UMG demands perfect file names, or your music gets rejected

If you want UMG to not nuke your delivery, name things cleanly, organize like an adult, print everything properly, and hand over every possible mix and stem they might ever ask for.

What matters first, so nothing gets rejected

• Honestly, everything hinges on files being labeled correctly and playable forever.
• If names are messy or sessions break, the rest barely matters.
• Think future-proof archive, not “it opens on my laptop.”

File names cannot be chaotic

• Start with Artist Name and Song Title, always.
• Then tack on Mix Type, Tempo in BPM, and the creation date.
• Dates must be MMDDYYYY, no creative formatting.
• Skip weird symbols completely; they break systems.
• Clean versions need to say so right in the name.
• The whole thing lives as ArtistName_SongTitle_MixType_Tempo_Date.

Folders should not be a scavenger hunt

• Put everything in a structure that makes sense instantly.
• Final mixes, sessions, and stems should be obvious at a glance.
• If someone else opens it years later, they shouldn’t panic.

Sessions must fully reopen anywhere

• Every DAW session goes in, no exceptions.
• All audio and MIDI used or unused stays included.
• Unused stuff needs to be clearly marked so no one guesses.
• Everything should line up from the earliest moment in the song.
• Nothing should drift if someone hits play from bar one.

Anything unique must be printed

• If it’s a synth, sampler, or heavily processed sound, bounce it.
• Don’t assume future systems will recreate your magic chain.
• New audio tracks should clearly represent those sounds.

Credits and performance details matter

• Every performer gets named for what they played.
• Include when and where the recording happened.
• This can live in track notes or session docs, just make it clear.
• Anonymous tracks are a hard no.

Documentation is not optional

• Song title, studio, dates, and locations all get logged.
• Contributors, takes, mix versions, and revisions must be traceable.
• Basically, leave breadcrumbs for archivists and lawyers.

Stems need to line up perfectly

• All stems must be the same length, no excuses.
• Add a bar of silence at the front and end.
• Tempo changes need to match the session exactly.
• Effects stay on, so it sounds like the mix at unity.
• Vocals require both wet and dry versions, with FX printed separately.
• Group instruments logically, not randomly.
• Vocals get split into lead and background.
• Drums should be broken out, plus a full kit stereo stem.
• Loops and samples live on their own stems.
• Live crowd mics stay separated, not mashed together.
• Pitch correction stays baked into dry tracks.

Every mix version must be delivered

• Main Mix is the final master-ready version.
• Instrumental drops all vocals.
• TV Mix loses the lead vocal but keeps everything else.
• A Cappella is vocals only, no instruments sneaking in.
• Clean edits are required if explicit versions exist.
• Both technical tweaks and creative reworks count as alternates.

Delivery details come from the label

• Don’t guess where to send things.
• Ask your label rep and follow their instructions exactly.