Explicit lyrics in Azerbaijani, Russian and Turkish: when to tag

The explicit tag is not an English-only label. Swearing in Azerbaijani, Russian or Turkish is just as explicit as swearing in English, and so are adult themes in any language. The catch is that a store's staff and systems usually can't read your lyrics. You are the one who knows what the song says, so the decision is yours, and it is better made on purpose than left to chance.

What the tag is for

The tag tells platforms and listeners that a track contains content some people may not want to hear: in a family car, at school, at work, or on a child's account. Large streaming services use it in several ways. Many show a small "E" next to the title. Most offer a setting that hides explicit tracks, and parents can switch it on for a child's account. Some playlists, radio-style features and kids' modes skip tagged tracks completely.

So the tag is not a penalty and not a badge. It is information, and it is expected to be accurate.

What counts as explicit

There is no single universal list, but the usual triggers are:

• strong swearing and obscene words
• slurs and hate language aimed at a group of people
• sexually explicit lines or graphic descriptions
• graphic violence
• drug use described in a detailed or glorifying way

These apply in every language. Some points that are specific to our region:

• Slang and dialect: a word that sounds harmless to one listener can be vulgar to another. A phrase that's mild in Istanbul may be rude in Baku, and the reverse. If you aren't sure, ask a native speaker from another region.
• Mixed languages: many Azerbaijani and Turkish songs borrow Russian swear words, and many Russian songs borrow words from other languages. A swear word is still a swear word in the middle of another language.
• Masked words: a bleep or a cut still shows what the word was. Altered spellings, abbreviations and euphemisms that everyone understands count as well.
• What you hear, not what's written: if you don't publish lyrics anywhere, the song can still be explicit. Judge the audio.

A good test: would a parent be uncomfortable if this track came out of the speaker while their child was sitting there? If yes, tag it.

Over-tagging and under-tagging

Both have a cost.

If you tag a song that didn't need it, some playlists and kids' modes won't include it, and you lose a little reach.

If you don't tag a song that needed it, a platform or a listener can report it. The platform may add the tag itself, ask you to fix it, or in serious cases take the release down. Repeated mistakes make everything slower for you. Getting it right the first time is the easiest way.

Genuinely mild words, sad themes, heartbreak, anger and political songs are not explicit by themselves. The tag is about language and content, not about mood.

Where you set it

When you submit a release, the form asks whether each track contains explicit content. Answer it track by track, not once for the whole release. An EP can have one explicit song and four clean ones, and that is fine. Don't guess in a hurry just to finish the form.

Also check the title and the cover. A title with an obscene word or a cover with graphic imagery can be a reason for a rejection, even if the lyrics are clean.

Clean versions

A clean version, sometimes called an edited version, is a copy of the song where the offending words are removed, muted or replaced. Some artists release both: the original, tagged as explicit, and a clean one, which can fit radio, playlists and family accounts.

How to do it well:

1. Make the clean version as a proper edit, and listen to the whole track. Awkward gaps or an abrupt silence in the chorus are noticeable.
2. Deliver it as its own track or release, with its own title wording such as "Clean version", not by replacing the original. It is a different recording, and platforms generally treat it as a separate version.
3. Keep the metadata consistent between the two so listeners know which is which.
4. If you aren't sure how to present it in the portal, ask support before you submit.

Don't present a half-cleaned version as clean. One word that you missed is enough to make the label wrong.

A short routine before you submit

1. Read the lyrics, then listen to the final audio with a pencil.
2. Mark every line a parent might object to, in any language that appears.
3. Ask one person from a different city or generation to listen.
4. Set the tag on each track, and check the title and cover.
5. If you want radio and family accounts, prepare a clean version.

Tag honestly and you'll never have to defend the choice. A clear label protects the listener, and it protects your release from problems later.