Licensing
The Echo Nest wants to make it very easy for people to get started with our API. To that end, we've tried to write some "human-readable" API guidelines here.
We want to be as flexible as possible with our API; if you have an interesting use of our platform, we want to help. Here are some basic ground rules that all developers should abide by when using the API.
Use common sense
If you're unsure, ask us. - Our terms of service allow for most reasonable non-commercial uses. If you're doing something you think might be a problem or if you have any questions, just contact us at developer@echonest.com.
Read the Terms of Service
Before you start developing anything using the Echo Nest API, you need to read and abide by the full Terms of Service.
Do not use the API for commercial use without talking to us
The Echo Nest's API is free for non-commercial purposes. To use them commercially, talk to us and we will go over the licensing options. In either case, we request that you give us proper branding and attribution when using our data. (But be sure to see the commercial exception for song/identify in the next section).
If you are a lone developer selling advertising that is barely covering your running costs, we consider that non-commercial. If you are a company writing paychecks, making plenty of money or driving a venture-capital-purchased MacBook Pro, you're probably commercial.
For commercial use, we have standard terms & conditions that we can share with you. We want to be flexible and support many uses of the platform, so just contact us at developer@echonest.com if you have any questions about whether your use is commercial.
Commercial use of Song/Identify is OK
As part of the free and open Echoprint music identfication system, we are making access to the song identification method be free for both non-commercial and commercial use. You will still need an API key to access the api method and calls will be rate limited (however, only severely high query rates should trigger the rate limit).
Credit
Please give us due credit when using the Echo Nest API. Display an Echo Nest logo available on the logos page along with a link to http://the.echonest.com/ when displaying content provided by the API.
Don't do anything illegal
Don't use the API in connection with anything that promotes or takes part in any products, services, or materials that we would consider malicious, hateful, or illegal.
Don't pretend the data is yours
You may not sell, lease, share, transfer, or sublicense the API or access to the API to any other party than the API key holder. You can cache our data to lighten bandwidth and improve latency, but don't crawl/spider our API and make a copy of our data to steal our mojo.
Help us manage server and bandwidth costs
Don't use the API in a manner that exceeds reasonable request volume, or constitutes excessive or abusive usage as determined by The Echo Nest.
Respect the Terms of Service of our Partners
Some of the data returned by the Echo Nest API may be subject to 3rd party terms of service. Make sure you understand and abide by these terms:
