Artists build Worlds
An Artist World is the artist's persistent home: identity, artwork, releases, and approved music.
FLAM
How FLAM works
Artists build Worlds. Music is reviewed before it enters FLAM. Listeners discover, Flame, follow, and explore.
Ecosystem
The ecosystem
Three roles, one platform.
Music becomes a signal
A submission is a request for review. Approved music can move onto the FLAM surfaces it qualifies for.
Listeners discover
Discovery starts from Worlds, eligible tracks, Flames, Charts, and curated Radio — not from a public upload feed.
Artists
For artists
Join, release, review, then keep building.
01
Join / build your World
Apply to the artist ecosystem. Staff review the application. An Artist World may be created or linked. Acceptance is not automatic.
02
Submit or release music
Start an Official FLAM Release from the Artist Dashboard, or send music that is already releasing elsewhere through the External Release form.
03
FLAM reviews
Staff review the recording and the rights you declare. Pending and rejected tracks stay out of the public ecosystem.
04
Approved music can enter FLAM
Approved or featured music can reach the surfaces it is eligible for. Approval does not place a track everywhere.
05
Listeners discover
Listeners explore Worlds, hear eligible music, send Flames, follow artists, and listen to curated FLAM Radio.
06
Artists keep building
The Artist World stays the home for identity, releases, approved tracks, and later activity.
New artists apply at the ecosystem application. Staff decide whether to approve, create or link an Artist World, and open Artist Dashboard access.
Releases
Official release or external release
These are different paths. A public submission form does not create an Official FLAM Release.
Official FLAM Release
Release through FLAM
An Official FLAM Release starts from the Artist Dashboard. It uses FLAM First for that recording.
- FLAM Release ID. A published Official FLAM Release keeps a unique FLAM Release ID, including after withdrawal.
- Digital FLAM Release Certificate. A digital certificate is available once the Official FLAM Release is published.
- FLAM catalogue. A live Official FLAM Release can be listed in the FLAM catalogue.
- Artist World. An Official FLAM Release can appear in your Artist World when that world is linked. It does not by itself create an Artist World.
- Preview analytics. Qualified public previews can be counted. A preview is not a paid stream.
- Flames. Listeners can send a Flame on an eligible track preview. Flames are a discovery signal, not a payment.
- Artist earnings. Where an eligible FLAM-native purchase generates revenue, the artist's applicable share of verified track sales is recorded as artist earnings. Previews are not paid streams.
- FLAM Radio consideration. FLAM Radio consideration is available to Official FLAM Releases and eligible Supporting Members. Eligibility does not guarantee radio play. FLAM Radio remains editorially curated.
External release
Already releasing elsewhere
Music releasing through Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or another distributor uses the External Release pathway. That is not an Official FLAM Release, and it does not use Official FLAM Release terms.
Albums and EPs use the same external pathway, from 2 to 15 tracks. The album form does not create Official FLAM Releases.
Supporting Membership will apply to eligible External Release participation when the policy is activated.
FLAM First
The commitment is the recording
Official FLAM Releases use FLAM First. It applies to that recording, not the artist's entire catalogue.
Default · minimum
90-Day FLAM First
Release first on FLAM. After 90 days, take it anywhere.
Full-track distribution of this recording outside FLAM begins only after the 90-day FLAM First period.
Commitment
180-Day FLAM Exclusive
This recording remains a FLAM Exclusive for 180 days.
Commitment
Permanent FLAM Exclusive
This recording remains exclusively available through FLAM unless the agreement is later changed or the release is withdrawn according to FLAM policy.
Exclusivity applies only to this recording. You retain ownership of your music and master. You may continue releasing other music anywhere you choose.
Releasing through FLAM does not transfer copyright or ownership of the recording to FLAM.
Allowances
Allowances and credits
Submitting a track does not use an allowance. It counts only when FLAM approves or features it.
Introductory access
Without an Artist World
- Approved tracks
- 5 lifetime
- Mastering
- 5 complimentary uses
- Additional credit packs
- Not available
- Reset
- No monthly reset
Artist World
Artist World
- Approved tracks
- 14 each month
- Mastering
- 14 each month
- Additional submission credits
- 10 for R250.00
- Additional mastering credits
- 10 for R250.00
- Reset
- Monthly
- Purchased credits
- Do not expire
Pending submissions do not count. Rejected submissions do not count. A track counts only when FLAM approves or features it.
