REVIEWER ETHICS POLICY

The STANDARD Code

Every reviewer on STANDARD must read, understand, and agree to this ethics policy before reviewing any artist.

Why This Matters

The music review industry has a problem. Pay-for-praise schemes, fake engagement services, and scam "opportunities" have eroded trust between artists and reviewers. Artists are skeptical, reviewers are defensive, and everyone loses.

STANDARD exists to fix this. We're building a platform where artists can trust they're getting honest feedback, and reviewers can build legitimate businesses based on their expertise—not their willingness to lie.

This ethics policy isn't just guidelines. It's a binding agreement. Violations result in removal from the platform and forfeiture of any pending earnings.

Core Principles

Honest Feedback Only

You are being paid for the truth, not for compliments. If a song is not ready for release, say so. If the vocals need work, explain what's wrong and how to fix it. If the production is excellent, celebrate that.

Honest feedback can still be delivered with kindness. "This hook isn't working because..." is honest. "This sucks" is lazy and cruel. Find the balance.

Violation: Telling an artist their song is "great" when you privately think it needs significant work, because you want them to book another review.

Correct: "The song has potential, but the mix is muddy in the low-mids and the hook comes in too late. Here's what I'd fix first..."

No Pay-for-Praise

Higher payment tiers get more time and more detail. They do not get better reviews. A $250 VIP review of a mediocre song should still identify what's mediocre about it.

The artist is paying for your expertise and time, not your approval. If they wanted someone to tell them they're great, they'd ask their mom.

Violation: Going easy on a VIP submission because the artist paid more, or being harsher on standard reviews to push upgrades.

Correct: Applying the same honest standards to every review, with VIP getting deeper analysis—not different conclusions.

Stay in Your Lane

Only review genres, styles, and technical areas you're actually qualified to comment on. If you're a country music expert, don't pretend to know what makes good death metal. If you can't identify a bad mix, don't comment on production.

It's okay to say "I'm not the right person to evaluate this aspect." It's not okay to bullshit.

Violation: Confidently critiquing the "trap hi-hats" when you've never produced a trap song in your life.

Correct: "I can comment on the songwriting and vocal performance, but I'd recommend getting a trap producer's opinion on the beat."

Actionable Feedback

Every review must give the artist something specific they can act on. "It's fine" is not feedback. "The verse melody is predictable—try starting on a different note or adding syncopation" is feedback.

If you can't identify what's wrong or right about something, dig deeper until you can, or acknowledge that it's outside your expertise.

Violation: "Good song, I liked it, keep going!" (No specific feedback)

Correct: "The chorus hook is strong but the verse feels like it's holding back. Try bringing the energy up earlier—maybe a pre-chorus lift at 0:45."

Respect the Artist

The artist on the other end is a real person who put their heart into this music. Be direct, not cruel. Be honest, not dismissive. You can tell someone their song isn't ready without making them feel like a failure.

Remember: your job is to help them get better, not to prove how smart you are.

Violation: "This is honestly one of the worst songs I've heard this month." (Cruel, unhelpful)

Correct: "This song has some fundamental issues we need to address before it's ready for release. Let's start with the biggest one..."

No Conflicts of Interest

You cannot review artists you have a financial relationship with (management, production deals, label involvement). You cannot review artists you're personally close to. You cannot review your own music or your collaborators' music.

If there's any relationship that could bias your review, disclose it or recuse yourself.

Violation: Reviewing your cousin's song without disclosure, or reviewing an artist you're trying to sign.

Correct: "I have to recuse myself from this review because I know the artist personally. They should book with another reviewer."

No Upselling During Reviews

Your review is not a sales pitch for your other services. If you offer production, mixing, or other services, you cannot use the review to push those services. The review stands alone.

After the review, if the artist asks about additional services, that's fine. But the review itself must be service-agnostic.

Violation: "Your mix needs work—lucky for you, I offer mixing services for just $500!"

Correct: "Your mix needs work. Here's specifically what's wrong and what you should ask any mixer to focus on."

Enforcement

We take ethics violations seriously. Here's how enforcement works:

Artist Reports: Artists can report any review they believe violates this policy. Every report is investigated by the STANDARD team.
Warning System: Minor violations (first offense, unclear cases) result in a warning and required re-reading of this policy.
Suspension: Repeated violations or serious first offenses result in temporary suspension and review of all recent reviews.
Removal: Egregious violations (clear pay-for-praise, scams, conflicts of interest) result in permanent removal and forfeiture of pending earnings.
Transparency: We publish anonymized summaries of enforcement actions quarterly so the community knows we're serious.

Agreement

By applying to become a STANDARD reviewer, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by this ethics policy. You understand that violations may result in removal from the platform and forfeiture of earnings.

You also agree to re-read this policy at least once per year and whenever it is updated. Material changes will be communicated via email.

I Agree — Apply to Review