything is everything.
   What is meant to be, will be.
   After winter, must come spring.
   Change, it comes eventually.
   
   Do format your lyrics like this:
   
   Everything is everything
   What is meant to be, will be
   After winter, must come spring
   Change, it comes eventually

For a complete list of streaming service requirements, visit Musixmatch guidelines and Apple guidelines.