Complimentary Artist World allowances reset monthly. Purchased credits are used after that complimentary allowance is exhausted.
Additional credits provide extra usage only. They do not guarantee radio, promotion, charts, or acceptance.
A completed FLAM mastering job uses a mastering allowance or credit. Failed or undelivered jobs are not intended to consume a permanent use.
Individual artist privileges may override standard allowances.
After approval
How approved music moves
Approval opens eligibility. It does not drop a track onto every surface.
Artist World
When the artist has a World, an approved submission can appear there automatically. Artists without a World can still submit within their allowance, but the track has no World destination until a World exists. Optional 60-second featured tracks in the World editor are extra curation, not the approval pipeline.
The Void and Live Signals
Eligible approved or featured music can be discovered across FLAM, including The Void, without starting from artist popularity. Live Signals show activity. Not every approval is public on every surface.
Flames and Charts
Listeners can send one Flame per person, per eligible preview, each calendar month. The month resets in South Africa time. FLAM review stars saved from 22 September 2026 also count, and a star weighs more than one Flame. Charts are not Radio rotation stats, and artists cannot buy placement.
Catalogue and Radio
Music can be submitted and approved without an Artist World, but FLAM Radio rotation is reserved for artists with an eligible Artist World. Artist World membership unlocks Radio eligibility. FLAM Radio remains editorially curated. FLAM Radio consideration is available to Official FLAM Releases and eligible Supporting Members. Eligibility does not guarantee radio play. FLAM Radio remains editorially curated. A live Official FLAM Release can also be listed in the FLAM catalogue.
Listeners
How listeners experience FLAM
Discovery lives on the FLAM home and the public catalogue.
World Explorer
Discover artists and enter their Worlds. The full directory is on Artists.
The Void
Hear eligible music from across FLAM before the names. It is not ranked by popularity.
Hot Signals and Charts
Hot Signals shows this month's FLAM Chart. Open Charts for the full monthly ranking.
Live Signals
Activity across releases, charts, radio, and collaborations.
FLAM Radio
Radio is curated. Submission and approval do not guarantee airplay. Music can be submitted and approved without an Artist World, but FLAM Radio rotation is reserved for artists with an eligible Artist World. Artist World membership unlocks Radio eligibility. FLAM Radio remains editorially curated.
Flames
Play an eligible preview and send one Flame per track each month.
Constellations
Editorial collections are published as Constellations.
Transmissions
Notes and progress from Artist Worlds. Pulse from artists you follow is a separate feed.
My FLAM
Follows, saved music, and personal activity for a signed-in listener.
Artist Pulse from people you follow is on Following.
Details
Current workflows
Short answers for the paths that exist today.
How do I start an Official FLAM Release?
Open it from the Artist Dashboard. The public submit form does not create one. Staff review the recording, and a later publish step gives it a FLAM Release ID. Approval alone does not publish it.
Start an Official FLAM ReleaseHow do I submit an External Release?
Use the external form for a recording that is releasing through Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or another distributor. Platform links belong on that form. This path is not an Official FLAM Release.
Submit an External ReleaseHow do I submit an album or EP?
Album and EP intake is external only, with 2 to 15 tracks and one shared cover. It does not create Official FLAM Releases.
Open album / EP formHow do I join and get an Artist World?
Apply with your artist identity, links, and rights confirmation. Staff review it. If accepted, they can create or link an Artist World and send Artist Dashboard access. Applying does not guarantee acceptance.
Apply to joinHow does approved music reach my World?
An approved or featured submission can appear on the Artist World automatically when that artist has a World. You do not add every approved track by hand. The World editor can still hold optional 60-second featured tracks as extra curation.
Explore Artist WorldsHow do Flames and Charts work?
One Flame per person, per eligible public preview, each calendar month. The chart month resets in South Africa time. Review stars from 22 September 2026 also count. Artists cannot buy chart placement, and the chart is not the Radio rotation log.
Open FLAM ChartsHow does mastering work?
Signal Forge is the FLAM mastering tool in the Artist Dashboard. A completed master uses a mastering allowance or credit. Failed or undelivered jobs are not intended to consume a permanent use.
Open Signal ForgeSupporting Membership
Supporting Membership is separate from Official FLAM Releases, credits, Flames, Charts, and mastering. It is not a fee for publishing an Official FLAM Release, and it does not buy radio placement, Flames, or charts.
Supporting Membership will apply to eligible External Release participation when the policy is activated.
Supporting Membership is not currently active.