The Creator
Tomasz K., independent electronic music producer based in Warsaw, Poland.
The Situation
Tomasz created a distinctive synth melody loop and shared a 30-second preview on SoundCloud. Eight months later, a well-known DJ’s chart-topping track featured a nearly identical melody. The track accumulated over 40 million Spotify streams. The DJ’s label claimed independent creation.
The Problem
SoundCloud upload dates are not legally robust evidence. Tomasz’s DAW project file had local timestamps that could be dismissed as “easily modified.” He needed independent, tamper-proof evidence of the melody’s creation date.
The AuthorHash Solution
Tomasz had timestamped both the original WAV stem and the Ableton project file with AuthorHash before uploading to SoundCloud. The two certificates provided proof that the exact audio file and the production project existed at a specific date, ruling out any claim that the melody was reverse-engineered from the preview.
The Outcome
Tomasz’s music lawyer sent a claim letter with both AuthorHash certificates attached. The label’s legal team, recognizing the evidentiary strength of EU-qualified timestamps, negotiated a co-writing credit and a royalty split. Tomasz now receives ongoing royalties from a track with 40M+ streams.
"My lawyer said the eIDAS certificate changed everything. Without it, we’d be arguing about SoundCloud upload dates in court. With it, they settled in three weeks.
Key Takeaway
Timestamp both the audio file and the project/session file. The project file proves you built it — not just that you have it.