Explicit Content Tagging: Explicit vs Clean Flags on Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer
Updated 2026-10-21 · 5 sources
Short answer
Explicit is a metadata flag, not title text. Flag a track Explicit if it contains explicit content. Flag it Clean only if it's the edited version of a track that also exists as explicit. Otherwise leave it unflagged. Never add "(Explicit)", "(Clean)" or "(Edited)" to a title, and don't replace letters with asterisks: Apple censors words itself.
The rules
- Spotify: mark explicit tracks with the explicit tag; Spotify shows an E icon, so don't add it to the title [1].
- Spotify's style guide: clean versions of explicit tracks are tagged Clean, and only if an explicit version exists; terms like "(Clean)" or "(Explicit Version)" must not be used in titles [2].
- Apple: explicit content must be flagged Explicit with a parental advisory tag; Clean is only for clean versions that have an explicit counterpart; "(Explicit)", "(Dirty)", "(Clean)" and "(Edited)" are banned from titles [3].
- Apple: submit titles as the artist intended. Apple censors explicit words automatically, and self-censoring with asterisks makes the content harder to find [3].
- Deezer lists explicit content flags (for album covers and lyrics) among its essential metadata [4].
Why the flag matters to listeners
Spotify tags content as explicit based on information from rights holders, and listeners who switch explicit content off can't play anything tagged explicit; it's greyed out and skipped [5]. A wrong flag either exposes listeners to content they've filtered out or hides a clean track from them.
Examples
| Instead of | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Run It (Explicit Version) | Run It, flag: Explicit | Use the flag, not the title. |
| Run It (Clean), with no explicit version released | Run It, flag: not explicit | Clean is only for edits of an explicit track. |
| Sh*t Happens | Shit Happens, flag: Explicit | Apple censors automatically. |
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FAQ
Should a whole album be explicit if one track is?
Flag each track accurately, then check how your distributor sets the album-level flag.
Can an explicit and a clean version share an ISRC?
No. They're different recordings, so each needs its own ISRC. See the ISRC guide.
Related guides
Sources
- Spotify for Artists: Music metadata guidelines
- Spotify Music Metadata Style Guide v2.2.0 (PDF)
- Apple Music Style Guide 2.4 (Apple)
- Deezer for Creators: How To Add Music To Deezer Through A Label
- Spotify Support: Explicit content settings
Platform rules change. Each rule above is attributed to the company or standard that published it, as checked on 2026-10-21. This guide is not legal advice.