Distributor guide · checked 25 October 2026

Label Worx TikTok start time

Label Worx is the only distributor we found that states the percentage rule: with no custom start, TikTok begins the sample a third of the way into the track. It also takes the start in seconds, not minutes:seconds.

“If no start time is provided, these platforms will begin the sample at 33% of the track's total duration.”
— Label Worx, edited 21 Jul 2026

New release

  1. Open the Track Details page for the track.
  2. Tick the "Custom Sample Start" box.
  3. Enter the start time in seconds (e.g. 150 = 02:30).

Already released

Label Worx's article doesn't cover changing it after release. Ask Label Worx support.

Good to know for Label Worx

  • Format: Entered in seconds only. Label Worx's example: 150 starts the sample at 02:30.
  • Convert to seconds: 1:45 is 105. The tool above does this for you.
  • Label Worx notes most DSPs, including Instagram, do not accept custom sample starts, so this setting mainly affects TikTok, Beatport and iTunes.
  • For Beatport, Label Worx warns that 0 reverts to Beatport's default preview logic.

Work out your exact Label Worx start time

Fills in from the song title and artist when we can find it. You can always edit it.

Listen through and note the second the hook begins, or let "Find my hook" below suggest it. You always choose.

Not listed? We only include distributors whose own help pages document the TikTok start time.

Find my hook

Pick your own song (MP3 or WAV, up to 20 MB and 15 minutes). It is analysed in your browser and never uploaded. We look for the part that repeats and is loudest, which is usually the chorus.

1. Your TikTok start time

Enter this in Label Worx

Custom Sample Start (Track Details)

46

Starts 2 seconds before the hook. The 2-second lead-in is our suggestion.

Entered in seconds only. Label Worx's example: 150 starts the sample at 02:30.

Steps in Label Worx

  1. Open the Track Details page for the track.
  2. Tick the "Custom Sample Start" box.
  3. Enter the start time in seconds (e.g. 150 = 02:30).

Already released? Label Worx's article doesn't cover changing it after release. Ask Label Worx support. Label Worx Support

Full Label Worx guide →

If you don't set it

Distributors document two different defaults, so we show both. Creators pick up to 15 seconds of the clip (CD Baby Support, Symphonic).

  • Default 29 seconds in (RouteNote): preview starts at 0:29

    Hook lands 19s in, past the first 15 seconds.

  • Default 33% of the track (Label Worx): preview starts at 1:03

    Your hook (0:48) is 15s before this start, so it would be skipped.

Sources: RouteNote Support (29 s), Label Worx Support (33%).

2. Creator brief for your song

The sound page delivered by your distributor, not a fan upload.

Platforms

Why these rules: one rightsholder per TikTok Sound ID and unofficial uploads on 97k+ videos (Pex, Feb 2025); Shorts over one minute with a copyright claim are blocked (YouTube Help); disclosure in the video, "#ad" is fine (FTC).

Your brief

The video
Make a short vertical video (9:16) for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts using the song as the sound.
The hook starts at 0:48 in the song. Trim the sound so the hook plays in your first few seconds.
Make the hook moment the payoff of the video: a transition, reveal, dance move, lip-sync line or reaction.
Keep the song audible. Don't talk over the hook.

Sound rules
- Use the official sound from the artist's profile, not one uploaded by someone else.
- Don't use a re-upload, sped-up or slowed version. Only one rightsholder can claim a TikTok Sound ID, so videos on unofficial uploads can leave the artist with no credit (Pex, Feb 2025).
- Don't upload the song as your own original audio.

YouTube Shorts
- Keep Shorts at 60 seconds or less. YouTube blocks Shorts longer than one minute that have an active copyright claim (YouTube Help).

Disclosure
- This is a paid promotion. Turn on the platform's paid-partnership / branded-content label.
- Also say or show "#ad" in the video itself, not only in the caption. The FTC says the disclosure should be in the video, not just the description, and "#ad" is fine.

Don't
- Don't buy views, likes or followers. Only verified views are paid.
- Don't re-post someone else's video or use a clip you don't have rights to.
- Don't make claims about the artist that aren't true.

Pre-fills a campaign with this brief. You review every field, set your reward per 1,000 verified views and budget, and nothing is charged until you fund it.

3. Release-week plan

Loading your dates…

Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is saved unless you press "Launch as a campaign".

Frequently asked questions

What is the default TikTok sample start on Label Worx?

Label Worx says that with no start time, TikTok, Beatport and iTunes start the sample at 33% of the track's total duration.

What format does Label Worx want for the start time?

Seconds. Their example: entering 150 starts the sample at 02:30.

What does TikTok use if I don't set a start time on Label Worx?

Label Worx says: With no start time, TikTok, Beatport and iTunes begin the sample at 33% of the track's length.

Source

Screens change. If Label Worx's form looks different, their help page is the authority. Other distributors: all TikTok start-time guides.

Related free music tools

Estimates, not guarantees. Real costs and results vary. This is general information, not legal or financial advice: check the licence terms that apply to you, and talk to a qualified professional before you rely on it.